OCR Text |
Show acts and Figures on Farm Crops Refute Rumored Food Shortage An article concerning "The Weather, Wea-ther, The Farmers, and the Nation's Food," written by Chester C. Davis, administrator of the adjustment act, will give relief to the thousands that are fearful of an impending famine due to the destruction of crops throughout the nation. In the article following Mr. Davis gives figures and comparisons that should allay all fears of famine: "Since the beginning of the AAA program, people who represent certain cer-tain elements in our economic life have been viewing the possibility of crop failures with alarm. They have taken a dolorous view since the atten-' atten-' ion of the public has been drawn to drouth conditions. "After thorough study, the experts of the bureau of agricultural economics eco-nomics have concluded that the drouth has not endangered the food supply of the United States. To illustrate, illus-trate, take the facts on the wheat supply. In a normal year, the people of the .United States eat, or feed to "nimals, and save for seed for the rext year's crop, 625.000,000 bushels of wheat. "That is what we need fur next year 625,000,000 bushels. The drouth has damaged winter wheat prospects. The crop was forecast at 460,000,000 bushels on May 1. But, say it declines still further and only 400,000.000 bushels are harvested. In that event, we should have, with the carry-over 1 of some 260,000,000 bushels, a total supply of 660,000,000 bushels. And that does not allow for the spring j wheat crop. Even though it should be i as short as the shortest spring wheat , crop in recent years, it would still be J about 120,000,000 bushels. So with a . very short spring wheat crop, and ; an extraordinarily short winter wheat crop, our present big carry-over j would give us ample supplies of, I wheat for the coming year. Do not I take it that the economists predict a very short spring wheat crop, and a . winter wheat crop of only 400,000,000 j bushels. No one can accurately pre-I pre-I diet those harvests at present. The experts simply assumed the worst j possible out-turn, in order to demonstrate demon-strate that if worst comes to worst, the public is in no danger of going on short rations of domestic wheat, i "The situation with respect to I ether food staples is the same as for wheat the country does not face a f'-od ; hortage. . "The problem is to keep ample food reserves. You can take it for granted grant-ed that this will be done. The American Ameri-can people v;ill have adequate sup- . plies of fond produced by their own farmers. I hope that these farmers will continue to have at least as good protection against hazards of weather; and other natural forces as the pres-. ent domestic allotment plan, affords 1 them." I |