Evening star., 1948-11-26
Billion Already Slated
For Farm Support;
Nav Hit II Billion
By the Assoeioted Press

The Government has put out
or set aside-over $1,000, 100000 to
help farmers keep up their prices
on this years record harvest. /
This outlay, under the price sup
port program, may reach $l,750,000,-
600 before the 1948 crop marketing
season ends, a survey showed today.
The bulk of the money has been
distributed as loans on storable
products, particularly grains and
cotton. Whether the Government
gets back its money on these loans
depends on future market prices.
Farmers have the option OF either
paying of this debt and retaining
their mortgaged products, or turn
ing over the products to the Gov
ernment as full payment on the
loan if prices do not rise above the
support levels before the loans are
called.
Government Made Profit.
And whether the Government
loses money on products 1t takes
over under the loans also depends
on future price developments. AS
q matter of fact. the Government
made money on products taken over
before the war. They were sold at
inflated war prices.
Loans are limited largely to nom
perishahle products. In the case OF
perishable items, the Government
buys the surplus outright and tries
to dispose of it at home and abroad.
Cotton tops all products in price
support outlays. The Government
has put out about $685., 100000 in
loans on 2,294,o00 bales from this
years bumper crop OF about $780,
600 bales.
Potato Support Holds Spotlight.
The potato support operations,
however, have attracted widest at
tention. The Government has
bought about 65,50O,000 bushels at
q cost OF about s9O,000,00o. 1t has
spent an additional $4,000, 900 trans
porting them to public institutions,
to schools for lunch programs, to-
starch and flour mills, alcohol plants
and to livestock feeders.
Little If any of this outlay on
potato supports will be retired by
the Government
The Government also has bought
$6,411,000 worth OF surplus dried
fruits for sale to countries receiv-
ing Marshall Plan aid.
For $34,864, 900 it bought 27.674 900
pounds of dried eggs-equal to 81
100000 dozen shell eggs-of which
it has sold 804,200 pounds for ex-
port and has contributed 3,175,000
pounds to the school lunch program.
Grain Outlay High.
About 1917 bushels of sweet
potatoes have been bought at a i
cost of s232,745. These probably
will be contributed to the school
lunch program and public institu-
tions.
In the case of grains the Govern
ment offers both loans and pur-
chase agreements. Under the pur-
chase agreement, the Government
contracts to take fixed amount
of grain off the farmers hands at
a later date If in the meantime he
has not found q better market.
Latest reports show total OF
231 $4,000 bushels of grain either
under loan or purchase agreements.
This is in addition to roughly
equal amount of grain the Govern
ment bought outright for export to
occupied areas and Marshall Plan
countries.
The quantities and OUTLAWS by
grains included: Wheat. 216,779, 900
bushels, about $216,779,000; corn,
1,332,000 bushels, s1,932,000; oats,
1881 900, $9,072,000; barley, 49,
$4,000. $22,888,000 rye, 100000
bushels, $925,0oo; grain sorghums,
e,5S4,00o bushels, 1895 900.
The Government has bought