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1966 Blue Book

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     The Agresearch Division has the contract with the USDA's Western Regional Laboratories of Albany, California, to devise a procedure for the separation of the leaf fraction from the stem fraction in the process of dehydrating alfalfa. Experiments are being conducted in the Platte Valley with an air separation procedure to produce a high protein feed for hogs and poultry from the leaf portion of the alfalfa and to produce a low protein, high fiber fraction from the stem that would be suitable to feed cattle.

     The 1963 Legislature extended the previous six-year term for the research program for an additional four years, through 1968.

     The law providing for the gathering of agricultural statistics through the assessors was approved in 1898. The duties were assigned to the Bureau of Labor. In 1913, the work in agricultural statistics was transferred to the State Board of Agriculture under W. R. Mellor, Secretary of the board.

     In 1919, the Division of Agricultural Statistics was transferred to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture under the code law passed at that time. The Division of Agricultural Statistics was under the Bureau of Markets and Marketing. That bureau was abolished in 1923 but the Division of Agricultural Statistics was retained.

     The United States Department of Agriculture established the Agricultural Estimates Division in Lincoln, Nebraska on July 3, 1914 with A, E. Anderson in charge. Prior to that time the federal work in agricultural statistics was under Frank S. Pinney, who was located at Council Bluffs, Iowa, and he had charge of both Iowa and Nebraska. The federal government also had a State Statistical Agent and C. W. Pugsley was the last one to serve as that office was abolished when the federal office was established at Lincoln.

      Agricultural statistics for Nebraska were gathered by the United States Department of Agriculture as early as 1866. In the early years the statistics were obtained through crop correspondents. As the work developed, the Washington office had township correspondents and also county correspondents. The county correspondents sent a few schedules to farmers in each county prior to submitting their monthly reports. The regional offices to which several states were assigned maintained crop reporters for each state.

     Informal cooperation between the Division of Agricultural Statistics under the State Board of Agriculture and the Federal Statistician under the U. S. Department of Agriculture began in 1914 and a cooperative contract was signed between the two agencies in 1917. This cooperative arrangement is still in force and the agency is commonly known as the State and Federal Division of Agricultural Statistics.

     The federal agency was still operating independently as the Bureau

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of Statistics in 1914. Later it was transferred as a division of other agencies, the last transfer being from the Agricultural Marketing Service to the Statistical Reporting Service.

     The office was located in the Lincoln Post Office Building from 1914 to 1925. It was moved to the State House in 1925 where it remained until 1941 when the office was moved to the Post Office Building.

     The State and Federal Division of Agricultural Statistics has six rooms on the second floor of the Post Office Building. The state personnel consists of eight employees, five being paid in part by the federal government. There are twenty-one federal employees exclusive of the five state employees that are paid in part by the federal government.

     The office compiles over 350 agricultural reports each year in addition to special reports required from time to time. Over 50 reports are issued annually, 10 semi-annually, 12 quarterly, 15 monthly, and two weekly. All of these reports are obtained through regular surveys or schedules of inquiry sent to correspondents, supplemented by information obtained through personal contact and observation. Area interview surveys and objective yield measurements for corn, wheat and soybeans are made regularly each year.

     The State Farm Census is the largest of the surveys made. This schedule contains about 50 questions, the answers of which are gathered by the assessors from each farmer in the state annually. They are edited and compiled in this office and this report is the basis for many of the estimates of acreage of crops and some of the estimates of livestock and poultry.

     The data are edited and compiled by townships, counties, districts and for the state. About 12,000 county estimates are made on acreage, yield, numbers and value of livestock and other items on Nebraska agriculture. This does not include county estimates made on planted acreage, total production and value which would bring the total to 20,000 separate county items.

     Most of the State estimates are published in the monthly and annual reports of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The county estimates are published by the State in the annual report of "Nebraska Agricultural Statistics" and many of them in mimeographed form. Special reports on irrigation, soil moisture and commercial fertilizers have been published. The press, radio and television agencies disseminate most of the information so that it reaches everyone in this state.

     The leading reports are the estimates of crop production made during most of the months of the year, the annual estimate of livestock numbers, the monthly Cattle on Feed Reports, the quarterly Pig Crop

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Reports, the Price Reports, of which one is prices received and 13 different prices paid reports, the monthly Hatchery Report, the quarterly report of Stocks of Grain, the annual County estimates relating to crops and livestock, the annual estimates of livestock numbers and values and the weekly Weather and Crop Report. The latter is published in cooperation with the State Extension Service and the Weather Bureau. There are numerous other reports bringing the grand total to over 350 reports each year.

     The 1965 Legislature enacted a Dairy Industry Trade Practices Act. This law is financed by taxes on butterfat sold in Nebraska.

     The law requires milk distributors and retailers to sell for not less than costs, unless they are meeting competition. The law also prohibits the furnishing of dairy equipment to customers. This legislation was enacted to stabilize the dairy industry and to control unfair practices.

     A Livestock Sanitary Board was created by an act approved March 5, 1885. This act provided for a Livestock Sanitary Commission of three members and a State Veterinary Surgeon, all appointed by the Governor. The Legislature of 1901 repealed existing legislation and made the Governor the State Veterinarian, with power to appoint a deputy for the actual work of the office. The Legislature of 1913 repealed this law and created a Livestock Sanitary Board of five members appointed by the Governor, who continued to be the State Veterinarian, and appointed a deputy upon nomination of the Livestock Sanitary Board.

      The Legislature of 1919 repealed the laws of 1913 pertaining to the establishment of the Livestock Sanitary Board, and established the Bureau of Animal Industry as a part of the new Department of Agriculture, with the State Veterinarian in charge of the bureau.

     The Bureau of Animal Industry is charged with the duties of protecting the health of livestock in Nebraska and of regulating the movement of diseased animals into or within the state. Specific activities assigned to the bureau are as follows: eradication of bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis (Bang's disease), cattle, sheep and horse scabies, glanders and dourine; the control of anthrax, swine erysipelas, hog cholera and other diseases of swine; also the licensing and inspection of dead animal rendering plants; licensing and supervision of livestock auction markets; inspection of slaughter houses; inspection of garbage cooking establishments and enforcement of laws pertaining to them; and enforcement of quarantine laws and regulations.

     The United States Animal Health Division of the Agricultural Research Service cooperates with the bureau in all disease control projects.

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     The Nebraska Auction Livestock Market Development Act of 1961 provided for a seven-man board to administer and recommend the issuance, suspension and revocation of livestock market licenses.

     This act was superseded by the Nebraska Livestock Auction Market Development Act of 1963. Under this law, administration is in the hands of a board consisting of three members. The Director of Agriculture and Economic Development is chairman; other members are the State Veterinarian and a livestock auction market operator who is appointed by the Governor for a four-year term.

     The 1965 Legislature passed a law whereby the Director of Agriculture and Economic Development appoints the State Veterinarian and fixes his salary subject to the approval of the Governor. This law also clarifies some of the responsibilities in the department's Bureau of Animal Industry. Other legislation in 1965 introduced the market cattle testing method of brucellosis certification into Nebraska. This method allows for brucellosis blood testing at the auction market or packer rather than on the farm or ranch.

     The Legislature of 1899 created the Food Commission. The Governor was Food Commissioner with power to appoint a deputy. This law was replaced by a more inclusive act in 1907, and the Food Commission became the Food, Dairy and Drug Commission.

     The office of Oil Inspector was created by the Legislature of 1887. The inspector was appointed by the Governor and the deputies were appointed by the oil inspector. The Legislature of 1909 repealed the existing law and designated the Governor as Oil Inspector with power to appoint a deputy. This office was supported by fees collected, The Legislature of 1913 consolidated the pure food and oil inspection business of the state in one office known as Food, Drug, Dairy and Oil Commission, of which the Governor was Commissioner, with power to appoint a deputy, a state chemist, food inspectors and other employees.

     The Legislature of 1911 created a Hotel Commission with the Governor as Commissioner. The Legislature of 1917 abolished this commission and transferred all of its functions to the Food Commission. The law requires the annual inspection and registration of all hotels, rooming houses, apartment houses, and restaurants in the state, and the enforce-

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     ment of suitable rules and regulations. All of these activities were given to the Bureau of Foods, Drugs and Oils by the Civil Administrative Code Law in 1919, the chief of the bureau being appointed by the Governor. The Legislature in 1937 changed the name of the bureau to that of Dairies, Foods, and Drugs when the law concerning the testing of milk and cream was rewritten. Drugs were placed in the Department of Health in 1941. The bureau inspects food manufacturing and distributing establishments, hotels, restaurants, cold storage and locker plants, egg buying and processing plants, dairies, dairy manufacturing establishments, enforces the laws concerning all the subjects under its supervision, and makes chemical and physical analyses of foods, paints, feeds, fertilizers, and livestock remedies.

     The bureau also administers the law which requires that every commercially used scale, pump and measure in the state must be inspected at least once each year.

     The 1959 Legislature legalized bingo and the Governor authorized the Bureau of Dairies, Foods, Weights and Measures to regulate and enforce the bingo laws. The 1965 Legislature transferred the administration of the bingo laws from the Department of Agriculture and Economic Development to the office of the State Tax Commissioner.

     The 1961 session passed an Economic Poisons Law requiring registration, adequate packaging and clear labelling of insecticides, herbicides, and similar substances or devices. Enforcement was assigned to this bureau.

     The 1965 Unicameral enacted a new Nebraska Food Act. This legislation modernized the department's laws on adulterated and misbranded foods.

     The Bureau of Plant Industry is headed by the State Entomologist, who is appointed by the Governor. The bureau administers the Bee Inspection Law, the Cedar Rust Law, and the Insect Pest and Plant Disease Eradication Law. The latter includes nursery inspections. The purpose of these laws is the control or eradication of insect and plant pests and diseases now found in the state, and the exclusion of foreign pests and diseases.

      The Bureau of Plant Industry also supervises the inspection of Nebraska corn, broomcorn, sorghums, and sudans and certifies those loads of grain that are found free of the European Corn Borer. This is necessary so that Nebraska grain dealers wishing to ship west of Nebraska can comply with the European Corn Borer quarantines set up by several western states.

     The Legislature in 1947 created the Division of Nebraska Resources in the Department of Agriculture and Inspection (now the Department

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of Agriculture and Economic Development). Its major function is to promote the economic development of the state. This includes: 

1. Industrial Development-aid to existing industry and procurement of new industry.

2. Study and research on Nebraska's natural resources and business climate.

3. Promotion of urban and rural planning-liaison between local and federal planning agencies.

     The general purposes of the division include collaboration with agricultural and industrial groups to devise ways and means of utilizing state resources arid encouraging the maximum use of existing industrial facilities; cooperation with local, regional and federal planning agencies; stimulation and assistance to individual business concerns in developing new products and the procurement of new industrial enterprises.

     The law provides for a Nebraska Resources Committee to serve in an advisory capacity to the Chief of the Division. It is composed of nine members appointed by the Governor for four-year terms, with at least two members selected from each congressional district. The Director of the Department of Agriculture and Economic Development is chairman of the committee and the Chief of the Division of Nebraska Resources is secretary. The members of the committee are:

     The Nebraska Resources Foundation--a private, non-profit corporation established in 1947--supplements the work of the Resources Division. The trustees of this Foundation meet concurrently with the Resources Committee, and through the years this group has played a vital part in the work of this division. The trustees are:

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     The division is at present actively engaged in a campaign to interest industries in locating plants in Nebraska to balance the state's predominately agricultural economy.

     It also conducts an annual community improvement program in the fields of economics, social, physical and cultural activities to stimulate action on local community improvement. Awards donated by private firms are given to the local communities showing outstanding achievements, as judged by the division.

      The Division of Nebraska Resources publishes a monthly bulletin, Nebraska on the March, and a biennial Directory of Nebraska Manufacturers. Brochures containing data on the state's resources are available on request. The division also welcomes specific inquiries from interested firms.

     The Noxious Weed Law, as amended by the Legislature in 1941, was enacted primarily for the control and eradication of field bind

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weed. Other primary noxious weeds designated by the law are puncture vine, leafy spurge, Canada thistle, perennial peppergrass (hoary cress), Russian knapweed, bur ragweed (whiteleaved and woolly varieties) Johnson grass and nodding or musk thistle. Another group has been designated as secondary noxious weeds.

     This law provides for the establishment of districts for the eradication and control of these weeds, prohibits the sale of seed and feed containing such weed seed, and provides for cleaning threshing machines, combines, and other harvesting equipment to prevent further spread of these weeds.

     The law is administered by the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Economic Development. A State Weed Advisory Committee, consisting of the Director of Agricultural Extension of the University of Nebraska, the Chairman of the Department of Agronomy of the University of Nebraska, the President of the Nebraska Crop Improvement Association, and the President of the State Horticultural Society, was created to advise and assist the Director in the administration of the law.

     There are now eighty-four weed districts, most of them containing all the rural land area in their respective counties.

     The Nebraska Seed Law of 1945 provides for a seed laboratory to be maintained by the division for the purpose of testing agricultural seed for purity and germination. The law also requires that the laboratory inspect, sample, make analysis of, and test agricultural and vegetable seed exposed or offered for sale within the state. A cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture for the enforcement of the Federal Seed Act within the State of Nebraska provides for inspection of agricultural and vegetable seeds shipped by interstate commerce into this state.

     The 1965 Unicameral enacted a model weed control law. Nebraska is the first state to adopt this law that was recommended by the Council of State Governments. This act created a weed control authority in all 93 counties to control weeds on property in cities, towns, villages and rural property.

     The Legislature in 1945 established this division in the Department of Agriculture and Inspection (now the Department of Agriculture and Economic Development) to develop and promote the state's potato industry. The division works cooperatively with the University of Nebraska to assist growers in increasing the yield and improving the quality of potatoes, and to promote better practices and methods in the production, storage, grading, marketing and transportation of potatoes. Provision was made for the licensing by the division of all potato shippers in the state.

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     The licensed shipper formerly paid a tax of one-half cent a one hundred pound bag to finance the program of industry benefits. This tax was increased to one cent per bag in 1963.

     An advisory committee known as the Nebraska Potato Development Committee, appointed by the Governor and composed of three shippers and four growers from the industry, assists in the administration of the law. The Director of the Department of Agriculture and Economic Development serves as the chairman of the committee. The Dean of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics of the University of Nebraska is an ex officio member. The members serve without pay but receive actual expenses incurred in official business.

     The State Laboratory is maintained by the Bureau of Dairies and Foods. It is engaged in making scientific analyses of food products, commercial feeds, economic poisons and anti-freezes. Supervision is provided by the State Chemist.

      Food is analyzed to determine the following: (1) That it meets required standards; (2) That it has not been contaminated by any foreign substance due to being prepared or handled under unsanitary conditions; and (3) That it is correctly labeled as to the name of the article, the manufacturer who markets it, and the quantity contained in the package.

     Animal feeds are analyzed to determine the following: That their guarantees of nutrients are as declared and the quantities of medications or growth factors are as stated.

     Fertilizers are analyzed to determine if they contain the declared quantities of plant nutrients.

     Analytical work is sometimes performed for other state departments, such as the State Fire Marshal's office and the Highway Patrol.

     Anti-freezes are analyzed to determine if they are injurious to the cooling systems of engines and to determine their quality and purity.

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DIVISION OF WHEAT DEVELOPMENT, UTILIZATION AND MARKETING

      The 1955 Legislature passed a law establishing a division in the Department of Agriculture and Inspection (now Department of Agriculture and Economic Development) known as the Division of Wheat Development, Utilization and Marketing.

      The law provides for a one-fourth cent wheat excise tax on each bushel of wheat sold in the state to be used for an educational and promotional program in the development, increased utilization and marketing (domestic and foreign) of Nebraska wheat.

      In addition, the law provides for an advisory committee to be appointed by the Governor to advise and direct the chief of the division. The committee is composed of seven members who are citizens of Nebraska at least twenty-five years of age; have been actually engaged in growing wheat in this state for at least five years; and derive a substantial portion of their income from growing wheat. The ex officio members are the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Economic Development, the Dean of the University of Nebraska College of Agriculture and Home Economics and the president of the Nebraska Grain Improvement Association. The appointees serve a five-year term. They receive no salary, but receive a per diem of $10.00 for each day actually engaged in the transaction of business, together with their actual expenses. This committee is commonly referred to as the Nebraska Wheat Commission.

Ex Officio Members:

Elmer Schlaphoff, Director, Department of Agriculture and Economic Development

Dr. Elvin Frolik, Dean, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, University of Nebraska

Donald J. Lehr, President, Nebraska Grain Improvement Association
Richard Lewis, Chief of the Division, Secretary

      One of the new programs inaugurated by the 1965 Legislature provides scholarships for farm and ranch youths in need of financial assistance to pursue education beyond high school.

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      Funds for the program come from Nebraska's trust fund for rural rehabilitation. Some years ago the Legislature designated the Director of Agriculture as the Trustee of the fund and he worked closely with several State Senators to release the interest on the fund for educating Nebraska young men and women.

      Since the fund was first created by Congress about thirty years ago, it has accumulated at interest until now, and it is worth about $2 million. About $80,000 per year can be granted.

      Under terms of the agreement of the department with the Farmers Home Administration and the law passed in 1965, a student may receive up to $2,400 over a four-year period if attending a school operated by the state or one of its political subdivisions. The maximum may be $600 a year for four years or $800 a year for three years. The schools included are the University of Nebraska, the four state colleges, the municipal junior colleges and the state trade schools.

      Members of the State Advisory Committee who grant the Scholarships are:

Commercial Banks, Co-operative Credit Associations, Industrial Loan and Investment Companies

Building and Loan Associations, Trust Companies, and Credit Unions

Licensed Lenders, and Bureau of Securities

Publications: Annual Report to the Governor; Statutes governing: Banks, Building and Loan Associations, Trust Companies, Industrial Loan and Investment Companies; Co-operative Credit Associations, Credit Unions; Licensed Lenders, and Sale of securities, both domestic and foreign.

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     Nebraska's early banks operated under the State's General Corporation Law. A General Banking Act, approved March 29, 1889, provided for filing of bank reports with the Auditor and the examination of banks under his direction. The Auditor, the State Treasurer, and the Attorney General, or any two of them, appointed a clerk in the Auditor's office and the necessary bank examiners to supervise banks under the direction of the above officials. On April 8, 1895, an act creating a State Banking Board was approved. The Auditor, the Treasurer, and the Attorney General constituted the board which selected a secretary and the examining force. This law was amended March 25, 1909, then providing a board consisting of the Auditor, the Attorney General, and the Governor. The Civil Administration Code adopted in 1919 transferred the duties of the Banking Board to the Bureau of Banking in the Department of Trade and Commerce. In 1933 the Legislature set up the Department of Banking as a separate agency with its Director appointed for a two-year term by the Governor.

      When appointed and qualified, the Director has charge of full supervision over the examination, the enforcement of compliance with the statutes, and is required by law to constructively aid in maintaining proper standards and efficiency in all institutions under the control of the Department of Banking. The duties consist mainly of examinations which cover in most instances appraisal of assets, compliance with applicable statutes, and determination, where possible, of the policies followed by the persons responsible for the operation of the corporation under examination.

      In addition to examining the institutions under its supervision the Department of Banking conducts investigations on applications for charters and licenses; grants licenses to small loan companies and sales finance companies; approves articles of association for co-operative credit associations and credit unions; investigates illegal stock transactions; approves stock legally offered; issues permits to sell stock; issues brokers and salesmen's permits; and administers and enforces the Nebraska Installment Sales Act.

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