Show Finds Farmers Are Better Off Survey Shows Financial Well Well Being Boin Improving Cash Assets Up WASHINGTON WASHINGTON Record savings and substantial debt reductions over oV r the last few years yean have resulted ina in ina a marked improvement In the financial well-being well of the nations nation's la f a This It is I the Ule result of a study re released released leased by the Institute of Life Lite In- In Insurance In Insurance on an dat data collected by the bu reau of agricultural economics de department department of agriculture As a result tile the institute stat ed cd the agricultural population has built up a base of individual and family security such uch as It has hal rarely If ever enjoyed before and one strong enough to help tide it over oller whatever vicissitudes farming may mayta face ta ce In the future Notable Improvement The most notable Improvement the study stated has baa occurred In Inthe inthe the savings and debt situation as U distinct from the overall balance blance sheet of agriculture Including the farm tarm plant At the beginning of 1946 it was waa stated farmers as al a whole bad had near near- nearly ly Iy In cash or Its equivalent exclusive of the value of the farm plant for every dollar they owned Cash Cub assets at al that time exceed 20 billion dollars of which 19 billion dollars were In bank accounts U S savings bond bonds and currency while mortgage and non mortgage debt to to- to totaled totaled about B billion dollars This contrasted With the beginning of the war the study tudy said laid when farmers as 81 a whole owed more than 2 2 for tor every dollar they had in cash or its ill equivalent Cash Assets Auel Better Cash assets asset at st that time were less than 9 II billion dollars of which about 42 billion dollars were in to bank ac ac- ac accounts counts savings bonds bond I and currency while mortgage and anc non-mortgage non debt exceeded 10 billion dollars dollan The study also pointed out that the value of farmers physical assets such as real estate livestock ma mar machinery chinery crop inventories etc has two thirds In value rising from an estimated worth of bit bil lion dollars at the end nd of 1939 to t billion dollars at the beginning of this year This rise In the worth of the farm fann plant the study continued Is thus thu another Important addition to the farmers financial well being It ItIs Is II well to note however that the therise therise rise In tn these value is largely the result of ot higher prices and thus has haa hasa a speculative element that is quite different from the stability of great er savings and smaller debts Another significant cant element that thatIs Is contributing to the overall progress proS proS- ress rell in the Individual and family se runty of the agricultural population is the substantial growth in the th own own- ownership ownership of ot life insurance by |