The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1936-10-15
AGA ADOPTS
COUNTY PLAN
OF PAYMENT
Reports from District Meet
ings TO be Used as Basis for
Determining Agricultural
AIIotments

Concluding with the White Bluffs
meeting at the high school on Tues
day evening the series OF three dis
trict meetings, ProSser, Kennewick
Highlands and Prosser, the county
committee OF the Agricultural Con-
servation Association was able to
secure a comprehensive report on
what the farmers of the county
would like to see incorporated i'm
the 1897 program.
According TO County Agent Skuse
who has been in attendance at these
meetings the recommendations are
substantially as follows:
For dry land farming the plow-
ing under OF Russian thistle while
still green, extending the period for
payment for letting land go to cheat
from one year to a period Of three
to five years, the payments to be
proportional In the same way as
for 1896, that is three-fourths OF the
total amount for diversion Of soil
depicting crops, and one-fourth for
the growing Of soil conserving and
for soil conserving practices, and
the adoption of a plan for crop in
come insurance. opinion was about
equally divided as to possible maxi
mum limitation Of payments for
the individual operator.
Change Rates
For general irrigation farming
opinion was that the proposition Of
class ! and class 2 payments, which
are now approximately three
fourths and one-fourth respectively
be changed SO that the class 2 pay
ments would amount to from one
half to three-fourths Of the total
amount paid. It was believed that
class 2 payments should be made on
the basis Of good farming prac-
tees whether already In use or be-
ing newly started, among which it
was considered that all practices
that add to the fertility or improve
the filth of the soil should be in
cluded. The majority believed that
no maximum limitation Of pay
ments per individual should be set
as conditions are such that this
would never become a problem in
this county. 1t was very strongly
recommended that the county be
given two base figures per acre OF
diversified crops for which class
payments are made. One Of these
should be for the dry land and one
for the irrigated land.
Seek Compensation
For commercial orchard land It
was considered that all good prac-
tees should be recognized for pay
ment whether already In use or be-
ing started. Such practices for ex-
ample as mulching, weed control,
cover crops, tree spacing which
means taking out trees that are in
overcrowded orchards, and the re-
moval of abandoned orchards as a
matter of pest control. Where IL Is
necessary to add chemicals to insure
stand of cover crops because OF
the bad effects Of spray residue, 1t
was thought that this practice
should be compensated.
For the range program IL was thot
that the items already recommend
ed by meeting Of livestock men
would be worthwhile for localities
where applicable.
This covers in a brief and general
way the recommendations. Full re-
port will be made to the State
Conservation Board before October
9th, SO that the recommendations
from this county can be incorporate
ed with those from the three north
western states at meeting to be
held at Pocotello a few days later.
This same plan is being followed
throughout the entire country.