The Wilmington morning star., 1944-02-07
Reaching ~ Production
Goals Will Not Be EASY

1t will not be easy for North
Carolina farmers to meet their
production goals this year. There
is always the vital question of
whether or not enough labor will
be available. Those in charge OF
the labor program are asking that
every man take careful stock of
his situation both on his own farm
and in the immediate neighbor-
hood. Neighborhood leaders also
are being asked to take stock of
the situation in each community.
There will be a greater need per-
haps to swap implements and per-
sonal help this year than ever be-
fore; because, despite all efforts
to the contrary, men continue to
go to the Army and to better pay
ing jobs away from the farm. Take
the situation in Duplin county, for
instance. G. E. Buck Jones,
county agent, says that so many
farm workers have left the land
in the county that many farmers
are wondering how they are 60
ing to produce and harvest the
crops which they have been re-
quested to grow this year. Mr..
Jones says further that there will
be a number of farms which will
not be cultivated this year. Some
will be planted to tobacco only.
In other words, since tobacco al
lotments have been increased by
20 per cent, the growers will plant
this entire acreage whether other
crops are planted or not, and,
therefore, it appears that there
will be a decreased food and feed
production in that section rather
than an increase. Possibly the only
thing to come of it will be that an
increased acreage will be seeded
to pasture and sod crops. N. E.
Blanchard of Warsaw is seeding
38 more acres to pasture for the
simple and only reason that he
does not have the labor to grow
crops on this land this year. Mr.
Blanchard says he can Craze this
80 acres to beef cattle with much
less labor than he can grow crops
on the same land.
Over in populous Pitt County, one
Of the recognized fine farming
areas of North Carolina, farmers
face the same situation. They will
certainly grow tobacco because
Pitt is noted for the equality of
its bright leaf, but growers de-
sirous of doing all that they can
to meet the needs for a greater
food and feed production face
the coming season with some dis
couragernent. There has been a
heavy movement of tenants from
farm to farm with some Of the
families moving as many as three
or four times before finally settl-
ing down. Some of this is due to
farmers offering high inducements
to get men on their land but IN
any case, there remains lack OF
labor. From Moore County come
similar reports and the farmers
there say the situation is cr1ti-
cal. There are farms entirely With
out tenants right now and the
prospects are that these farms will
remain in this condition this year
The county agents office has rec.
ords of 1873 men leaving the farm
in the last six months to 60 to
higher paid work and he says
there is no compromising return
to the farms.
In Union County, however, ar
example was set last fall tina
has had good effect on the farm
labor situation in that section
Last July, the news got around tina
i farmers and farm laborers would
have to have releases to go int
any othez. work. Tom Broom, the
county agent, says that this new!
was misunderstood by many t
mean that good jobs were await
ing them almost anywhere and al
. they needed to do was to get
release from the county agent
, office. Mr.. Broom soon made i
: perfectly clear that no such re
: leases would be given until tn.
summer crops had been '1aid by
and then it would be necessary TO
the labor to return by Septembe:
/ l in time for the harvest and fal
seeding. Many came back on
: September l asking for renewed
: of their releases. mo sir" EN-
: phatically declared Mr.. Broom
i mo more releases until all tn
crops have been harvested an