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Show Nation-Wide Farm Machinery Program Is Planned Farmers Urged To Check Machinery As First Farm Defense Step Secretary of Agriculture Claude R. Wickard today announced a nation-wide farm machinery repair re-pair program to help farmers meet prospective reductions in new farm machinery in 1942, to make more steel available for other defense de-fense needs. The USDA defense boards, comprised com-prised of U.S. Department of Agriculture Ag-riculture representatives in all states and counties, have been directed di-rected by the Secretary to assist farmers in the program to repair their farm equipment by the end of the coming winter. Urged To Check Machinery As an ' initial step in the campaign, cam-paign, all farmers contacted in the current sign-up campaign for the 1942 Farm Defense program, will be urged to check their machinery ma-chinery and to order needed repairs re-pairs at once. Plans for carrying out the repair program will be made by state and county USDA defense boards early in November. "Each defense board has been requested to organize at once and carry out before March 15, a complete com-plete program," Secretary Wickard Wick-ard said. "Farmers will be working work-ing for record production of food in 1942 despite shortages. There will be much less new farm machinery ma-chinery manufactured in 19 4 2 than in 1940 and 1941. Minimum (Continued on page four) Machinery Repair Drive (Continued from first page) requirements of steel for armaments arma-ments has made it necessary for the Office of Production Management Manage-ment to curtail the consumption of steel in every civilian channel. Not only will there be a smaller amount of farm machinery manufactured manu-factured in 1942 but there will be less for fence wire, steel fence posts, nails and other iron and steel materials available for farm use. Repair Present Machinery "In many areas fewer farm workers will be available than in recent years. To offset these Shortages as far as possible the Government plans to make enough metal available so that farmers can obtain parts with which to repair re-pair used machinery. Much machinery ma-chinery that normally would be discarded must be used in 1942 and maintained at maximum efficiency ef-ficiency if the food production goals are to be reached. "This is not a farmer program alone. It must have the support and assistance of manufacturers, merchants, mechanics, blacksmiths, schools and colleges." County defense boards are expected ex-pected to make an appraisal of the farm equipment situation in their counties, an inventory of machinery ma-chinery repair and welding shops, and check on the availability of skilled mechanics and farmers skilled in repair work. Three Steps To Follow Each farmer will be urged to (1) check old machinery; (2) order ord-er necessary parts from dealers immediately and (3) notify his county defense board if parts cannot can-not be obtained. Department agencies represented represen-ted on defense boards, and others cooperating in the farm machinery campaign will seek to increase facilities fa-cilities for training in repair work and increase repair shop facilities. They also will encourage substitutions substi-tutions for the scarcer materials in farm equipment where possible, advise longer daily and seasonal use of equipment, and advocate farm practices which would save labor and machinery. |