Palmor, Alaska
Dorothy M. Boll——Editor
Publishod onco a nook at Palmor, Alaska, for tjio Matanu^ka Valloy Farmers Cooporating
Aasociation for tho purpose or giving nows df the Associations work, problems and
Ac c omp1ishmont s.
SUBSCRIPTION RABB $1.75 per year *1.00 for six months 10tf a copy
FAliM LFADFUS FAVOQ SELF-HELP
John Brandt, president of Land 0* Lokos Crcamorios, Inc., told the farmer owners who
attended the 28th Annual mooting of tho Land O'Lakos Creameries that the time has como
for Amorica to decido whether it tracts to lowor its standard of-living. Mr. Brandt
spoko to sevoral thousand fanners. Ho said that no nation can long enjoy prosperity
.pnd full employment whon rural income is on the docline, '
He pointed out that the'gross income to agriculture already has fallen 30 per cent, and
not?, for thor first time, government officials aro beginning to express concern ovor *
tho possibility of tho avalancho of declining prices of farm products engulfing tho
rholo oconcmic system, including the Tago lovol of the workers.
lir. Brandt is not of tho opinion that the taxpayers pockotbook shoiild be drawn upon
for prico support for agriculture or for any other group. Ho says, ’’The support pricos
would be far better loft to a farmers’ soif-hqlp plan such as Lmd O’Lakos has advo
cated for many years. Undor such a plan, surplus production would bo segregated into
a surplus holding po,ol operated by tho farmer himself and upon which tho government
could draw for its needs in bolstering tho world’s food supply, ” ” ■ •
Ur. Brandt, assured the farmer patrons of Land O’Lakos that their organisations camo
through the bad year of 1948 without any impairment of its capital structure, and paid
its usual rate of interest on all outstanding stock and investment obligations.
Secretary of Agriculture Charles F Brannon, horovor, looks rith optamism on the future*
he believes "the. period of relative farm prosperity” has not reached its end. "Demand
for most agricultural commodities should be strong through 1949,” ho says* But ho also
says that ”our agricultural econony has roak spots” and a roaffirriation of his belief
in an "adequate price support program” and a crop storage program.
Secretary Brannon has made the statement that: ”1 do not foci that the decline in last
year's not (form) incomo, and the severo doclines in pricos of some commodities,'mean
that the period of relative farm prosperity has ccmo to its end." Ho added that the
Nation has too many lor; income farms and declared "it is essential that our oo agri
cultural structure be repaired by the best agricultural program it is possiblo to *
devise.” ( .
Quentin Reynolds, general manager of Eastern States Farmers Exchange, T~est Spring
field, Kass., beiicvcs that unloss the Government farm price support program is dras
tically amended, it rill "dostroy through regimentation tho capacity of .Amorican far
mers to provide the strong support to the dovelopmcnt of tho American ray rhich has
to date been so important a part of the foundation of the .American economy*."
Reynolds says that government price supports must bo at a level significantly less
than prices nhich are ■ attractive to farmers rho do or can produce.'effective consumer
demand requirements* "Only in this ray," ho says, "rill burdensome surpluses be a—
voided. Supports nhich arc at sharp discounts under parity are not synonymous rith
the support program hero advocated,"
Mith Government supports at incentiw lovels, acrepgo controls become a part of tho
program, he points out, k . ...
"Such controls inovitably interfere with the efficient operation of - farm units, tend
to keep less efficient acreage under production, and result in:highor prices to con
sumers and a regimented agriculture," Reynolds added.- " '
"It has been politically popular with fanners to have Govommcnt take over surpluses
to hold prices, and politically unpopular to reloaso such surpluses when the action
tends to lower prices of farm products,
"The opposite could be.true as the urban element of our population takes over the
control of policy making. The return of a farm program in which farmers individually
and coUcctivoly return to gearing their production to effective consumer domand a
voids the ills which become permanent and chfonic in the Government management pro
duction goals and production control program,* ho says.
--.J, Briggs of the I: diana Farm Buroau Cooperative Ass'p sayd that farmors in tho
mid-wost arc boginning to appreciate that the prico of farm products has skidded 26$
in the last year, whilo that of tho-supplies they buy has boon reduced only slightly.
Farmers are beginning to fool • tho squoozo of the 1920*8, ho says.
^Thilc all of this has boon taking place in the Statos, we in Alaska have felt littlo
°f it—--but it i® possible that farmors will fool the result in prices they may ex
pect this coming season.