Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1933-06-08
FARM ACT TO AID POULTRY,
FRUITS AND TRUCK CROPS

Washington orchardists, pou ltry
farmers, vegetable growers and others
are expected to profit directly or in
directly from the agricultural adjust
ment act rs well as producers of basic
commodities, declares r. M. Turner,
extension economist at the State Col
lege of Washington. Only basic COM
modities such as wheat, dairy products,
corn and hogs were listed in the act,
partly, because they are practically all
on an export basis and suffered re-
latively greater price declines than
other farm commodities not specified
in the act.
Changes in prices of basic COM
modities tend to influence prices Of
other farm products. Any increases
In prices of basic commodities brought
about by the operation Of the agricul-
tural adjustment act will benefit pro-
ducers of other farm commodities. The
purpose Of the entire farm act. as ex-
pressed by George N Peek, federal adj
ministrator, is to raise farm prices.
This purpose contemplates higher re-
turns to producers of all agricultural
commodities as well as to producers of
basic commodities.
So-called initiation powers in the bill,
administered by the President and his
treasury aides, and not by the depart
ment of agriculture, are designed to
raise the general price level of all
commodities, agricultural and in
dustrial. Such measures raise the
prices of raw materials first. A rising
price level would tighten the burden
of debt, interest, and taxes, that farm
ers as well as city men pay. The effect
of initiation measures may benefit pro-
ducers of non-basic commodities more
than the producers of basic commod-
tiles. SURPRISES of basic commodities
may tend to prevent the price rise that
would normally be expected.
Trade Agreements.
Trade agreement provisions of the
farm act can be used to great advant-
age by the producers of non-basic
commodities. The act authorizes the
secretary of agriculture to enter into
agreement with associations of pro-
ducers or with professors and distri-
butors of any agricultural competing
commodities. These would include
fruits, vegetables, poultry and other
non-basic products. The purpose of
these agreements is to insure fair re-
turn S to producers and equitable
marketing and distributing practices.
Producers and growers have often
been forced to pay for wasteful prac-
tices which have grown up in the
handling of different commodities on
the way to the consumer. Some CO.
operatives have fought such trade
practices for years and tried to bring
about orderly marketing. Now the
new legislation brings the government
to the conference table and makes the
government party to agreements and
a partner in cooperation. Some prom
inent farm leaders see big possibilities
in the trade agreement section of the
new law, not only for growers of basic
commodities but for practically all
farm products.
Prices of poultry, fruits and vege-
tables, the principal non-basic agri-
cultural commodities, have consistent
ly ranged higher than the prices OF
the basic commodities during the past
10 years, the five preceding the de-
preston and the three years Of the
depression itself. They are somewhat
higher at present in relation to the
pre-war level, than are prices of basic
agricultural commodities and the aver
age price Of all agricultural COM
modities. While these non-basic COM
modify prices are relatively higher
than the basic commodity prices, they
are nevertheless considerably below
pre-war exchange levels. Insofar as
they are depressed by uneconomic
marketing and detrimental trade prac-
tices, the provisions of the act should
If utilized, react to the benefit of pro-
ducers of these commodities.