Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04

Confronted nOJ Only Will wv
nomic problems common to the
agricultural industry OF the United
States, but with many peculiar TO
California, farmers of this state nave
many questions of readjustment TO
answer. In making this statement,
report on the agricultural situation
of the state recently made to the
governor, advances several recon-
mendations for action that will al
leviate the situation.
The report, submitted by Presl-
dent Robert Sproul, was made py
agricultural economists of the Uni
versity of California at the direc-
ton of the last legislature. The re-
port and the recommendations OF
the university were presented to the
members of the agricultural eXten-
sion service at their annual meet
ing by H. r. Tolley professor OF ag-
ricultural economics and assistant
director of the Giannini Foundation.
The problem OF the farmer is sum-
married. in the report. General eco
romic conditions throughout the
United States and the rest of the
world are such that prices for most
agricultural products are low rela-
tive to the prices farmers have to
pay for goods they buy and pay
ments they are committed to make,
the reports says, adding that I'm
many cases, incomes are not suffi-
cient to maintain or increase the
standards of living and acquire in
dependent ownership"
The low returns, it is said, have
been reflected in reduced real eS-
tate values; many farmers have
been unable to meet interest pay
ments and taxes. Banks have had
to take over many farms. Bonded
districts. by the failure of tax pay
mentS, have been unable to meet
their obligations. Water costs have,
not decreased. The financial po-
sition of many farmers in Califor-
MIA is such that they cannot make
the changes and readjustments that
appear desirable.
Among the causes for these con-
ditions are cited these: Great growth
of irrigation facilities from 1900 to
1920; planting of high-priced spe-
cialty crops in the period of good
prices following the war and the de-
preston of prices when these plant
ings came into bearing; increase in
production of staple crops through
out the world; the system of taxing
farm property has remained un-
changed; and development of agri-
cultural lands continues
Products Varied
The products of the state are so
varied, the report says, and it's agri-
culture is organized and controlled
in so many different ways that the
farmers do not constitute a homo
geneouS class or group with unified
interests and similar problems. To
these varied interests must be added
the large landholders and specula-
tors interested primarily in selling
the lands.
recommendations are made in
three sections For the state, for
group activities and for individual
farmers.
Included III the state activities
are: Further development of the
work OF obtaining accurate infor-
nation regarding markets for Cali
fornia crops and the trend of pro-
duction in competing regions: con-
sideration of the feasibility of re-
vising the tax system; speedy ad-
justment of difficulties between
bondholders and farmers in default
ing bonded districts; new type of
credit facilities; better regulation
of real estate dealers, finance COM
panies, and marketing agencies;
better utilization of land and water
sources.
The report says, that by collecting
and disseminating truthful state
ments and regulating the activities
of their members, chambers of COM
merce, real estate association and
other agencies can curtail unsound
schemes and render assistance in
taking care Of excessive production.