through reduced flooding, bank stabilization, better water supplies, and navigation. Even power produced within the State is exported to many areas outside South Dakota. South Dakotans have tolerated, and encouraged, the Missouri River Basin development knowing full well that the day would come when our vast irrigation potential could be undertaken. The stabilization of farm production and prices would do much to upgrade our way of rural life. Now more than twenty years after this great river basin program was initiated we are just beginning to see the glimmer of irrigation benefits over the horizon. That horizon is still several years away. Yet we have to ask our people to "mark the X" and "sign on the dotted line" for projects they know will benefit their children and grandchildren much more than themselves. This is most difficult for the farmer who must gamble one year to the next on the weather, prices, and his ability to meet competition. Yet our farmers have "marked the X", have "signed the dotted line", and have supported efforts to develop our water resources. These folks are ready and willing to take the risk in supporting the federal government in good sound resource development investments.

We are proposing investments for concrete, capital producing improvements— something you can get your hands on-reservoirs, canals, power plants, pumps, pipe-not some abstract, non-income producing ideal. These are investments in solid works of improvements, designed by the best engineering and technical talent available, to bring returns to the people, to the government and to the society as a whole.

We in the East Dakota Conservancy Sub-District stand ready to endorse and support every effort to gain authorization and initiation of the Oahe Irrigation Unit. Such development will bring both direct and indirect benefits to people within our state through increased economic growth, reduction of fluctuating farm production and the providing of recreational and other water use benefits. RESOLUTION SUPPORTING AUTHORIZATION OF OAHE IRRIGATION UNIT, EAST DAKOTA CONSERVANCY SUBDISTRICT

Whereas, the Board of Directors, East Dakota Conservancy Sub-District, is interested in and supports full multiple purpose water resources development within the State of South Dakota as a whole, and

Whereas, the Oahe Irrigation Unit will provide both direct and indirect benefits to the people of South Dakota through increased economic growth, and

Whereas, considerable indirect benefits will accrue to the people of the East Dakota Conservancy Sub-District through construction and operation of the Oahe Irrigation Unit in our neighboring Oahe Conservancy Sub-District

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Directors, East Dakota Conservancy Sub-District hereby urges the United States Congress to authorize first stage construction of the Oahe Irrigation Unit as set forth by the Bureau of Reclamation Report of May and June, 1965, and further urges the full development of the Unit at an early date.

And be it further resolved that this resolution be submitted to members of the South Dakota Congressional Delegation, to the Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee and the House of Representatives Interior and Insular Affairs Committee of the United States Congress.

Approved:

Attest:

Date: March 9, 1967.

L. C. SWANSON, Chairman, Board of Directors. EDWIN I. RUDD, Secretary.

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. J. W. Grimes has not presented his statement to us.

Now, that concludes the list of witnesses that we had for this particular session.

Is there anyone in the audience who would like to have an opportunity to be heard?

We do have a couple of minutes before the hour of 1 o'clock. If not, why, I am going to ask-wait a minute.

There are a few more here who have submitted statements.

Mr. Warren Hunsly, his statement will also appear in the record.

The Lower James Conservancy Subdistrict, Mr. Olaf J. Jacobson, his statement will appear in the record.

And the statement of the Ree Heights Town and Country Club will appear in the record, signed by Mr. Walter H. Danielson, president.

And the Hilltop Grange statement will be placed in the record. Mr. Jack M. Cook, master of the grange.

(The statements referred to follow:)

STATEMENT OF WARREN HUNSLY, PIERRE, S. DAK.

My name is Warren Hunsly and my address is Route 3, Pierre, S. Dakota. I am a rancher and Hughes County Commissioner.

As a rancher and County Commissioner I am very much interested in seeing the Oahe Irrigation project developed.

Hughes County has over 7000 acres of land along the Pierre Canal that can be irrigated. These land owners want to be able to buy water from the canal for irrigation and replenishing stock water dams during dry years.

Hughes County has already lost 33,933 acres to the Oahe and Big Bend Dams, and will lose another 1,035 acres to the Pierre Canal. This has hurt the tax base of Hughes County, but with development of irrigation the whole economy and tax base can be improved.

I respectfully urge that Congress approves authorization for the Oahe Irrigation Project and support House bills H.R. 27 and H.R. 1163.

Thank you.

LOWER JAMES CONSERVANCY SUB-DISTRICT,

Mitchell, S. Dak., October 27, 1967.

IRRIGATION AND RECLAMATION SUBCOMMITTEE, HOUSE INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

GENTLEMAN: The Board of Directors of the Lower James Conservancy SubDistrict wish to reaffirm their support for the proposed Oahe Irrigation Project. The Board feels that the economy of the entire state is directly related to the authorization and construction of this project.

There are three basic reasons why the Lower James Conservancy Sub-District support the proposed project:

1. Both the rural and urban residents of the Oahe Conservancy Sub-District will be directly benefited by the installation of the 190,000 acre project.

2. The construction of this unit will provide additional water for the downstream users in the Lower James Conservancy Sub-District and, at the same time, will help in the control of flood waters in this area.

3. The completion of this project will be a "first" in the development of the Missouri river reservoirs for irrigation purposes in South Dakota and should provide the incentive for further development of this great resource.

Respectfully submitted,

OLAF J. JACOBSON, Manager.

STATEMENT OF REE HEIGHTS TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB, BY WALTER H. DANIELSON, PRESIDENT

In support of Legislation to authorize Oahe Project, we the members of the Ree Heights Town and Country Club strongly urge the passage of House Bill H.R. 27. We believe that the Oahe Project is essential and that it should be approved as fast as possible.

The Area in which we live will benefit also from the construction of this project. The primary feeder canal crosses the northern part of our county. This water supply will help fill some of our small dams and will provide some water for irrigation for the farmers and ranchers along the canal.

While we believe the Oahe Unit is essential, the proposal for taking about 12,000 acres of good farm and ranch land out of production for wildlife purpose in western Hand County and eastern Hyde County is not essential.

This will remove real estate and personal property out of the local tax base, and also will take a few farms and ranches out of production. This action would be defeating our purpose, when we are trying to get people to live in the rural area of the United States. We do not believe that this is an essential part of the project and this part should be delayed or reconsidered.

Members of the Sub-Committee, we urge you most strongly to press for the authorization and construction of this most critically needed project.

STATEMENT OF HILLTOP GRANGE No. 225, REE HEIGHTS, S. DAK. BY JACK M. COOK, MASTER

The members of Hilltop Grange #225 wish to extend our support to the Oahe Irrigation Project and urge the passage of congressional appropriation for this

purpose.

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, there may be one or more who are in opposition, and I think that they should have an opportunity to testify at this time.

I want to say this. My assistant has been out here for the last 2 days for the primary purpose of assisting anyone who might want to present a statement in opposition to the program but he has no statements so far. But if there are some who do want to present a statement, this would be the time for them to do so.

Mr. JOHNSON. I might state further that if there are other statements, or people who would like to make statements for this particular hearing the record will be held open for 1 week after we go back to Washington to receive those statements. So if there are further statements to be incorporated in the hearing record, why just send them on to Washington, D.C., whether they be for or against.

Now, you are appearing in opposition to the project?
Mr. HICHACKER. NO.

Mr. JOHNSON. Fine. Go right ahead.

Mr. HICHACKER. What would you have said if I was?
Mr. BERRY. Fine, go right ahead.

STATEMENT OF LEONARD HICHACKER, NFO

Mr. HICHACKER. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Leonard Hichacker, president of the NFO and farmer in Minnehaha County.

This project here will not include any area in our county or my farm, or anything like that, but it will-I am interested in the farmers in general in South Dakota.

One thing I have heard-this probably would not pertain so much to whether we get the irrigation project and reclamation project done or not, but I think it is something that we should consider, and that is as we increase the amount of bushels that we can produce here in South Dakota and the amount of livestock that we can feed here in South Dakota, it is vitally important that we also consider where we are going to get the price for this livestock.

Now, in other areas rainfall has been sufficient. In some of our Eastern States, Midcentral part of the United States-maybe more or less there where they have had sufficient rainfall, they have had bushel outputs a lot higher than I think we will ever anticipate with irrigation in South Dakota, but yet the price remains down.

Now, the Food and Fiber Committee just released their report indicating that in the future we will see 78 cents per bushel for corn. Now, can the farmers in South Dakota take irrigation, an expensive irrigation project which is going to call more for your chemicals and just a higher cost of producing it, and turn around and get such a low price for the fiber they produce.

I think the committee should also as legislation comes up in Washington probably stabilize the price that the farmer receives for his grains, or whether he turns it into livestock in the form of meat, that they also should consider that if they are interested in getting more food from this country to feed the hungry of the world they also should be interested in protecting the American farmer pricewise and not let the manipulation of prices force these farmers off the farm. Now, there are not a lot of cases here in South Dakota where it has been just drought alone that has forced these young farmers off the farm or not even given them the chance to start. It has been the price, and price alone.

Now, whether I can increase my average yield from 70 bushels up to a hundred bushels, if the price deteriorates down, irrigation or nothing else is going to help me out. It is just going to remain a level of existence, and that would probably be it. But I myself and the organization are strongly in favor of promoting this project and getting it done in the shortest possible time. We are concerned about beating the world, but we also are concerned that the farmers in America get a decent price for what they produce if they go to the trouble of giving up good cropland to get irrigation going.

I thank you.

Mr. JOHNSON. Did you give us your name for the record?

Mr. HICHACKER. Leonard Hichacker.

Mr. JOHNSON. Are there any questions from any member of the committee?

Mr. HICHACKER. Thank you.

Mr. EDMONDSON. I would just like to agree wholeheartedly with the gentleman that we have a very serious problem on our farm prices and farm income. It just happens that it is another committee principally that deals with it and not this committee. I think you have sympathetic ears but not committee jurisdiction to be very helpful to

you.

Mr. HICHACKER. Well, I have two of my Congressmen here, too. Mr. EDMONDSON. That is right.

Mr. JOHNSON. Well, I want to say that we have heard now from 31 witnesses. It is amazing to find that there is no opposition to this project. We have had a few matters brought to our attention for further consideration, but I would say this is probably the most unanimous group on behalf of a project this size we have seen. When you look at that map and see the amount of acreage that is involved for project purposes, why, you would think you would have a lot more opposition.

Now, I know a lot of projects that would entail that much acreage going out of production where you would hear a lot more people in opposition. Maybe this will come when they start to acquire the lands. Sometimes that follows.

I want to say that we have appreciated everyone taking time off to come here today and giving us the benefit of his testimony or his

organization's testimony. And I want to thank the committee that organized our meeting place and the fine facility that we have here. I also want to say that we certainly appreciate the work done by your two Congressmen, E. Y. Berry and Ben Reifel, in seeing to it that we were taken care of here. And as I understand it, this afternoon some of the boys are going hunting and some are going to play golf, but I think it will be a little cool on the golf course out there so we might have a greater group on the hunting side of this afternoon's festivities. But how many pheasants we will get, or what we will do to your pheasant crop is yet to be seen. We will find out.

The man from Pennsylvania here had a hat on last night with a big feather in it, but it was from a grouse, so he says today he is going to fill the rest of that band with pheasant tails. So we are going to depend upon him to do most of the shooting.

I would now like to call on Congressman Edmondson for any closing remarks.

Mr. EDMONDSON. Mr. Chairman, I have very little to add. It is always a heartening experience to take testimony in the field and to hear from people about projects that are proposed to the Congress and I think this has been a very inspiring experience for all of us. I know we all profit from hearing what the people who live in the areas where these projects are proposed have to say and I think we have had several points raised here particularly I would like to assure Mr. Hipple that we will be looking very, very carefully at the proposed reduction in canal capacity and pumping capacity at the pumping plant there at Pierre and I think that that will be a general concern of this subcommittee, to look into that modification and the reasoning behind it and the justification for it. I think some of us will be looking rather carefully at the fish and wildlife land requirements of this project and determining whether this retirement of land at this high a level of acreage is really in the overall interest of the project and of the country.

I want to thank the witnesses who have appeared and have given us their testimony, and I want to assure any doubters in the crowd that regardless of the frivolity on the subject of the ducks and the geese, that there will not be any poachers in the group as we hunt this afternoon. I think there is pretty solid respect for the game laws of the individual States that is generally held in this committee and throughout the Congress and while some of us may have been doing a little polite lobbying with your legislature on the subject, we certainly intend to abide by your game laws, I will assure you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. JOHNSON. The gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Saylor. Mr. SAYLOR. Mr. Chairman, first I would like to thank you for the manner in which you have conducted this hearing.

1 do not know whether you folks know it or not, but the gentleman who is in the chair is acting now as the chairman of the House Irrigation and Reclamation Subcommittee. And it has been a pleasure, Bizz, to see you conduct this hearing and to take care of all of these witnesses.

1 have been privileged to be a Member of the Congress for some 19 years, and I have attended a good many hearings with the subcommittee traveling over the country. I do not believe I have ever attended a hearing where I have seen the sincerity of the people so well expressed