Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1920-12-18
Am ERlCAN fARME r.
Secretary of Agriculture Pleads Cause Of
American Farmer in his Annual
Report to Congress.

American farmers face situation due
to falling prices for farm products which
should be dealt with as national prob.
lem, Secretary Meredith declared in his
first annual report. On November lst
prices were 80 per cent below those pre-.
yaiIing at planting time, the Secretary
of Agriculture said, adding
There is perhaps no single solution
for the situation which the farmers are
now facing, but there are many steps
which can and should be taken to place
our agriculture on more satisfactory
basis and to stabilize the business oi
farming, not ia the interest of the farm.
ers alone but in the interest of the
nation as q whole. sober national
thought with regard to the importance,
the absolute necessity, of sustained
agriculture in this country is impera.
tive.
Several remedies were suggested in
Guiding extension of cooperative mar
keting and some means of aiding IN
carrying over to periods of low produc-
tlon the surplus OF years of high pr0duc.
| tiOn. The question Of farm and persona
credit must be given more favorable
consideration, the Secretary declared,
and ways be found to aid tenant farm
ers or men Just embarking in the bus
ness OF agriculture to establish them
selves.
The farmers of America "haye again
justified the faith of the nation to meet
the requirements, Mr.. Meredith de
cIared, and have produced crops estimat-
ed to be worth $4,000, 200, 900 this year
The combined yield of the ten principa.
crops was 10 per cent above the average
for five years.
The corn crop of 3,l99, ,OOO, 900 busher
is Unprecedented, representing about
four flths Of the worlds production, the
report said. Sweet potato crop Of 100,
100000 bushels is far in excess Of any
other year except 1919, while the rice
crop of 81 900 900 bushels is one-fourth
greater than the largest crop ever before
harvested. Tobacco production of ,476,-
100000 pounds, the sugar beet crop OF
l49 600 900 bushels and the potato crop
Of 42l 900, 600 bushels stand out as high
marks while the apple production oil
236, 200, 900 bushels has been exceeded
only once.
This year, Mr. Meredith said the
high prices for farm products continued
until they were ready to sell, when the
price reduction set in, covering every
thing the farmers had to sell and ma
terially affecting nothing they were com
PEELED to buy
The years output, produced at an
abnormally high cost the Secretary
added, is worth at current prices
$4,000 600, 900 less than the smaller crop
Of 1919 and 81, 200, 900 600 less than the
still smaller crop Of 1918 The best esti-
mate that can now be made indicates
that the total value Of animal products
in 1920 is SS,75700O,OOO or about $780,.
100000 less than in 1919.
There is probably no other industry
or business that could suffer a similar
experience and avoid Insolvency"
Farm finance, he said has become
more and more involved until it ranks
in Importance with the financial prob
ems OF industry. In this, as in market
ing, MIR. Meredith suggested expansion
of the cooperative idea as likely to bring
definite and tangible results of benefit to
the farmer. The department is making
a study with view to applying the CO.
operative plan to farm mortgage and
personal credit and farm insurance, the
report added.
National thought will be directed to
the problem of land ownership during
the ears Immediately ahead, Mr. Mere
dith predicted.
government study also should be
made of the farm labor situation, Mr.
Meredith said
Failure to recognize its complexity,"
he added, "has resulted in many unwise
attempts to solve it,"
The movement from the farm to the
city constitutes "a real concern"
If the increasing population is to be
fed from available farm lands, efforts to
reduce agricultural hazards must 90 for
ward vigorously, Mr. Meredith said
Among these hazards he enumerated
| plant diseases, insects, rodents and live
stock diseases Congress was urged to
provide for wider investigation of these
questions, the report asserting they
should be curbed as national duty to
ward off grievious situations in the an
nual food production in later years.
Secretary Meredith declares his oppo-
sition to any proposed increase at the
present time By congress in national for
est grazing fees. His stand on this ques
tion Will be of great interest to the 900
| live stock owners who yearly Craze
nearly two million head of cattle, horses
and sheep on the national forests OF
! Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota,
within the Rocky Mountain district of
The forest service.
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