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Show 1 Farm Conservation Report I Prices and Price Support Numerous statements implying imply-ing that Government price supports sup-ports for farm products are responsible res-ponsible for higher consumer prices has prompted J. Vcrn Hopkin. chairman of the Utah Production and Marketing Administration, Ad-ministration, to point out a few facts which seem to have been overlooked, I (1) Present laws assure farm-1 farm-1 crs a price support for several ! of the major crops which is equal ' to 90 per cent of "parity." "Parity" "Par-ity" in everyday language means a fair price to farmers for the crops they sell in relation to the cost of things they buy. "90 per cent of parity" is 10 percent below be-low this fair price level and becomes be-comes to some extent a cost of , production insurance. J (2) Many of the major farm , products have no price support. ' Among these are cattle and sheep. Beef and lambs are sell- . , ing in the open market at prices well above parity. Although support sup-port prices for hogs have been provided for, the support program pro-gram has not been put into effect because prices to producers have been well above the support level. lev-el. In answer to the question, 'Why Support Farm Prices?" Mr. Hopkin points out that the welfare of the Nation depends upon having enough food. But weather, insects, disease, and other crop hazards make it impossible im-possible to produce just enough and not more than the market will absorb at a fair price to the farmers. In producing abundantly, abundant-ly, the farmer thus could be made to suffer for his successful1 efforts. Under the guarantee of a price support, however, the farmer knows he can go ahead and produce abundantly without "falling into the trap of price collapse set by his own abun-1 dant production." Since price I support programs have been in operation, food production has I been increased around 40 per I cent. Looking at it this way, Mr. Hopkin said, consumers benefit greatly from price supports. Abundant production means plenty of food and lower prices than if farm output were scarce. Compare potatoes, for which prices pri-ces are supported, with beef for which prices are not supported, but which is slightly on the scarce side, the Chairman said Then compare the prices that consumers pay for food with what the farmer gets. More Red Clover Seed Needed Farmers should harvest all of the red clover seed. they can. according ac-cording to W. W. McConkie, member of the Duchesne county Agricultural Conservation Committee. Com-mittee. He pointed out that more of this seed is needed in the United Unit-ed States to build up soils after the record production of the war years. Then, too. foreign countries would like to buy more seed from this country. "Even though a particular field promises to produce a low yield per acre," Mr. McConkie said, "it should be harvested. Such seed can save the farmer the cost of buying seed, and so release other seed for other farmers." 1948 Potato Loans Announced Only "eligible" producers can obtain loans on the 1948 crop of Irish potatoes acording to W. W. McConkie, member of the Duchesne county Agricultural Conservation Committee. This means, Mr. McConkie explains, ex-plains, that the producer must have complied with all provisions provis-ions of the certificate of eligibility eligi-bility given him by his county committee. Two of these provisions provi-sions are that (1) the producer must have remained within his potato acreage goal, and (2) only the better grades of potatoes must be offered for sale in commercial com-mercial markets. Dealers and producer associations obtaining loans must agree to buy and sell only potatoes of eligible producers. produc-ers. Mr. McConkie also said that participation in the potato loan program is wholly voluntary. All loans on 1948 late-crop potatoes po-tatoes are made through the County Agricultural Conservation Conserva-tion Committee in counties where the potatoes are stored. Borrowers must agree to repay loans fully, either 'in cash or from the net proceeds from commercial com-mercial sales of loan potatoes and from sales of any potatoes to the Commodity Credit Corporation. Field Seed Production Forecast Expected production of several sev-eral seed crops important in Agricultural Conservation Program Pro-gram practices was reported recently re-cently by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The crop of alsike clover seed, expected to be the fourth largest ever produced in this country, is forecast at 25.638.000 pounds of thresher-run seed. That compares com-pares with the 10-yea.r average production of 19.497,600 pounds. The crop of white clover seed in the Northwestern Stales, Southern Sou-thern Stales, and Wisconsin is forecast at 3,400.000 pounds, 40 per cent above the 1942-46 average av-erage crop. The laclino clover seed crop is estimated at 1,460,000 pounds of clean seed, more than twice the 1942-46 average. The timothy seed crop is expected ex-pected to amount to 28,750,500 pounds, compared with a 10-year 10-year average of 68.614,200 pounds. |