Evening star., 1943-08-24
CCC Promises
Drought Aid in
4 Nearby States
Receives Fovorobly
Pleas to Import
Hoy and Grain

rdTm icdueTS from tne f0Ur g
drought ridden States around
Washington were confident today of
immediate steps by the Commodity
Credit Corp. to provide Federal aid
to farmers in the area.
DR.. T. B. Symons, director of the
Extension Service of the University
OF Maryland, said plans to import
hay and grain into the drought area
were received favorably by CCC at
meeting yesterday of farm leaders
and agency officials. He said CCC
will announce definite plan of aid
to farmers within few days.
Meanwhile, officials of the Agri-
cultural Adjustment Agency said
some corn has been "seeping" into
the Eastern market from the Mid
west during the last three or four
weeks.
AAA officials declined to make an
estimate of the amount of corn
which has left Midwest farms during
this period, but predicted that the
flow would become greater as this :
years crops are harvested I.
Prices Retard Flow Of Corn. m
1t was pointed out that three fac
tors are at present retarding the
natural flow of corn to Eastern
markets. f
Midwest farmers can receive more
than the SLOT ceiling price OF corn
by feeding their grain to hogs;
Farmers in the corn belt are
holding their grain supplies in the
expectation that ceiling prices on
corn will be raised;
And corn supplies are being held
until the size of the new crop. which
got off to late start last spring,
is determined. ~
Dr. Symons said j. B. Hutson,
president of CCC, assured the group
yesterday that a part of the three
or four million bushels of corn now
owned by the agency will be
pushed" into this area to alleviate
the grain shortage.
Purchases to Be Subsidized.
He also assured the group, Dr..
Symons said, that an immediate sur
vey of hay would be undertaken and
arrangements would be made to sub
sidiZe purchases in the West for
resale to Eastern farmers at prices
approximating $40 ton.
1t was estimated that 200. 900 tons
of hay and 100000 tons of grain
would be needed in the area to offset
damages due to the drought and
prevent a wholesale liquidation of
livestock
1t was indicated that hay would
be purchased in Indiana, Wisconsin
and Nebraska, where farmers are
reported letting their crops stand
because of lack of markets.
While farm leaders and CCC Off
cials recognized the transportation
problems involved in shipping large
quantities of hay long distances at
this time, 1t was pointed out that
an emergency existed and priori-
ties on cars should be obtainable.
Financial details of the purchases
and means of distribution will be
announced later by CCC.
C0-OpS May Handle Hay.
Ofhcials said that while hay prob
| ably will be handled by one of the
farm co-operatives, portions of, the
| corn allocated to the area will be
handled through the AAA and the
| county war boards.
| DR.. Symons said the COMMITTEES
estimated the damage already suf-
| fered by farmers in the four-State
area at $50 200, 900. The area covers
81 counties-34 in Virginia, % in
Maryland, all in Delaware and 2
in West Virginia.
B. B. Derrick. secretary of the
Maryland and Virginia Milk Pro-
| ducers' Association, said he hoped
measures taken by CCC would pre-
vent milk shortage in the WASH
ington area.
He said Washington is using about
100000 gallons of milk day and
is buying about 10000 gallons of this
outside the Washington milkshed.
He said this amount will rise to
$4,000 gallons day by November.
In addition to DR.. SymonS the
committee included R. c. F. Weag--
ley, president of the Maryland Farm
Bureau; Gordon Willis, director of
the Maryland and Virginia Milk
Producers Association; L. M. WAL
ker, jr, Virginia commissioner of
agriculture; w. G. Wysor, general
manager of the Southern States Co.
operative; c. F. Wise, secretary of
the Maryland Farm Bureau; DIR.
r. B. Corbett, director of the Uni
versity of Maryland Experiment Sta
ton, and Mr.. Derrick,