Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-16

message to Congress today
Basic agricultural legislation
now on the books was originally
devised as an emergency effort
TO cope with a depression. then
changed to help fight a war. and
subsequently revised again in
an effort to meet the needs Of
peace. II has not been ade-
quately modified TO deal with
the effects Of the chronological
revolution in agriculture. This
must now be done.
It is essential that the follow
Ing major steps be taken this
year to improve the status of
rural people in greatest need,
TO aid agricultural adjustment.
provide more freedom. expand
markets. and. thereby. to help
raise farm family income,
First: The Conservation Re-
serve Program OF the Soil Bank
should be strengthened. the
acreage reserve program ter
minated after the 1858 crop.
The Conservation Reserve has
shown promise in retiring mar
ginal acres from crop produc-
ton. in aiding the cause Of
conservation. and in taking
whole farms out Of production.
The program is wholly volun-
tary and must remain so.
Because Of its late enact
ment. the Acreage Reserve Pro-
gram was hampered during
1886 IN achieving production
adjustment. And although the
1857 program succeeded in re-
ducing wheat production by
about ITS million bushels. cot
ton by 2 million bales. and
cor nby nearly go million BUSH
els below what II would other
wise have been. the number OF
farmers participating in 1858
Is likely to be low. in part be-
cause OF limitations that Con-
gresS imposed on the extent OF
participation by any one farm.
So in the future the production
adjustment accomplished by
the Acreage Reserve is likely TO
be small.
We should now shift the en-
phasis Of the Soil Bank away
from the short-term Acreage
Reserve. aimed at reducing
SURPRISES of particular crops
to the long-term Conservation
Reserve. aimed at overall pro-
duction adjustment.
This change will aid all
farmers. especially the low
income farmer. who will. II he
desires. be better able to retire
his entire farm from produc-
ton.
Expansion OF the Conserva-
ton Reserve will be an effec-
tive instrument Of adjustment
only II 1t is accompanied by
needed changes in price sup
ports. 1t must not become
merely a means OF offsetting
the production stimulus sup
piled by price supports held
continually at incentive levels.
The budget message recon-
mends a Conservation Reserve
Program of $3.50 million for
the 1859 calendar year.
Second: Authority TO increase
acreage allotments for cotton.
wheat. rice. peanuts and tobac-
co should be provided. Under
present legislation. acreage al
lotments and price supports for
certain Of the basic crops are
determined by legal formulas.
Under these formulas. allot-
ments have already been cut
sharply. Allotments for GER
tain crops are likely to be re-
duced even. further. despite
growing evidence that acreage
restrictions have not brought
about needed adjustments.
Authority should be provided
for the Secretary Of Agricul-
ture. in accordance with cri-
terra which the Secretary will
propose TO the Congress, to
increase allotments up to so
per cent above the levels de-
termined by existing formulas.
The law already specifies
that the Secretary may provide
price support at levels above
those determined by formula,
and this authority has been
used. The law should also
provide authority to increase
acreage allotments when the
statistical formula yields results
clearly contrary to the general
interest. But any acreage in
creases must be related to price
adjustments which will permit
the growth Of markets neces-
sary to absorb the increased
production.
Such liberalization OF acreage
allotments as is possible would
permit greater efficiency and
higher incomes for small
farmers who now are sharply
restricted in the size OF their
operations.
Third: Acreage allotments
for corn should be eliminated.
The corn program has not
worked. Huge SURPRISES have
accumulated. As SURPRISES rise.
present legislation provides
that allotments must shrink.
As allotments shrink. partici-
patton In the corn program
dwindles. A year ago, 81 per
cent Of the corn farmers who
voted in the referendum ia
vored the elimination OF corn
acreage allotments. In 1857.
only about IA per cent OF the
corn production in the COM
mercial corn area was eligible