The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1956-01-20
|Abbitt Asks For
Positive Soil
Conservation

that we should not be blinded"
by our present SURPRISES of agri-
cultural crops hut should keep an
eye towards the future by main
tanning a positive soil conserva-
ton program.
Abbitt. speaking at the annual
meeting of the Virginia Associa-
ton Of Soil Conserva ton Districts
jim Fredericksburg. said that he
was afraid "our temporary sur
pluSes of some agricultural
-rops may blind us to the fact
that some day we may need to
use every acre of our cropland for
agricultural production. He said
that the Census Bureau estimates
that our population is increasing
at rate of more than 100000
per year and estimates that our
population will be between 2l0
and 220 million by 1875.
The Fourth District congress-
man. a member of the House Ag-
riculture Committee, pointed out
that the amount of good crop
land for crop production is de-
Ginning and asserted that as the
ppulation grows. it is actually re-
ducing the amount of tillable
land. He emphasized that every
expansion of housing. industry
transportation takes away from
the available farm production
area. In fact. he said. about IL
100000 acres Of cultivatable land
has been diverted in this manner
since 1912.
Many acres are now being used
by the armed forces and millions
of additional acres are being
claimed for various purposes
every year. And this does not in
clude land in the same develop
ments which was not used for
agriculture About 100000 acres
Of actual farmland is being di-
verted every year. The amount
used since World War II is
roughly five per cent of the total
crop acreage of about 100000 900
acres. or the cropland on 225 900
average farms.
Abbitt urged the conserva-
tionistS to study the problem of
vanishing" cropland< and give
attention to the loss of these
acres to other activities.
This is important to the de-
velopment of food and land re-
sources, Abbitt said, but il is also
vitality important to the future
of America. He said he believes
that the location Of nom agricul-
tural projects should be given
careful study to see that they do
not seriously endanger the future
food needs of the people.
He reviewed some of the i'm
portant aspects of soil conserva-
ton in Virginia and praised the
Soil Conservation Districts for the
strides they have made in de-.
velopng and preserving our re-
sources. Il think it is important
to cite not only what you have
done but the way in which it has
hsen DONE" the congressman
pointed out. He said he favored
the democratic way in which the
soil conservation districts work.
He pointed out that since 1927.
there have been created 1900
such districts throughout the
country-including 20 in Virgin
ia.
The Conservation Service is
aiding $4,000 Virginia farmers in
carrying out soil and water con-
servation programs on 5000 900
acres in the state. He cited these
facts:
Since 1898. more than $4,000
acres in Virginia have been plant
ed by improved pastures.
More than $1,000 acres already
have been planted in trees.
More than 100000 acres of land
have been converted to contour
farming and strip crops have
been added to 225.0O0 acres.
The Conservation Service has
reported that 1853 farmers irri-
gated 21.805 acres in 1854.
Conservation he said must be
year-round job land it is never
finished-we must keep right
along"