Montana State Soil
Our State.
Our home.
Our Soil.
Unofficial Draft Copy
As of: December 12, 2014 (9:59am)
**** Bill No. **** Introduced By ************* By Request of the *********
A Bill for an Act entitled: "An Act designating Scobey series soil as Montana's official state soil."
WHEREAS, Montana's official state symbols recognize the state's natural treasures; and
WHEREAS, the bitterroot, bluebunch wheatgrass, the western meadowlark, the sapphire, the blackspotted cutthroat trout, and the grizzly bear are all designated as state symbols; and
WHEREAS, Montana schoolchildren have initiated the designation of many state symbols, which has provided a valuable education about the symbol itself, as well as about the legislative process; and
WHEREAS, agriculture is Montana's largest industry, generating in the state's economy over $4.7 billion in services and products; and
WHEREAS, soil has been called the Earth's "living skin", sustaining not only Montana's agricultural industry, but all of the state's plants, animals, and people; and
WHEREAS, legislatures in 21 states have designated a state soil to recognize the important role soil plays in their economies and environments; and
WHEREAS, Scobey series soil is unique to Montana and occurs on more than 700,000 acres in the Golden Triangle and along the Hi-line, producing a larger annual non-irrigated harvest of high- quality wheat than any of the other 700 soils named and mapped in
the state; and WHEREAS, Scobey series soil is internationally recognized as
frigid Aridic Argiustolls, representative of the world's cool, semi-arid grasslands; and
WHEREAS, Scobey series soil from Montana is displayed at the World Soil Museum and in a traveling display developed by the Smithsonian Institution; and
WHEREAS, the Scobey soil series was named for the town of Scobey and was prominent in the first soil survey of the northern plains of Montana in 1929; and
WHEREAS, fourth grade students from schools in Bozeman, Choteau, Chester, Joplin, and Inverness have researched the geological history, characteristics, and attributes of Scobey series soil and its importance to Montana, and believe it to be worthy of designation as Montana's newest state symbol.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Montana:
NEW SECTION. Section 1. State soil. The soil known as the Scobey series, of the taxonomic class fine, smectitic, frigid Aridic argiustolls, is the official Montana state soil.
NEW SECTION. Section 2. {standard} Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 1, chapter 1, part 5, and the provisions of Title 1, chapter 1, part 5, apply to [section 1].
As of: December 12, 2014 (9:59am)
**** Bill No. **** Introduced By ************* By Request of the *********
A Bill for an Act entitled: "An Act designating Scobey series soil as Montana's official state soil."
WHEREAS, Montana's official state symbols recognize the state's natural treasures; and
WHEREAS, the bitterroot, bluebunch wheatgrass, the western meadowlark, the sapphire, the blackspotted cutthroat trout, and the grizzly bear are all designated as state symbols; and
WHEREAS, Montana schoolchildren have initiated the designation of many state symbols, which has provided a valuable education about the symbol itself, as well as about the legislative process; and
WHEREAS, agriculture is Montana's largest industry, generating in the state's economy over $4.7 billion in services and products; and
WHEREAS, soil has been called the Earth's "living skin", sustaining not only Montana's agricultural industry, but all of the state's plants, animals, and people; and
WHEREAS, legislatures in 21 states have designated a state soil to recognize the important role soil plays in their economies and environments; and
WHEREAS, Scobey series soil is unique to Montana and occurs on more than 700,000 acres in the Golden Triangle and along the Hi-line, producing a larger annual non-irrigated harvest of high- quality wheat than any of the other 700 soils named and mapped in
the state; and WHEREAS, Scobey series soil is internationally recognized as
frigid Aridic Argiustolls, representative of the world's cool, semi-arid grasslands; and
WHEREAS, Scobey series soil from Montana is displayed at the World Soil Museum and in a traveling display developed by the Smithsonian Institution; and
WHEREAS, the Scobey soil series was named for the town of Scobey and was prominent in the first soil survey of the northern plains of Montana in 1929; and
WHEREAS, fourth grade students from schools in Bozeman, Choteau, Chester, Joplin, and Inverness have researched the geological history, characteristics, and attributes of Scobey series soil and its importance to Montana, and believe it to be worthy of designation as Montana's newest state symbol.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Montana:
NEW SECTION. Section 1. State soil. The soil known as the Scobey series, of the taxonomic class fine, smectitic, frigid Aridic argiustolls, is the official Montana state soil.
NEW SECTION. Section 2. {standard} Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 1, chapter 1, part 5, and the provisions of Title 1, chapter 1, part 5, apply to [section 1].
Longfellow Fourth Graders