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Show i Sanpete-Sevier Sugar Beet Men Increase Acreage Labor Situation Is Favorable Prisoners of War Will Be Available For Work In Beet Sugar Production Early contracting for sugar beets in Sanpete and Sevier counties coun-ties by Gunnison Sugar, Inc., indicated in-dicated a substantial increase in acreage over last year, according to H. J- Sanders, district manager of the company. Old growers have indicated substantial increases in-creases and a number of growers who have not grown beets for several years are expected to grow beets in 1945. said Mr. Sanders. The labor picture, also, is much brighter than it has been since the began, in the judgment of sugar company officials, beet growers' association representatives representa-tives and the extension service. One year's experience in handling han-dling prisoners of war; assurance of more imported labor than last year; earlier planning of the labor la-bor program; better co-operation between growers, sugar company, and the extension service; are some of the reasons given for the brighter labor outlook. Mr. Sanders reports that plans for the procurement and housing of imported labor are well advanced. ad-vanced. 250 German prisoners of war have been certified for the Salina prison camp where Italians prisoners were located last year. This compares with 110 Italiains used last spring and 150 last harvest. 150 Indians will again be available for beet growers grow-ers in Sanpete and Sevier counties coun-ties compared with an equal number in 1944. 75 Japanese will again be available. Plans for housing 40 to 50 Japanese are being worked out jointly between be-tween the sugar company and Pacific Produce Farms, in their barracks north of Richfield. These Japanese will be released for beet labor as needed. Local student workers between 14 and 18 years will be well organized as formerly. former-ly. Efforts are also being made to organize student workers from adjoining towns who have not been previously available for working in sugar beets. With Utah having already received re-ceived definite assurance of the full 2,000 prisoners of war requested, re-quested, the 2Sj tentatively allotted al-lotted to the Salina camp are now definitely assured, in the opinion of Mr. Sanders. "Camps which were in operation last year, like the Salina camp," he explained, "will Tiave priority on this labor." Harold Oldroyd, president of the Sanpete-Sevier Beet Growers Association, confirms the favorable favor-able labor situation for beet growers and predicts substantial increases in beet acreage in 1945. "At one time," said Mr. Oldroyd, "this district grew 8,400 acres of beets and while we may not be able to reach that goal this year, the nation's urgent need for sugar beets; our favorable labor conditions; the high prevailing price for beets supported by Commodity Com-modity Credit payments of $3 a ton; and following the high sugar content of last year's beets; should assure greater acreage than the district has had for some time. "I believe, however," said Mr. Oldroyd, "that our farmers will want to do their best to meet War Food Administration's request re-quest for 49 per cent increase in the sugar beet acreage of the country. Mr. Archie M. Mellor and Mr. Boyd Brown, county chairman of the AAA in Sanpete and Sevier counties, also urged greater sugar beet production in the interest of the war effort. |