Notes and first drafts of several articles for a book, possibly Saga of the Sage. Also articles and booklets that are supplementary materials for the handwritten work. There is a full report (including photographs) of the Great Plains Traveling Conference of 1939, and other Great Plains materials, 1939

The papers of Elmer A. Starch include handwritten notes and manuscripts of Starch's writings; published articles, booklets and pamphlets used as research material for those writings; reports, correspondence, press releases and speeches; and transcripts of oral history interviews and taped discussions with other agriculturalists. The bulk of the material dates between 1930 and 1970.

The two main topics are Starch's involvement with the Great Plains Council in the 1930s and 1940s, and his international work. The Great Plains material documents Starch's and the USDA's efforts in the Great Plains to counteract the consequences of the dust bowl and to reinvigorate Great Plains agriculture at the start of World War II. There are also sections on Starch's involvement with Montana State College and the M. L. Wilson Symposium, and a large section on his development of a book, "Saga of the Sage." Some of the Great Plains material is the output of several agencies and organizations working with Great Plains agriculture, but have uncertain connections to the Great Plains Council of the USDA.

Many of Starch's writings relate to his work in foreign agricultural development during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Also among the papers are a general studies section, material on other agricultural topics such as water development, and a section of important letters and speeches by him and by other agriculturalists and researchers.

Starch's papers also contain articles and tape transcripts separated into specific folders and titles. Most of the articles are by other researchers, and many of those have handwritten comments by Starch. Some folders hold several articles, with a small "table of contents" at the beginning of the folder for reference. This material dates from the 1960s and 1970s.

There are also four reels of audiotape, books ranging in dates from 1790 to 1914, and some photographs.