Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-06-06
''STREAMLNED"
FARM PROGRAM
Is FORMULATED

A streamlined farm program de-
signed to meet the nations basic fooC
needs and to provide supplementary
supplies for its allies until the spring
of 1914 is being formulated by Secre-
tary Wickard and his agriculture de-
partment aides. It would eliminate al
nonessential crops.
The program is based on this gen.
eral thesis:
Americans must abandon any COM
placency they may have about the
food situation because shortages may
develop. Production difficulties arising
from the war may make it impossible
for farmers to produce as much In
1913 as they are expected to produce
this year. Demand for food, on the
other hand. may be much larger.
The program consequently will call
upon farmers to concentrate on the
production of such vital products as
livestock feed crops, soybeans and pea
nuts for vegetable oils: fruits, vegeta-
bles. sugar beets and sugar cane for
sugar; meat animals, dairy and poul-
try products and long staple cotton.
The 1913 production problem will be
laid before a conference Of agricul-
tllral adjustment agency farmer COM
mitteemen from the 48 states at chi
cago.
These committeeman will be asked
to suggest ways of making federal
crop programs operate more effectively
in procuring the necessary food out
put. Their suggestions will be used by
the department In formulation OF the
1913 AAA food program.
Officials predict farmers will have
to operate under extreme difficulties
next year, because Of growing shortages
of labor, fertilizer. farm machinery
equipment, tires for tractors and trucks
gasoline and other supplies.
Because of these shortages, the 1943
farm program will provide for mobil-
ization of every tiller acre, every hour
Of farm labor, every sack Of fertilizer, |
and every piece Of farm equipment for
the production Of those products need
ed most. Production Of unnecessary
crops or Of commodities Of which there
are SURPRISES would be branded as
-wasteful" production.
Officials said the Chicago confer
ence would seek to ascertain the atti-
tude of farmers toward sharp change
In financial phases Of the crop pro-
grams. This year, as in every year
since programs we're inaugurated in
1888. farmers were offered government
benefit payments for curtailing pro-
duction of commodities of which there
were above normal reserves.
The 1943 program may cut down on
such payments and offer instead Elm
centive" subsidies for increased pro-
duction of vital food products.
Officials explained that under nor
NAL conditions, with the economic laws
of supply and demand operating with
a minimum of restrictions, prices OF
the products needed most would tend
to rise sufficiently to encourage their
production and discourage production
Of commodities already in abundance
or not needed in increased quantities.
Government price ceilings however,
tend to stabilize prices Of all farm
products at about the same level. Thus,
prices alone may no longer offer SUI
ficient incentives for farmers to shift
from the production Of some crops toI
others or to put in extra effort to
secure an enlarged output. Crop shifts
and extra production often involve i
greater expenditures as well as changes :
In a farmers customary operating !
pattern.
While approving price ceilings as a 7
move to help prevent initiation, Secre- :
tary Wickard has said that they may,
IN some instances, discourage the pro- b
duction Of vital farm products. On the :
other hand, the price administrations
office has indicated that it would be [
slow to make adjustments in price :
orders because one change would lead 1
10 pressure for many others. F