The Sidney herald., 1956-03-29
"A Sound Farm Program Featured
Address at TIC Institute Here

worldwide view. world agriculture,
production is increasing faster thar
work population. Compared with the
average prewar level. world agricul-
tural production is now 10 percent
higher, whereas world population has
increased only II per cen
1t seems certain in face of the above
facts that the problem of farm sur
pluses will be with us for some time
to come and that we must learn how
to live with. our tremendous agri-
cultural productivity so that u
farm people can be prosperous and
achieve parity incomes and living lev
els with industry and labor.
Several major approaches for cor
recting the current divergence OF
farm prices and income from the
average for the economy as a whole
have been suggested. One is that our
heavy population growth which is in
prospect for the next Is TO 20 years
viii eat up our SURPRISES and bring
about a fair balance of farm and non-
farm prices and incomes. The Ameri-
can population is estimated TO in
crease from the present los million
to 27 million in 1875. or a rise of 81
percent. This increase of 81 millions
Will require a great deal more of food
and fiber than our present production.
but n scientific and chronological
advances in agriculture in recent
years indicate that our agricultural
industry viii undoubtedly be able to
meet the needs of the increased popu-
lation adequately. In the last Is years,
agricultural production has increased
s. per cent. the number of farms has
declined by is percent, the num-
Der of people on farms is
down q per cent, and the output
per man hour in agriculture has al
most doubled or increased an average
of over six per cen per year. In
1nAn AAA
enough for himself and 10 others.
In 1910. n out of every four people
in the United States lived on farms,
today only n in eight.
This amazing revolution in agricul-
ture is not well understood Of COM
pretended by the average citizen. II
has released us from the fear of food
created serious economic discrepancies
which we must face in a statesmanlke
manne
Many will contend that there are
too many farmers and that one solu-
ton is to force many operators to
leave their farms or ranches and to
go into other lines of industry. The
latest census results show that in the
last five years the number of farm
operating units in the country has
declined by 100000. or a tenth. Thus.
trainers are leaving agricu-
III d4Nd 6OAlE 44LO OklbCI RAA6ulLb. Il
Those who are left on the soil gener-
ally have more economic-sized oper-
atlng units. BY 1860, perhap, we will
a million fewer farmers, prefer
ably from the 3 million part-time or
income farm units that are now |
existence n which produce only
10 per cent of our total farm pro-
duction. Perhaps we will have nearly
a half million of the adequate |
family type farms. of which there are
2 million. in the country and
which produce two-thirds of the total
farm output.
The great increase in efficiency of
American agriculture resulting from
applications of science and tech
nology has made 1t possible for us
TO have a highly diversified high level
Of living. The American way is to
bring about reduced numbers of
by providing alternative OPP
Of employment and occu-
p~ational pursuits which offer more
so that by voluntary choice
individual moves out OF agri-
culture into other lines. The American
way IS not that OF encouraging or
permitting farm Incomes 10 fall so
that farmers are forced off the
and into other lines where they NAV
lave very low income earning pos
n not contribute signifi-
.antly TO increase the efficiency of
economy as a whole. More often
han II ~correctS. If our national ag-
.icultural programs are planned prop
rly. the adjustments which should
AXE place in griculture will take
lace on a fairly gradual basis with
ut too much hardship on any sec
ION or on the farm population as
whole. At the same time. the ma
on will be able to continue on a
sore healthy and satisfactory econom-
level. n