New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-09-24
MINNIE sofa STATE DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
o. D u /. z a. u p. m n mum
PURPOSES AND PLANS.

ture for Minnesota was established by
act Of the legislature Of 1919 The
department office was opened at the
new Capitol building on June LIST, 1919,
with Mr.. N. J. Holmberg, Of Renville
county, occupying the position Of Com
missioner Of Agriculture.
The act establishing this department
specified the scope Of its duties and the
character of the activities therein These.
might be briefly classified as follows:
l. "The Department shall encourage
and promote the development Of agrl-
cultural industries" This duty is broad
and general in character and, literally
interpreted, grants much latitude IN
it's operation The activities of general
agriculture are many and their relations
to other lines of business so varied that
it is evident the department must be
clothed with considerable authority to
meet every agricultural possibility
2. cit shall investigate marketing
conditions affecting the marketing OF
farm produce" This phase Of agri-
culture has not been favored heretofore
in Minnesota with that official consid-
Grafton to which its Importance entities
it. Emphasis has been stressed upon
production and properly so, as the
earliest epoch in history of agriculture
in any state has been that Of production.
Now, the subject of adequate and pro-
ftable marketing appears upon the
agricultural program and it has been
organized as a n est important division
of the duties Of the new department.
3. cit shall collect and compile sta
tistics and information in regard to agri-
cultural products Of the state and agri-
cultural industries" Strange to say,
no official machinery has existed prior
to the organization Of the department,
whereby intelligent statistical informa-
ton was collected and made available
for agricultural purposes. This duty
also includes an agricultural census at
least once in two years. The local
assessors are required, under the act
establishing the department, to collect
statistical information required for the
purposes indicated above.
4. Cooperate with federal author
tiles and the Government department OF
agriculture the development of agri-
cultural recources of the state" Gen
orally, this gives authority, as has been
stated above, to participate in many
activities already operating to improve
agricultural conditions, but it also grants
ample opportunity for the inaugurationT
of special activities. For example the
floods which have recently prevailed in
certain sections of the state and have
created no small loss have already been
the occasion for action in this depart
ment in cooperating with others. 1t
is evident that drainage is fundamentally
agricultural and that it implies, the es-
tablishment, not alone Of more bitches,
but Of retaining works, such as reser-
voirs, to protect against sudden and
great outhows Of water to lower lands,
and in addition, it includes the devel-
opment of water powers on the inclines.
The department, under this act, is CO.
operating this summer with the College
of Agriculture in this state and with the
Department of Agriculture at Washing
ton in an investigation Of land settling,
clearing and development operations in
the great cut Deer regions OF northern
Minnesota. This is the first scientific
study OF the methods in vogue in Mime
sofa with reference to the, success or
failures of settlers and settlements in
the territory indicated and also of the
costs of land clearing and various other
matters closely related thereto. These
exemplify some Of the duties indicated
in this section.
5. Certain powers and duties rela-
tive to the buying and selling Of farm
products and which have heretofore
been cared for in the state Railroad
and Warehouse department are trans
ferred to the Department of Agriculture.
Certain other duties connected with
the commission business in farm products
and which have been exercised by the
Dairy and Food Commission are also
transferred to this department.
An entirely new activity appears in
agricultural economics under this fact
in that particular section which requires
the department annually to collect
samples Of wheat from various parts Of
the state as soon as is possible after
harvest, and to have a scientific test
made therefrom in order to ascertain
the quantity, quality and value Of the
foreign matter contained therein, to
ascertain the cost Of its removal, and to
secure information as to the grade and
quantity Of the -four these various sam
pies make. This is no small task and is
significant Of the Importance and far
reaching consequences which mark the