NACD Convention 



It was cold and windy in Chicago during 

 the 25th Anniversary National Association 

 of Conservation Districts annual convention. 

 But the weather didn't stop the proceed- 

 ings in the spacious Pick-Congress Hotel. 

 Supervisors from all over the United States 

 participated In an interfaith Soil Steward- 

 ship service on Sunday evening, the theme 

 being "The world and they that dwell therein." 



Committee meetings were well attended 

 and instructive with many good speakers of 

 national stature talking about environment, 

 pollution control, rural land uses, soil & 

 water conservation- natural resources, re- 

 organization revenue sharing, education » 

 etc. 



John Wilder, president of NACD, stated 

 in his talk that SWCDs pre being considered 

 seriously in the programs for environmental 

 and natural resource development, in state 

 Capitols, and at the nations capitol. Dist- 

 ricts need money and man power, must con- 

 vince legislators, must seek and convince 

 all agencies with funds. The most exper- 

 ienced conservation people are SWCD offic- 

 ials, they make local government work. Role 

 of local government Is important. Districts 

 must be recognized as local government, as 

 government officials, not as non-government. 

 Governmental capacity must be respected. 

 NACD must do more to convince state and 

 national government to look upon districts 

 as resource planners and developers. 



Secretary of agriculture, Clifford 

 Hardin In his talk told of the idea of 

 revenue sharing with states as being a "trans- 

 fer of decision making" of which the Nixon 

 administration is intent on bringing about. 

 Hardin also told of proposals for reorganiz- 

 ation of agencies of federal government. 

 He talked of environmental concerns and the 

 many more programs that districts can be 

 connected with. Hardin said that SWCD pro- 

 grams are not so we I 1 known outside of 

 Agriculture. There is a problem of many 

 people not so well acquainted with environ- 

 ment taking leadership. Secretary Hardin 

 said districts can be fusion points for en- 

 vironmental actions - - districts are logi- 

 cal people to take leadership In environ- 

 mental programs to adjust and lead. 



The NACD Counci I set uo I I broad ob- 

 jectives and goals for the remainder of ^^ 

 the 1970s to include continuation and ^P 

 explanation of the committee on district 

 outlook to strengthen districts, encour- 

 age wider use of districts, cooperation 

 with local governments, i an rove communi- 

 cations. 



The Montana resolution to develop pro- 

 grams to save and utilize quality soil 

 materials that are disturbed during 

 agricultural, industrial, commercial, 

 recreational, residential, highway, and 

 other land uses, was favorably received. 



Supervisors attending from Montana In- 

 cluded NACD director Pete Jackson, Leo 

 Hack ley and wife. Ken Torgenson and wife, 

 Carl Johnson and wife, Yugo Nayematsu, 

 A. G. Slattery, 0. M, Ueland, Russ Salsbury, 

 and Charles Tonne, 



Persons attending the national meeting 

 stated their feelings that it is highly 

 rewarding to participate In and to gain 

 the impact and importance of the work of 

 conservation districts. 



COMING EVENTS 



Soil Stewardship : May 16-23, |97| 



MASWCD Directors Meeting: June 15 



Rainbow Hotel, Great Falls, Montana, 



Northern Plains: June 13-15 



Rainbow Hotel', Great Falls, Montana 



State MASWCD Meeting: November 1-3, |97| 

 Florence Hotel, Missoula, Montana 



FOR SALE - - 



Towner Giant Disc Plow. The plow Is 

 capable of plowing three feet deep. It 

 has its own hydraulic system operated by 

 a Wisconsin Engine. 



Inquire of: Norths I de Soil Conserva- 

 tion District, 704 S. Lincoln Ave, 

 Jerome, Idaho 83338 



