Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-03-02
Equality Plan
For Agriculture

agriculture is the basic industry
of the nation. It is true, and it
should remain such, but in order
to remain the basic industry, it
must be made more profitable
and more inviting.
The American farm home is all
important to the future of Amer
lea, for it is good place to rear
family. The fact remains, how
ever, that half of the American
farm families receive an income
of less than 81 900 per year. Com
pared to people in other walks
of life, such economic condition
must not continue.
N. j. Holmberg, who was State
Commissioner of Agriculture for
twelve years, and prior to that
member of the Minnesota Leg
islature for many years from
Renville county, has written an
article entitled, Equality Plan
For Agriculture" In this article,
Mr.. Holmberg points out that
the tariff must be made more
effective for the farmer, and he
suggests a limit of $500 annually
to any one farmer as crop benefit
This would spread the benefit out
amongst many more people. I'm
der prevailing conditions, benefit
payments in soil conservation are
much more beneficial to large
corporation farms. Subsidies are
unsound, according to economists,
but ''bridge-over" for the farm
er until better prices return has
been suggested.
Mr.. Holmberg'S article follows:
For 20 years or more the public
press has recorded the struggle OF
agriculture in seeking the
same recognition, through legislation
as has been accorded industrial and
labor groups. Congress has not been
deaf to the appeals made by farm
owners and farm organizations. There
seems, however, to be great difficulty
in finding plan that is workable, eff
fective, and all around satisfactory
to the farmers of the United States
Recently, the Secretary of Agriculture
has suggested that ideas be brought
put and debated with the view OF
shaping public opinion for some con-
structive Improvement over the plan
now in operation. While the sub
ject is hot" 1 would like to pre-
sent some ideas for consideration in
the hope that someone can improve
on them, add to them, and construct
a plan that will be simpler, more
and one that will reward
every farmer for doing something.
The original farm bill known as
the ''McNary-Haugen bill' sought tc
separate the exportable surplus from
what we consume domestically, and
sell the surplus on the world market
loss was sustained was tC
be assessed back through an equaliza-
ton fee to be paid by the producer
There was no thought of any benefit
in this bill-it never be-
came law.
Various Methods Tried.
The Farm Board plan which later
became law, was tried out. Under
this plan prices of leading farm COM
modities were pegged. Five hundred
million dollars were expended. The
Farm Board was given large and
arbitrary power over all marketing
1t put the government in
business on large scale. 1t was a
failure and was abandoned
Then came the complicated AAA
with its elaborate set-up for con-
trolling production, paying the farm
er rentals on land taken out of cult
vation. Processing taxes were levied
to raise revenue to pay for the acres
that were laid off. This program
after a brief trial period, was de-
clared unconstitutional, by the United
States Supreme Court.
Congress then turned to the So
called Soil Conservation plan, which
IS now law and in operation all over
The United States. This plan seeks
to conserve the soil, control pro-
auction by taking land out of cult
vation. The Federal government also
oans money on certain farm COM
nodities safely stored and sealed on
he farm, and assuming the loss if
he market price is less than the loan
when it natures.
The Soil Conservation Plan.
Some farm organizations, in the alb
'ence of anything better, have gone
along with the Soil Conservation
plan. There is little hope that it
will be long-lived, or that it will
add much to the solution of our agri-
cultural problem. The objections to
he Soil Conservation plan are many
and easily enumerated.
l. In the first place, it is highly
theoretical. 1t purports to control
The trouble seems to be
hat Jehovah" still controls the wind
and the weather. Some years large
acreages produce small crops, and
other years small acreages produce
arge crops. You just cannot make