AGRICULTURE 215

provided, however, that in order to avoid duplication of research activities,
no district shall initiate any research program except in cooperation with
the government of this State or any of its agencies, or with the United
States or any of its agencies;

(2) To conduct demonstrational projects within the district on lands
owned or controlled by this State or any of its agencies, with the coopera-
tion of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on
any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the oc-
cupier of such lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands, in
order to demonstrate by example the means, methods, and measures by
which soil and soil resources may be conserved, and soil erosion in the
form of soil blowing and washing may be prevented and controlled;

(3) To carry out preventive and control measures within the district in-
cluding, but not limited to, engineering operations, methods of cultivation,
the growing of vegetation, changes in use of land, and the measures listed
in sub-section C of Section 46 of this Article, on lands owned or controlled
by this State or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency
administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands
within the district upon obtaining the consent of the occupier of such
lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands;

(4) To cooperate, or enter into agreements with, and within the limits
of appropriations duly made available to it by law, to furnish financial
or other aid to, any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any occupier
of lands within the district, in the carrying on of erosion-control and pre-
vention operations within the district, subject to such conditions as the
supervisors may deem necessary to advance the purposes of this sub-title;

(5) To obtain options upon and to acquire, by purchase; exchange,
lease, gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise, any property, real or per-
sonal, or rights or interests therein; and all such property shall be forever
exempt from State, County or municipal taxation, to maintain, administer,
and improve any properties acquired, to receive income from such proper-
ties and to expend such income in carrying out the purposes and provisions
of this sub-title; and to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any of its prop-
erty or interests therein in furtherance of the purposes and the provisions
of this sub-title;

(6) To make available, on such terms as it shall prescribe, to land oc-
cupiers within the district, agricultural and engineering machinery and
equipment, fertilizer, seeds, and seedlings, and such other material or
equipment, as will assist such land occupiers to carry on operations upon
their lands for the conservation of soil resources and for the prevention
and control of soil erosion;

(7) To construct, improve, and maintain such structures as may be
necessary or convenient for the performance of any of the operations
authorized in this sub-title;

(8) To develop comprehensive plans for the conservation of soil re-
sources and for the control and prevention of soil erosion within the dis-
trict, which plans shall specify in such detail as may be possible, the acts,
procedures, performances, and avoidances which are necessary or desirable
for the effectuation of such plans, including the specification of engineering
operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, cropping
programs, tillage practices, and changes in use of land; and to publish such
plans and information and bring them to the attention of occupiers of
lands within the district;