M. L. Wilson

Milburn Lincoln Wilson (October 23, 1885 – October 1969) was an American Undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman under the New Deal and Fair Deal. He made major contributions to US federal agricultural policies.
He also directed the Subsistence Homesteads Division of the U.S. Department of the Interior before it was transferred to the Resettlement Administration.
Background.
On October 23, 1885, Milburn Lincoln Wilson was born in Atlantic, Iowa, to John Wesley Wilson and Mary E. Magee. 
In 1907, he obtained a B.S. from Iowa State University. In 1920, he obtained an M.S. in agricultural economics and rural sociology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Career.
In 1907, Wilson was a farmer. He arrived in Montana as a homesteader in 1909. By 1910, he began government service as Assistant State Agronomist at Montana State College at Bozeman (1910–1912), County Agent in Custer County, Montana (1912–14), Montana State Extension Agent Leader (1914–22), and extension agricultural economist again back at Montana State College (1922–24). In 1924, he joined the U.S. federal government, leading USDA's farm management and cost accounting (1924–1926). He returned again to the Montana State College as professor and head of the Department of Agricultural Economics (1926–33), during which period he advised the Soviets on large-scale wheat farming (1929).
Wilson returned to federal service in 1933. From May to September that year, he served as the Chief Wheat Production Secretary in the newly formed Agricultural Adjustment Administration. From September 1933 to June 1934, he directed of the Subsistence Homesteads Division of the U.S. Department of the Interior. In July 1934, he became USDA Assistant Secretary. In 1937, he became USDA Undersecretary. In 1940, he became director of USDA's Extension Work as wells as Chief of Nutrition Programs and in the Production and Marketing Administration (1943–1949).
Associations.
Wilson was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the American Farm Economic Association, the latter of which he served as president in 1925.
Personal and death.
Wilson was a Unitarian.
On December 17, 1913, Wilson married Ida Morse of Cromwell, Minnesota.
Wilson moved to Washington, D.C., where he was a member of the Cosmos Club.
He died in Washington in October 1969. His grave lies in Rock Creek Cemetery.
Legacy.
Wilson contributed to public agricultural policy and programs designed with regard to drought, depression, and low income. His chief contribution was to help design the first U.S. federal agricultural commodity programs.
In 1974, Montana State College (now Montana State University) established an annual M. L. Wilson Lecture, co-sponsored by the MSU Wilson Lecture Fund and MSU's Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics. Scholars address agricultural economics and economics issues related to the state.
Works.
Works by self:
Contributions to other works:
External links.
 