The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1919-12-26
COW BILL TO SAVE:
DROUTH FARMERS

One of the most important meas
ures passed by the special session
was the one designed to help the
drouth tricken farmers by having
the counties furnish the credit for
the purchase of dairy herds, ac-
cording to J.. J. Osterhaus. state
dairy commissioner. "It's the
dawn Of new prosperity for the
North Dakota farmers" he said.
How Bill Works
The cow bill which is known as
Senate Bill 80 works out as follows:
From the proceeds of the bonds,
which are sold by the commissioner
of agriculture, the county commits
sioners shall purchase through the
state dairy commissioner, a herd of
not more than five dairy cows, the
total cost Of which, including the
pro rata share of a bull and the en-
pense of delivering the herd, shall
NOT exceed $1,000.
To secure the cows the farmers
must form themselves into dairy
associations Of ten or more mem
bers and make themselves liable for
all debts incurred by the association
to the county purchase of cows to
the extent of 10 per cent Of their
individual liability.
Farmers securing the aid agree
to plant at least five acres of corn
for each COW allotted to them and
bind themselves not to sell the cat
tie or their increase without the
consent of the county, comm; ..sion-
!ers and not to breed them to- any
but pure bred sires. .pf correspond
ing breed. Each association must
purchase pure bred sire of the
same breed as the herd which must
be registered in the recognized herd
books of the breed. To prevent
inbreeding the sires are rotated
from year to year to other assocja-
tions having the same breed of
cows.
County Mortgages Cows
+ The county takes a first mortgage
on the cows delivered. and has
1lrst lien on the Increase. Payment
OF the loan to finance the cow
purchase is made due not less than
hve years nor more than 10 years
from the date it is made. The in
terest rate is fixed at per cent
maximum. With the herd gradu-
ally increasing each year, until at
the end of the fifth, according to
Dairy Commissioner Osterhaus, it
will contain about IS fresh cows,
provided the cows purchased the
first year are bred, the county has
ample, security for its loan.
County commissioners are auth
or1zed. to act on a COW bond when
petitioned by SO free holders of the
county.
Associations All-Important
1t is in the formation Of dairy as
soclations that Dairy Commissioner
Osterhaus sees the greatest possi-
bilities for the development of the
dairy industry in the state.
"These dairy associations can
form the basis for the whole dairy
industry of the state, said Com
missioner Osterhaus in discussing
the law. ut means that the asso-
Citations can engage in cooperative
cream selling and eliminate the ex-
ira profit they are now paying
cream stations. r1ey can also CO.
operate in purchasing feed and sill
age. And the widespread interest
in dairying which will result from
the law will cause cooperative
creameries to spring up and should
in time pave the way to a state
owned. creamery" -.
Dairy Commissioner Osterhaus to
whom is entrusted the job of pur-
chasing Or supervising the purchase
of all cows for the dairy associae
tions is already at work on the
task. He is busy preparing publi-
city matter and is getting out print,
ed instructions, to farmers who
wish to form the dairy associations
for the acquiring of dairy herd in
accordance with the new law. "