Show Farmers Get Set to Achieve Still Mill Higher Food Production as 1944 Planting Begins WF A Calls for or a 6 o Increase Over s I Food Crop Acreage r Farmers all over America arc are busy with preparations for their 1944 production battle They have set seta a goal of planted acres from which which which-in- in including eluding meat poultry and eggs they they expect to produce 4 to 6 per cent more than the 1943 food record and enough vegetable oils and fibers to meet essential war needs That is an ambitious program but the War Var Food administration points out that Americas America's farmers have reason for their confident outlook They've just closed the seventh successive successive successive suc suc- year in which their intention to produce more food than the thc year before was fulfilled Food production production tion at the beginning of 1944 has reached a point 32 per cent higher than before Pearl Harbor and 5 percent per percent percent cent more than the 1942 record which many believed could not be duplicated on most food crops will willbe willbe willbe be increased in 1944 according to planting goals set at fall meetings of farm leaders in the agricultural areas National needs for farm products previously determined bythe by bythe bythe the War Var Food administration were presented at these sessions Upon the basis of these needs the goals were set Whether r they are met or not will depend upon many factors the chief one being the yield the farmer gets from his land That yield in in turn is influenced first by weather A farmer may have havethe havethe havethe the finest of soil plus all the labor machinery and supplies he needs but if the weather is bad his crops will not be up to expectations On the other hand excellent growing weather can do much to mitigate the problems involved in labor and supply supply supply sup sup- ply shortages and even low fertility fertility fertility fer fer- of land The past few years when records have been broken right and Left teft under conditions far from ideal except as to weather make this very clear Conservation Ups Yields It should be pointed out however that that conservation practices have played an important role in bringing the productivity of United States farms to its present time all-time high Yields per acre have averaged 20 per cent more during the past five years than during the th previous 20 and on some crops the increase has been phenomenal The total acreage increase needed needed needed need need- ed to meet the 1944 goal most of which will be devoted to food crops will be about acres Average Average Average Av Av- yields would result in the hoped for upping of production over last year Chief increases in acreage planned by U. U S. S farmers are 50 per cent more sugar beets 24 per cent more wheat 23 per cent more peanuts 21 per cent more dry peas 19 per cent more soybeans 14 per cent more sweet potatoes 11 per cent more fresh vegetables and 9 per cent more dry beans Small increases are set up for potatoes sugar cane and vegetables for processing The farm goals also recommend a 2 per cent raise in total milk and egg output with a similar increase in the number of dairy cows A slight decrease will be sought in N S. S f v V. V n. y r Nf h r 4 Amateur farmhands will be available available available avail avail- able again this year particularly t j during the summer sommer vacation period when many city boys and girls gills arc are arcI I I willing twilling to help raise food This Long LongI I Island N. N Y high school girl learned to milk during a week four I course chickens and turkeys raised together er with wini a sufficient volume of livestock livestock livestock live live- stock slaughter to reduce the number number number num num- ber of meat animals on farms from the record high reached in 1943 Such Sucha a volume of slaughter would bring bringan an increase in in total meat production this year of 8 to 10 per cent and anda andar a ar 4 to 6 per cent increase over the time all-time high reached in 1943 for the combined output of poultry dairy and meat products The number of milk cows on farms on January 1 1944 1914 will be belarge belarge belarge large enough to permit realization of the billion pounds of milk set as the years year's goal according to figures figures figures fig fig- ures from the Bureau of Agricultural Economics However it is pointed out that the level of milk production during the year will depend to a considerable extent upon the quantity quantity quantity quan quan- of feed concentrates available those shortages that must be over over- come Labor while it will be he scarce again in 1944 is not expected to present present present pre pre- sent any unusual problems except in specific areas The main difficulty ty will probably be to get the workers work work- ers where they arc are needed when they are n needed eded As in 1943 farmers farmers farmers farm farm- ers will have to rely in the peak harvesting periods on voluntary help from the urban centers Assembling and marketing of crops especially in the South will need some attention to make the best possible use of the abundant harvests harvests harvests har har- vests to be sought during the year Marketing problems may be expected expect expect- ed to rem remain in largely local in character character character char char- acter and their solutions also local Conservation practices will receive receive receive re re- further emphasis in 1944 with attention focused on those practices I GOALS CORN DRY PEAS SUGAR SWEET IRISH DRY 4 fI CANE POTATOES POTATOES BEANS OATS 9 Sz MILK MILKy y s lr L-JQ L i VEGETABLE WHEAT 3 f CRICE CHICKENS of HOGS 47 PEANUTS EGGS ti J 2 COTTON j I CATTLE G lz SUGAR SHEEP BEETS PERCENTAGE OVER 1943 19 3 ACREAGE E AND UNITS UNITS i to dairy producers The feed situation situation situation situ situ- is expected to become tighter as locally grown crops are used up in areas where supplies are short Livestock feed will be one of the chief problems in the northeastern dairy states and in the southern states where dairy farming is a comparatively new enterprise It will enter into calculations everywhere everywhere everywhere every every- where however and in some areas maintenance of milk supplies may necessitate cutting in hi on other crops in order to provide sufficient feed The estimated d grain feed-grain production production production tion for 1943 was million tons 7 per cent less than the record output output output out out- put of 1942 but 16 per cent higher than the preceding year five-year aver aver- age While supplies of both wheat and rye available for livestock feeding feeding feeding feed feed- ing and product by-product feeds may be larger in in the coming months the number of grain consuming animal units currently on farms is much above normal and considerably larger larg larg- er than a year ago feeding Cattle-feeding operations are expected expected expected ex ex- to be on a smaller scale than last season as to the number of cattle on feed with shorter feeding periods also indica indicated ted Double-Cropping Double Emphasized Another problem of national scope is the continued need for double- double cropping to make possible the planting planting planting plant plant- ing of some 15 million more acres to crops than there is good growing land to be planted In 1943 farmers put acres in crops on an actual acreage of some million acres This was accomplished bythe by bythe bythe the planting of two or more successive successive successive sive crops on a given piece of land which otherwise would have lain idle after a single harvest for the year It is expected that inroads will have to be made in 1944 on summer fallow land and that much idle land landof landI of low productivity may have to be I brought into use if it does not seem feasible to cont continue nue double-cropping double i on certain farms or to increase sufI suf- suf I t of the perma permanent ent crop acreage acreage acreage acre acre- age to take care of the planting goals Pres Pressure ure for cropland is going going going go go- ing to be heavy everywhere says but especially in the West Machinery problems are not expected expected expected ex ex- to be as severe in 1944 as last year although machinery for harvest will still be less in quantity than would be desirable Some planting equipment will be at a premium premium premium pre pre- also Relaxation of specified restrictions by the War Production board and continued efficient application application application cation of the time-honored time sharing of equipment always a part of neighborly neighborly neighborly neigh neigh- borly farming will help alleviate which will increase production this year and in 1945 The need is to keep a cover on the land prevent immediate danger of erosion and apply apply ap ap- ply vitalizing material to the soil in such forms as lime slag and other fertilizers green man manure manure re turn under and legume planting These are all calculated to aid in increasing yields as well as in preserving the productivity of the soil Conservation problems vary with the different regions depending upon topography soil climate and conservation conservation conservation con con- conI needs of each state Four Fou Fourpoints Fourpoints Fourpoints points must be considered says say s VF A in determining the necessity y for any specific practices They are 1 Will it contribute to increased increase d production 2 Will Vill its returns be immediate and substantial 3 Is it easily understood and i is s its performance practical for th the e farmer 4 Can it be easily and effectively effective effective- ly administered For example the use of more fertilizer fertilizer fertilizer fer fer- is recognized as a major method of increasing food production production production tion on the proposed acreage of cropland cropland crop crop- land without increasing labor an and d farm machinery requirements Th The e use of fertilizer is estimated as probably probably probably ably accounting for a minimum 2 20 0 to 25 per cent of total food production production tion lion in 1944 if supplies are available available available avail avail- able as anticipated Assistance Available Government aids to assist farmers farmer s are available for the most par part t through the County Farmer Committeemen Committeemen Committeemen Commit- Commit of the Agricultural Adjustment Adjustment Adjust Adjust- ment agency and the County War Wa r boards These include help in procuring procuring pro pro- curing essential machinery and supplies supplies supplies sup sup- plies labor information on marketing marketing market market- ing and transportation necessary y credit and technical assistance o of f various kinds Certain types o of f loans are expected to be available e which will aid food producers Overall objective of the 1944 far farm m program with its record breaking g goals on acreage and production i ito is s to supply the largest amounts possible possible pos pos- possible sible for food feed and fiber for war wa r without destroying future ity Emphasis will be on production o of f crops with high food value for direct t human consumption War demands demand s call for the right amounts of food the right kinds of food and food i in n the right places at the right time That is is why producers are planning planning planning plan plan- ning to grow the things that will wil l stretch the food supply to the ut ut- most I 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