The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-06
COULTER SEES
NEED0F FARM
BOARD POLICY
North Dakota College Presi-
. dent Analyses Low Prices Of
Farm Products
PREVENT EXCESS YIELDS
Expresses Belief That Prices
Can Not Be Completely
Stabilized

St. Paul, Sept. 6.-An analysis Of
present low prices Of farm products
with 4 view Of determining whether
they are caused by exploitation and
manipulation, excessive national
world acreages with consequent sur
plus production, exceptionally high
yields with similar consequences. or
. complete lack Of organization and
proper marketing methods was
brought to the farmers Of Minnesota
by DR.. John Lee Coulter, president
Of the North Dakota Agricultural
college speaking today at the Mime
sofa State fair.
He declared q searching investiga-
tion Of present prices emphasizes,
more definitely than has been the
case for period Of years, the abso.
lutte necessity Of federal farm
board to formulate . national agri-
cultural policy. He found in the ab-
sence Of such = policy . reason for
the tremendous fluctuations in acre
ages with subsequent periodical sur
pluses or seasonal gluts which bar
uniformly profitable prices.
1T is my judgment" said DR..
Coulter, however, that no Federal
Farm Bo:rd or stabilization corpora
tion or form Of farmer cooperative
can completely stabilize prices.
There will ever be variations in
acreage yields and per capita con-
sumption.
"A shortage Of wheat in Germany
will likely result IN . larger con-
sumption Of rye or potatoes; in
China, or japan, it is likely to mean
more rice, soy beams or other sub
stitutes. Hundreds Of illustrations
can be given. TbGre arA marginal
farmers, and there Is marginal land,
and there are extremes In yields on
individual farms or even states or
groups Of states from year to year.
But . Federal Farm Board with stab
ilization corporations and farmers
marketing societies could on the one
hand provide scientific economic
leadership to prevent. these periods
Of depression when millions Of farm
ers are selling far below the aver
age cost Of; production.
II have not gone into the question
Of special plans to control disposition
Of surplus crops in this address, for
several reasons. First, because it
does not apply to . great group Of
our products, such - flax, wool,
sugar, dairy products, etc. Second,
it cannot be made to apply to many
other crops where . surplus exists,
such as in the case Of potatoes which
! have discussed. Third, ! believe
we can by efficient farming produce
most il not a!l Of our surplus crops
at as low q cost per acre and per
pound, bushel or ton as to supply
both the domestic and foreign mar
kets at = profit above cost Of pro-
duction in competition with the
world. Fourth, ! believe that We
should begin by stabilising our do
lnestic market which consumes from
Is per cent to 100 per cent of the
principal products Of cur farms, and
where possible increase products
where we do not supply our home
market and It tho same Stime de-
crease production Of those surplus
products on mdrgins where. they
cannot compete on the world market
and serve only to depress both. the
world market and our domestic mar
ket. And finally ] believe that with
development Of water transportation,
adjustments in land 'transportations,
adjustments in storage, credits,
tariffs and taxes, the Federal Board,
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