Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1926-12-23
sale value OF tnei 1926 produSSlor
of cash crops SASS, 800.
Farmers Profit for Years Work
$42.52

OF cash crops 940o,oUo.
Farmers Profit for Years Work
$42.52
AS against this we found bill OF
1851, 646 for major items of food and
grain shipped in, all of which could
and should have been grown within
the county and an expenditure for
fertilizer of $150,000, total of
$4O7, GAG expenses. This left rough
ly gross operating profit of $751;
154. or an average of $42.52 per
farm. Out of this $42.52 must come
taxes, insurance, clothes for the fam
lily, replacement of working>liv stock
and implements, incidental grocery
items, church support, anausements,
gas for the Ford and other miscel-
laneous expenses.
1t simply can't be done. The con-
tinuance of this kind of a losing game
means more abandoned farms in that
county. Yet have reason to believe
that the condition of that particular
county is far better than the condi-
ton of most of our cotton-depending
counties this year The remedy for
this sort of situation is not legislation
/ but commonsense applied to farm OPP
erations and to the business interests
| in the country towns that are forcing
continuance of cotton dependence.
1t is OF business; it's gambling with
the cardsa sc nt ne @ao5e
community.
| | do not like to take issue with any
of our financial leaders who have
pointed out Georgia's money receipt
from diversified crops such as
peaches, apples, tobacco, etc., recent
| ly. What they say is true. These
crops are bringing millions of dol
lars into Georgia annually. 1t is
equally true that they are more or
less highly specialized agricultural
and horticultural industries with rel
atively few of our farm people par
ticipating in them. We doubt very
much whether rs percent of the farm
population of Georgia is at this time
receivink cash incomes from peaches,
apples, tobacco, peanuts, watermel-
ons, sugareane, dairy products, hogs
or poultry on a commercial scale.
What we are going to do with the rs
percent depending on cotton exclus-
lively or nearly so?
Georgia Spends Over 100 Million on
Outside Food
According to best information OBJ
tainable Georgia never spends less
than one hundred million dollars per
wear for food and grain products
from out-state, (the figure is nearer
$3.50 millions), practically every dol
lars worth of which could and should
have been produced on Georgia
/ farm acres. This has gone on for at
least twenty five years. Two and a
half billion dollars Of cotton money
gone forever and along with them an
incalculable number of dollars OF
farm capital as represented by the
loss of plant food in our soils.
It is Georgia's business to stop this
steady annual hundred million dollar
drainage Of our financial 1life blood.
! It can only come through organized
community production Of the diver
gifed food, grain and live stock pro-
duets necessary to feed our people
and the providing Of marketing agen-
eies for such products.
| The individual farmer is helpless
beyond production for home needs.
There must assembling and market
ing agencies set up in the country
trading towns to take care of the di-
versified products of the individual
producer, to put them in standard
marketable shape and look after the
marketing.
of diversified production to justify
There must be sufficient volume
! the commercial existence of the as
sembling and marketing agency, re-
CARELESS of whether it be cooperative
or otherwise.
The unsatisfactory cotton sltua-
ton stares US in the face. Most Of
our farm and business people are
wondering which way to turn and
yet right at our door is hundred
touched. We have got to go to a