The Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior today announced the signing of an agreement on extension work with American Indians. The agreement, which goes into effect July 1, gives the Agriculture Department responsibility for rendering technical advice and guidance in extension work formerly carried on by the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs.
During the past two years the Bureau of Indian Affairs has carried on its extension program in agriculture and home economics through State extension services by contract arrangements in 16 of the 18 States where it formerly operated. The Bureau has not, however, signed contracts in Arizona or Mississippi and the contract in New Mexico covers only the Navajos of McKinley County and the Jicarilla Apaches.
The new agreement gives the Department of Agriculture's Federal Extension Service over-all responsibility for assisting State extension services in this work.
In announcing the agreement Administrator c. M. Ferguson of the Federal Extension Service and Commissioner Glenn L. Emmons of the Bureau of Indian Affairs expressed confidence that the agreement will bring about more effective guidance work in agriculture and home economics for Indians.
"Our experience under these contracts over the past two years," Commissioner Emmons added, “indicates that the State extension services are better organized, better staffed, and better equipped than the Indian Bureau to render the needed service.”
