Show farm organizations seek to end need of subsidies through gradually increased agricultural pr prices ices by WALTER A SHEAD staff correspondent washington D C the whole weight of farm organizations here will be thrown into the fight for continued price control legislation to extend well into the postwar era when hearings start soon on new legislation for continuance of OPA under existing law the office of price administration finist r aaion will expire june 30 1945 according to edward A oneal president of the american farm bureau federation all farm organizations eions will join in the price control and wage stabilization fight to continue until there is a sufficient amount of goods on the market to effect a balance between agricultural and industrial commodities it appears that insofar as wage stabilization goes the farm far in organizations are fighting a losing battle to retain the little steel formula as a stabilization basis so far the farmers have lost in their campaign against consumer subsidies but insofar as the new OPA bill is concerned they have adopted a new policy wh which ich seeks to liquidate subsidies by a grad gradual lal increase i in farm prices and to fix specific dates after which no subsidies will be permitted under the terms of the act distinctions As has been pointed out the farmers draw a line sometimes a pretty fine line of distinction as to subsidies or incentive payments which are paid out of the public treasury to bring about increased production of certain agricultural commodities and consumer subsidies which are payments from the public treasury in lieu of adequate and fair market place prices to back up vieira line of cleavage however the tarm leaders point to figures indicating that for legitimates legitimate support of farm prices through incentive payments under the farm program the commodity credit corporation has made a net profit of approximately since 1933 whereas under the consumer subsidy operation there has been a net loss of approximately the farm associations expect to back an amendment to the new OPA act which would provide that no money money can be expended for consumer subsidies on and after june 30 1945 unless the money has been actually appropriated by the congress so far the congress has not voted a direct appropriation for payment of subsidies the farmers believe that prices of farm commodities can be raised gradually over a period which will eliminate the need for subsidy payments and that this gradual increase or readjustment of price ceilings will not upset the stabilization program new legislation which extends the life of the commodity credit corpo ration tor for two years and increases its lending limitations contains provisions n s for a ceiling on the amount of money which may be spent for su subsidies bs idies whether or not this provision will stand up through the house hearings is a question |