Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-08
Farmers Note
Swing Toward
Lower Prices
By james BirchfieId

months, are receiving and paying
lower prices, according to the
Bureau of Agricultural Economies.
The bureau said the parity index
the prices paid by farmers, in
Guiding interest and taxes-declined
one point, from $50 to 229. At the
same time the index of prices re-
ceived by farmers dropped from 276
to 272, so that the parity rate, or
the average relation Of prices re-
ceived to parity, declined slightly.
The decline in the parity index,
the bureau said, resulted from lower
prices for feed, food, household sup
plies and seed. These lower priced
commodities, it was explained, were
not fully Offset by the slightly higher
cost of building materials and fur
niture.
The decline in prices received by
farmers was led by lower prices for
dairy products, meat animals and
Ol4~bCdl1lS k4Opcs G1lC Jul eau GA
planned. These were only partially
offset by higher prices for cotton and
some vegetables.
The bureau said prices received
for butterfat were down from 68.5
to 631 cents per pound, while the
average wholesale price for milk was
1894 per hundredweight, compared
-
Plans for Rural Housing.
The Virginia Extension Service
Housing Committee is making plans
to correct the "deplorable, unsafe
and inadequate" rural housing con-
ditions In the Old Dominion.
P. M. Potter, associate agricul-
tural engineer at the Virginia Ex-
pertinent Station, said that lack Of
research on rural housing has ham,
pered any longtime improvement
program. He said research pro-
gram, to be conducted II Flanagan
Hope funds are made available, will
attempt to determine the basic
needs of farmers and to study func-
tional requirements of house design,
test new materials and find new
uses for old materials. The program
also will attempt to find ways OF
keeping construction costs within
reach of "the man on the bottom"
Mr.. Potter said.
Paul D. Sanders, editor Of the
Southern Planter, will head a steer
ing committee to work out details
of administering the program. Mr..
Sanders said the outlook Is hopeful
since farmers now are in better
position to improve their living
conditions.
Conservation Service Explained.
Recent reports Of the Agriculture
Department appropriation bill now
pending in Congress, in many in
stances confused the Soil Conserva-
ton Service with the Agricultural
Adjustment Agency, now a part OF
the Production and Marketing Ad-
ministration.
It was reported, for example, that
one of the hardest hit agencies OF
the department was the Soil Con-
servation Service in the cut in It's
budget for payments to farmers for
conservation practices.
The Soil Conservation Service Is
a technical agency of the Agricul-
ture Department, working through
farmer directed soil conservation
districts in the various States. 1t |
makes no payments to farmers. 1T
only provides technical assistance
to farmers in putting into effect
farming operations that will pre-
vent erosion and otherwise conserve
the soil.
The AAA is the agency that makes
payments to farmers for the use OF
lime and fertilizer and for under
taking other conservation practices
on their farms. Funds at the dis
posal of the AAA were greatly re-
duced in the appropriation bill.
Farm leaders in this area had
predicted that AAA payments would
be reduced by the economy minded
Congress. Many held that it was
unreasonable to expect the Govern
ment to continue, during time OF
farm prosperity, making payments
to farmers for doing those things
that good farmers consider an I'M
portant part of their agricultural
operations.
Among Highest Producers.
The Holstein- Friesian Association
of America has reported that Is
registered Holsteins in the Agricul-
ture Departments dairy herd at
Beltsville were among the Nations
highest milk producers last year.
The association reported that four
of the 16 Beltsville cows lead the
Nation in production records for