| Show r F P l r th cr F Fa x a A a A v Ib ma t 4 1 r H F c cx x BANNER HARVEST Record Record- shattering Record Cr ps Boost Farm Production to New Peal Peak Features I While international crises and domestic difficulties difficulties difficulties have been dominating the news scene American farmers have been rolling up one of the most impressive production records in history history history his his- tory during the current year Crop production for 1946 is setting an time all-time peak 2 2 per cent above the record output of 1942 best previous year and 28 per cent above the average for the prewar years of 39 1935 a asu su summary mary compiled by department of agriculture The story of the farmers farmer's big year as told in the pictures I I FARM RECORDS are being v 1 J- J broken throughout the nation as farmers wind up the biggest year in agricultures agriculture's history This scene of a farmer storing corn in temporary temporary temporary tem tem- cribs is being repeated throughout the grain producing areas as farmers gather in the greatest feed crop ever grown in inthis inthis inthis this country FOOD NEEDS exceed exceeded d' d deven even 2 heavy wartime demands and farmers met the challenge with the largest harvested wheat acreage since 1938 1938 acres over 1945 The he combination of improved wheat varieties good growing weather and national yield of bushels per perI I acre resulted in whopping bushel crop Production of all I food grains set a new record record more more than 37 million tons i f During the harvest season farmers farmers farmers farm farm- ers worked night and day frequently frequently frequently fre fre- fre- fre with multiple crews and machines as shown here to save the precious grain The new crop helped to relieve the bread shortage shortage shortage short short- age which resulted at year mid-year when the nation shared its slender wheat stocks with hungry people i overseas Exports of wheat in this calendar y year ar may reach million million million mil mil- lion bushels highest since 1921 3 2 READY FOR THE FUTURE With the help of this big year farmers are in better position to face conditions ahead Good feed crops will help to maintain livestock production production production pro pro- at high levels and savings of nearly 20 billion dollars provide a reserve for poor years or farm im im- provement This West Virginia farm with its crops set in work to contoured strips offers a pattern for the fu fu- fu- fu ture With his farms farm's soil enriched by lime and green manure and slopes protected from costly erosion erosion ero ero- sion the operator has the assurance of maximum efficiency and minimum minimum minimum mini mini- mum mum- production costs As of July 1 acres had been laid out in discloses Wheat and corn production soared to new high marks followed by shattering record-shattering harvests of tobacco peaches pears plums truck crops and potatoes Other crops have come through in good measure with exception of cotton cotton cotton cot cot- ton rye broomcorn dry beans and pecans Livestock production continued high despite critical feed shortages in mid Taking agricultural production as a whole 1946 may stand for a long time as the farmers farmer's biggest year the agriculture department con con- contoured strip cropping with plans ready for an additional acres Two-thirds Two of all U. U S. S farms are actively participating in 1675 soil conservation districts I 4 GOOD WEATHER favored the farmer in his fight for big crops An early spring sent crops off to a flying start Ideal conditions illustrated illustrated illustrated illus illus- in this summer scene on a aNew aNew aNew New England farm often helped the farmer at critical times such as haying and grain harvest Little wheat was lost because of wet weather during harvest or after after after aft aft- er but sudden ripening of grain over overlarge overlarge overlarge large areas produced more grain at atone atone atone one time than elevators or railroads railroads railroads rail rail- roads could handle Drouth did strike some areas notably New Mexico Mexico Mexico Mex Mex- ico and Arizona and prolonged rain interfered with planting of grain sor sor- The weather wasn't perfect perfect perfect per per- but it was generally better than 1945 and proved a big factor in a record crop 5 S BIG BUYERS Record production production production tion and good prices have created created created cre cre- the greatest farm purchasing power of all time From total cash receipts of more than 23 billion dollars this year farmers will realize realize realize real real- ize a net income of more than 14 billion dollars or more than three times the net income of 1940 Like city folks farmers find goods scarce and prices above prewar l lev lev- v- v els As he shops for new shoes this farmer finds proof that the average price of farm work shoes rose from for the 39 1935 period to on June 15 Prices received by farmers for their goods had doubled doubled doubled dou dou- bled meanwhile 6 MORE HELP provided by returning returning returning re re- turning veterans and war plant workers made the job easier for forthe forthe forthe the farmer but everyone had to work hard early arly and late to handle the bumper output Typical of the veterans veteran's return to the land this ex-army ex sergeant and his wife former army nurse bought an Alabama farm with the help of an loan By year mid-year veterans were working on farms representing about three-fourths three of of the number of farm work workers rs who entered military service before July 1 1945 7 TWO ON ONE means good corn cornand cornand and accounts for this North Carolina growers grower's pride in a promising promising promising prom prom- ising crop resulting from use of hybrid seed corn and contoured field In the nation as a whole two out of every three acres this year were in yielding high-yielding hybrids accounting for 20 per cent increase in corn yields by department of agriculture agriculture agriculture ag ag- ag- ag estimates In some sections of the corn belt hybrids were planted on per percent percent percent cent of the acreage boosting Iowa's corn yield to a phenomenal 61 bushels bushels bushels bush bush- els per acre Better varieties of other other other oth oth- er crops developed by agricultural scientists helped push production to new records Improved fertilizers and new cultural methods also boosted yields 8 NEW TOOLS also helped to swell 1946 production Expansion Expansion Expansion sion by REA operatives co-operatives brought electricity to additional thousands of farms and made daily chores like milking above faster and easier On July 1 nearly 53 per cent of all U. U S S. S farms received central station electric service and new customers were being connected to REA lines at the rate of per year Farmers also found DDT and chemical chemical chemical chem chem- ical weed killers potent weapons against old enemies Production of new farm machinery machin machin- ery during the first half of the year fell below the war-limited war production production production pro pro- of a year earlier forcing most farmers to get along with old machines Tires fuel and seed I were in fair supply but containers I steel products and lumber con continued continued contin contin- tin tin- tinI I scarce Farmers used more fertilizer in their drive for maximum maximum maximum maxi maxi- mum production |
