The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1956-11-08

whose job it is to pry into farmers
future. They've come up with some
ideas of what 1875 may be like.
The group goes under the head
ing of Farm and Land Management
Research. 1t has been operating
for several years, and with remark
able accuracy. Instead of calling
their reports forecasts, they prefer
the term projections into the fu-
ture."
"These projections" says DR..
johnson, "of production that may
be needed in 1879 are based on
specific assumptions regarding
growth in population, increase in
consumer incomes, and trends in
nsumer preferences for farm
products"
Two members Of the research
group, Glen Barton and Robert
Rogers, have just completed study
indicating that farmers will need to
increase production by one-third
in the next 20 years to keep up
with expanding demand.
"The chief purpose of this re-
port" they explain, sis to describe
and analyze the size Of the pro-
duction Job ahead for farmers. The
important questions may revolve
around hoD rather than aUhether
we can meet production require
ments in the years ahead" QtalIcs
mine.)
The study assumes that surplus
problems will no longer plague
farmers by about 1860. From then
on, the job will be to expand pro-
duction rapidly enough to keep up
with growing demand. Production
controls will gradually disappear,
they indicate.
The report assumes total pop
ulation of POT million by 1875, and
that per-capita consumption of
meat, milk, eggs, fruits and vege-
tables will continue to increase at
about the same rate as in the past.
With 40 million more people to
feed each day, farmers will need to
increase beef cattle numbers by
$50, hogs by 4O%, sheep & lambs
by 15%s, and milk by 25%. They'll
need to grow $50 more corn and
oats, 500 more soybeans and 35%
more hay, and up pasture output
by one-third.
Other increases include 10 more
Irish potatoes, 11To more sweet po-
tatoes, 14% more dry peas, 400
more truck crops, $3.50 more fruits
and nuts, 37%o more tobacco and
oSoL moro cntton
Barton and Rogers think future
needs for farm products can be at
tained through Cd shifting of acres
among crops, (2) adding to crop
land and pasture, and CD increas-
ing production per acre.
At present production rates per
acre, we would need about $50
million more acres in cultivation
and pasture by 1875. There are only
about 25 million acres we can add
through irrigation and reclamation,
so five-sixths of the increase must
come from greater yields per acre.
The increase in yields per acre
needed will be about double the
average rate between 1910 and
1850. But it can be done, they con-
clude, if we increase production by
only about two-thirds as much
per year as we did during World
War II.
Research is expected to help
farmers up production by develop
ing new and improved methods Of
cultivation, new hybridS and varie-
ties of crops. livestock breeding
and feeding efficiencies. More farm
ers will need to use the best
methods known. Therell be big
increase, too, in irrigation.
Increased mechanization will en-
able fewer farmers to grow the
added amount needed Each farmer
now produces enough for himself
and 7 others, but by 1875 eac,
farmer may feed himself and II
others.