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OFFICIAL NEWS BULLETIN 



February, 1961 



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Your Association President sezs 



"Fellow Supervisors - Are we at the crossroads with 

 our soil conservation districts? If so., what is our 

 future route? I am addressing this to you super- 

 visors s since you are charged by the people who elected 

 you to act as their leaders in the field of soil and 

 water conservation. 



It appears to me that we are losing gixiund in many 

 of our district programs., and if you agree^ you will 

 no doubt want to take action to strengthen our various 

 activities o 



The following issues are of concern to all of uss 



We are losing ground in our district educational pro- 

 grams » Two years ago we lost the services of a super- 

 visor of education in the State Department of Public 

 Instruction due to lack of fundso 



Last year we lost the services of an Extension Conservationist because the funds 

 used to employ a conservationist were diverted to other useso 



We have always relied on the Montana Agricultural Experiment Stations and the 

 Extension Service for advice and assistance to our distidctso Proposed budgets 

 would materially reduce operations in our Experiment Station System and Extension 

 Service. 



Montana is a large state,, having an area of more than 93 million acres. Agriculture 

 is its greatest source of revenue. The return from this industry alone is about 

 50$ of all income in the state. Can we as district supervisors sit idly by and per- 

 mit our conservation programs to stand still or to deteriorate? Shall we place 

 greater emphasis on research and educational programs as they effect conservation- 

 our well being - the well being of our future generations? These are questions 

 we must decide. 



