1947. It followed the 
Clarke-McNary pattern in 
offering Federal technical 
and financial assistance to 
States for the detection and 
control of insect and disease 
outbreaks. At that time the 
insect program was 
administered by the Bureau 
of Entomology and Plant 
Quarantine, and the disease 
program, by the Bureau of 
Plant Industry, Soils and 
Agricultural Engineering. 
These responsibilities were 
transferred to the Forest 
Service in 1954. 
Although this program covers 
the full spectrum of insects 
and diseases that attack 
forest trees, its most useful 
work in the South has 
centered on the southern 
pine beetle. Under the 
program, Forest Service 
specialists are available to 
work with the States on their 
pest problems, and 
cost-share funds are available 
to assist in detecting and 
controlling outbreaks. 
Resource Conservation 
and Development Program 
One USDA program of local 
importance in many States is 
the Resource Conservation 
and Development Program. 
Its purpose was to encourage 
the State and local units of 
government and local 
nonprofit organizations to 
plan, develop, and carry out 
programs for resource 
conservation and 
development in rural areas. 
These programs should 
enhance local social, 
economic, and environmental 
conditions. 
Federal funds were available 
to assist the program's local 
project managers. In the 
South, all of these projects 
involved forestry and either 
employed a full-time forester 
or, through cooperation with 
the State Forester, had a 
member of the State forestry 
organization assigned to 
work with the project. The 
scope of the work varied 
from reforestation and forest 
management to assistance 
in the establishment of small 
woodworking plants. 
Rural Community Fire 
Protection Act 
The Rural Community Fire 
Protection Act of 1972 (P.L. 
92-419) responded to the 
needs of small towns and 
rural Communities for 
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