Evening star., 1943-08-19
Action 10 Assure
Livestock Feed
Pledged byCCC
Liquidation Of Herds
Pictured as Alternative
In PorIey on Situation

In PorIey on Situation
Farmers In the drought stricken
States near the Nations Capita
today had assurance OF Federal aie
in preventing wholesale liquidation
of livestock due to reductions in es.
sential feed crops.
At meeting of farm leaders from
Maryland, Virginia, Delaware ane
West Virginia yesterday, ]. B. Hut.
son, president of the Commodity
Credit Corp, said immediate step.
would be taken to bring into the
area hay and grain needed to fore.
stall widespread reductions in pres.
ent livestock numbers.
Pointing out that thousands oi
farmers are facing a catastrophe
due to the feed shortage, and that
serious reduction In food produc-
ton will result, farm leaders re-
'quested the War Food Administra-
ton through the CCC to allocate
increased quantities of grain and
protein supplements to meet the
imperative" needs of the drought
area. @
CCC also was asked to purchase
and distribute, through co-opera-
tives land Tor" private agencies, suf-
ficient amounts of hay TO meet emer-
gency needs, at prices "commen-
surate" with price ceilings on milk,
meat and other livestock.
Slaughtering Increase Asked.
Farm leaders said increased liQ-
uidation of livestock is inevitable
unless farmers. In the drought area
can obtain at least 100000 tons of
hay and not less than 600, 900 tons
of grain in addition to their normal
purchases of both these feeds.
Leaders also urged that slaughter
ing quotas be raised temporarily at
local markets to enable liquidation
OF livestock, which will be necessary
In the drought area regardless of
other relief measures, without disas-
trously low prices" The Govern
n1ent also was asked to. pursue a
policy designed to, avoid forced
liquidation OF dairy cattle "a
In view of the ''tremendous''
losses suffered by farmers in the
drought area, amounting to "at
least $50, ,0O0, ,000," it was said, some
governmental assistance was asked
toward reducing the cost of added
grain and hay that must be pur-
chased in consequence Of drought
lossesl
Mr.. Hutson told farm leaders, the
CCC had purchased about IS, 900 900
bushels of corn between July
and August Is, and had distributed
al but three or four million bushels
to corn processing industries. He
said CCC was in . position to move
some Of this corn into the drought
area, provided distribution facilities
could be worked out.
Secs Cut in Hog Crop.
NHe said that while corn could be
provided to curb the shortage of
feed for dairy and other cattle and
hying hens, farmers would have to
reduce their hog crop ana the NUM-.
b3r Of broilers now being raised
since existing feed supplies are in
sufdcient to carry these as well.
He added that he felt corn would
bSgin moving into the Eastern area
from the Western corn states as
soon as the new crop is harvested.
Mr.. Hutsor, said CCC also would
begin work on getting hay into the
drought area. He said this, too,
will depend largely on working out
distribution facilities.
We would be prepared to ab-
sorb some of the rising hay costs, T"
he said, but am not sure whether
we can meet $50 per ton price" I"
1T had been pointed out that while
under existing ceiling prices farm
ers In the area could afford to pay
about $40 a ton for hay, quotations
at Rochester, N. Y, for September
deliveries were $38 ton for No.
hay r. o. B. Alexandria, Va.
"A committee including DR.. T. B.
Symons, Maryland State Extension
director; B. B. Derrick. secretary OF
the Maryland and Virginia Milk
Producers Association: r. c. r.
Weagley. president of the Maryland
Farm Bureau; Gordon Willis, di-
rector of the Maryland and vir-
gfnia Milk Producers Association;
L, M. Walker. jr.. Virginia commis-
sioner OF agriculture: w. G. Wysor,
general manager of the Southern
States Cooperative, and DR.. A. B.
Corbett, director of the University
Of Maryland Experimental Station,
will meet Monday with Mr.. Hutson
to map final plans for the distribu-
tion Of hay and grains in the
drought area.
Educational Campaign Urged.
Asserting that In addition to
Government aid farmers also must
be urged to carry out manage
ment program which will look to-
ward maintained farm production
next year, leaders recommended
that the Extension Service and
other agricultural agencies in each
State Immediately" launch an
educational campaign.
Farmers should be urged, it was
said. to reduce livestock when nec-
essary to conform with the feed
supply so that the higher produc-
ing animals retained may be fed
for maximum production. In ad-
dition farmers should use avail
able feed supplies efficiently and
should fill all silos, using corn
which otherwise might be used for
grain il that Is necessary.
Emphasizing the Importance Of
good yields, farmers will be urged
to use high quality seeds, and to
lime and fertilize pastures so as to
increase carrying capacity and
lengthen the grazing period.
Alfalfa should be sown after the
first rain this month, 1t was said.
and where spring seedlings have
failed. red clover and grass mix
lures should be seeded. Cover
crops also should be planted on
fields where clover and grass do
not at into the rotation.
Crops 3sqe Normal.
Pointing to the seriousness Of the
drought, agricultural leaders said
crops In the four State area were
only approximately 80 per cent of