Show farmers get set to achieve still Il higher food production as 1944 planting begins calls for a 6 increase over food crop acreage t farmers all over america are busy with preparations for their 1944 production battle they have set a goal of planted acres from which including meat poultry and eggs 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 food administration points out that americas farmers have reason for their confident outlook just closed the seventh successive year in which their intention to produce more food than the year before was fulfilled food production at the beginning of 1944 has reached a point 32 per cent higher than before pearl harbor and 5 per cent more than the 1942 record which many believed could not be duplicated on most food crops win will 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 by the war food administration were presented at these sessions upon the basis of these needs the goals were set whether 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 turn is is influenced first by weather A farmer may have 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 un on the other hand excellent growing weather can do much to mitigate the problems involved in labor and supply shortages and even low fertility of land the past few years when records have been broker broken ight and left under conditions far from ideal except as to weather make this very clear conservation ups yields it should be pointed out however that conservation practices have played an important role in bringing the productivity ol of eted states farms to its present all time high yields per acre have averaged 20 per cent more during the past five years than during the previous 20 and on some crops the increase has been phenomenal the total acreage increase needed to meet the IM 1944 goal most of which will be devoted to food crops will be about acres average yields would result in the hoped for upping of production over last year chief increases in acreage planned by U S farmers are 50 per cent more sugar beets 24 per cent more wheat heat 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 L 41 1 i rt P RZ 15 W ii C 15 amateur farmhands farmlands farm hands will be available again this year particularly part during the sum summer mer vacation period when many city boys and girls are willing g to help ile ap raise food this long island N T high school girl learned to milk during a four week course chickens and turkeys raised together with a sufficient volume of livestock slaughter to reduce the number of meat animals on farms from the record high reached in 1943 such a volume of slaughter would bring an increase in total meat production this year of 8 to 10 per cent I 1 and a 4 to 6 per cent increase over the all time high reached in 1943 for the combined output of poultry dairy and meat products the n umber number of milk cows on farms on january 1 1944 will be large enough to permit realization of the billion pounds of milk set as the years goal according to figures 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 of feed concentrates available in 4 WAIS CORN SWEET jet ell 40 CANE ie BE f OATS 5 r 14 55 2 Q C r 9 MM P 7 7 an 29 HAY frech 41 WHEAT L processing PROCESS INO 24 ma RICE chr 95 1 i 41 HOGS 17 EGGS r 23 21 alko r COTTON ry SUGAR 4 BEETS F 19 2 percentage TAYE OVER 1943 apleane acreage AND UNITS to dairy producers the feed situation is expected to become tighter as locally grown crops are used up in in areas where supplies are short livestock teed feed will be one ol 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 however and in some areas maintenance of milk supplies may necessitate necessitate cutting in on other crops in order to provide sufficient feed the estimated feed grain production for 1943 was million tons 7 per cent less than the record output of 1942 but 16 per cent higher than the preceding five year average while supplies of both wheat and rye available for livestock feeding and byproduct by product feeds may boi be larger in the coming months the number of grain consuming animal units currently on farms is much above normal and considerably larger than a year ago cattle feeding operations are expected to be on a smaller scale than last season as to the number of cattle on feed with shorter feeding periods also indicated double cropping emphasized another problem of national scope is the continued need for double cropping to make possible the planting 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 by the planting of two or more successive crops on oil a given piece of land which otherwise would have lain lain idle icile after a single harvest tor for the year it is expected that inroads will have to be made in 1944 on summer fallow land and that much idle land of low productivity may have to be brought into use if it does not seem feasible to continue double cropping on certain farms or to increase sufficient of the permanent crop acreage to take care of the planting goals pressure for cropland is going to be heavy everywhere says but especially in the we west machinery problems are not expected 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 also relaxation of specified rest restrictions fictions by the war production board and continued efficient application of the time honored sharing of equipment always a part of neighborly farming will help alleviate those shortages that must be overcome labor while it will be scarce again in 1944 is not expected to present any unusual problems except in specific areas the main difficulty will probably be to get the workers where they are needed when they are arc needed A As s in an 1943 3 farmers will have to r rely e ay in th the e peak harvesting periods on voluntary help from the urban centers assembling and marketing of crops especially y in the south will need some attention to make the best possible use of the abundant harvests to be sought during the year marketing problems may be expected to remain largely local in character and their solutions also local conservation practices will receive further emphasis in 1944 with attention focused on those practices 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 vitalizing material to the soil in such forms as lime slag and other fertilizers green manure 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 needs of each state four points must be considered says in determining the necessity for any specific practices they are 1 will it contribute to increased production 2 will its returns be immediate and substantial 3 Is it easily understood and Is is its performance practical for the farmer 4 can it be easily and effectively administered for example the use of more fertilizer is recognized as a major method of increasing food production on the proposed acreage of cropland without increasing labor and farm mae machinery h anery requirements the use of fertilizer is estimated as probably accounting for a minimum 20 to 25 per cent of total food production in 1944 if supplies are available as anticipated assistance available government aids to assist farmers are available for the most part through the county farmer committeemen of the agricultural adjustment agency and the county war boards these include help in procuring essential machinery and supplies labor information on marketing and transportation n necessary ec essary credit and technical assistance assis tance of various kinds certain types of loans are expected to be available which will aid food producers overall objective of the 1944 farm program with its record breaking goals on acreage and production is to supply the largest amounts possible for food feed a and nd fiber for war without destroying future productivity emphasis will be on production of crops with high food value tor for direct human consumption consumption war demands call tor for the right amounts of food the right kinds of food and food in the right places es at the right time that is why producers are planning to grow the things that will stretch the food supply to the utmost |