Evening star., 1943-07-01
Federal Buying
Asked 10 Avert
Waste Of Crops
Maryland Farmers
Anxious to Insure
Use Of Surplus.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
SALISBURY, Md, July L.
Wicomico County farmers asked
Federal ofncials today to put into
effect programs for the full utiliza-
ton OF bumper lima bean. tomato
and sweet potato crops to prevent
food losses experienced in the recent
string bean harvest.
Volunteers from Salisbury turned
out on an emergency call to harvest
the string beans, but the market
became glutted and farmers re-
ceived no bids for the crop until
Federal buying support began. Hun
dreds Of tons Of beans were lost.
At joint meeting OF the Wicom-
leo County Labor Committee, the
Wicomico County Agricultural War
Board and County Wage Committee,
called by County Agent James P.
Brown. crop prospects were surveyed
and labor and price recommended
tions were made.
800 Workers Needed.
An additional 300 workers for the
county were requested, effective July
10 and continuing through Novem-
ber.
The county's tomato crop was esti-
mated at 1850, 900 baskets, or SOC, 900
baskets above the capacity of local
Gamers. The group asked the Gov
ernment to buy the tomatoes at the
contract price of As cents per basket
for shipment to New York, or other
canneries. for packing of the surplus.
A similar surplus was reported in
lima beans and Government buyers
were asked to be ready to purchase
the surplus at the previously estab-
lished price of $l70 per hamper.
A similar floor price OF $l.35 on
sweet potatoes, as fixed by the Gov
ernment, was asked by the farmers
Peak Begins July 10.
I'VE must notify officials to have
buyers and inspectors here ahead of
time to take care of the surplus"
Harlan Mezick, chairman of the
County Agricultural War Board,
said. IT we had had buyers here
earlier in the string bean season we
could have saved more of that crop." "
The bean season will approach its
peak about July 10. continuing until
the tomato season on August l. The
sweet potato season will follow on
September 7 or 8 on the heels of
the tomato season, Mr.. Brown said.
Il am not in favor Of asking for
more harvest workers than we need
in the hopes Of getting less" Mr..
MeZick said. "All estimates show
that we will need 800 more begin
ming about July 10 and we should
ask for that number"
Henry Mitchell, manager of the
county's farm labor camp, said that
the 40 workers now at the camp
were adequate for present farm
work, but during the string bean
season, he said. he had a daily
shortage of about $50 workers.
Surplus to Be Diverted.
A call had been made for 1000
volunteer farm workers from Sails
bury homes and stores and his re-
port of the harvest shortage was
figured over and above the volun-
teer assistance obtained.
Besides the 40 workers at the
camp, and so Boy Scouts at a har-
vest camp since disbanded, volun-
teers. Coast Guardsmen and con-
scientious objectors aided in the
bean harvest.
The State Agricultural War Board
is making plans to divert a portion
Of Wicomico's surplus crops to other
canneries of the State to prevent
losses.
The tomato situation is compli-
Gated by the absence of the usual
professional migratory green wrap
tomato workers who follow the crop
from Florida up the East Coast.
They usually prepare tomatoes
for the market. but Mr.. Brown said
most Of them were apparently now
in defense work. Their absence
will prevent the usual market crop,
he said, and most tomatoes will con-
sequently 60 to canneries which do
not have sufhcient capacity to han
die the full yield.