Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-24
Farm Program

entitled Farm Setup Called
Mess, But Better Than Moth
ing" was extremely interesting
to me. Our present and past
agricultural programs dealing
with farm SURPRISES have given
farmers only temporary relief,
and all of them have had
many faults.
I have worked out a per-
manent farm program which
will enable farmers to insure
their most important money
crops from financial losses
resulting from hazards over
which they have no control,
including crop SURPRISES. Such
a program can be carried out
without additional legislation,
since it can be administered
by existing Federal and State
agencies. 1t has been sub
mitted to the Federal Crop
Insurance Corp. for their con-
sideration, since it would be
chiefly administered by them.
If this program is adopted,
most Of the objections to our
farm program mentioned by
Mr.. RoesSner as we'll as others
will be eliminated.
The following is a brief
summary Of some Of the most
important features of this
program:
/. Enlargement and modifi-
cation of crop insurance to
include all important money
crops and financial losses re-
sulting from crop SURPRISES.
Possible inclusion of livestock
and poultry.
2. Crop insurance should
continue to be voluntary. thus
avoiding compulsory regimen
tation in the farm program.
3. Payment of a reasonable
proportion of the insurance
premium by the farmer, the
remainder to be paid by the
Federal Government. This will
place the farm program on a
similar basis as a social secu-
rity with only a partial subsidy.
4. Establishment of a sup
port price based upon the per-
centage of parity. When the
market price falls below sup
port price, and the insured
farmer sells some or all of his
insured crop at the market
price. he will be paid the diff
ference between the market
price and the support price.
This will permit nonfarmers
and foreign countries to take
advantage of low prices re-
sulting from farm SURPRISES,
but not at the expense of the
insured farmer. 1t will also
eliminate the need for the
Federal Government to pur-
chase and store more agri-
cultural products than are
needed, with accompanying
deterioration and spoilage and
tremendous cost.
S. Annual conference of ag-
ricultural experts to decide the
percentage of parity, crops to
be insured, State acreage al
lotments for each insured
crop, proportion of insurance
to be paid by the Federal
Government, etc. This will en-
able such decisions to be made
by those best qualified to make
them.
6. Requirement for adoption
by insured farmers of Federal,
State and County Extension
Service agricultural programs
as well as acreage allotments.
This will eliminate benefit pay
ments to farmers who do not
adopt efficient farm practices
or limit the production of in
sured crops.
Such a program would be a
permanent benefit to all in
sured farmers. When there
were no SURPRISES of their in
sured money crops, they would
still be insured against
drought. floods. lightning, UNI
comfortable diseases and in
sects, etc. The program would
also be helpful in emergencies
such as war. since increased
production Of insured crops
could be required Of all farm
erS who take out crop insur-
ance. Robert A. Jehle,
Retired State Plant Pa
biologist, University Of
Mo x-xtIa -