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Show Farmers Will Till 380 Million Acres E)upOto7 )lt.uSf, .i?.. Motional Average Up 14 c N By L. G. ELLIOTT, President La Salle Extension University Forces on the home front in the United States are quietly gathering their strength and preparing for the greatest food production program the world has ever seen. All known factors point to the successful suc-cessful accomplishment of the objectives ob-jectives the American Farmer has established for himself in 1944. These objectives call for planting 380,000,000 acres in crops, and for more intensive efforts in every line for the full mobilization of all farm resources. The foods which farmers produce are just as definitely weapons of war as are the tanks, guns, ships and planes that are being turned out by industry in ever-increasing numbers. With even average weather weath-er conditions the prospects are that last .year's record output can be surpassed, in order. to meet the extremely ex-tremely large wartime requirements. require-ments. In 1943, the total production of all foods, including the livestock products of meats, milks, poultry and eggs as well as the field crops was 4 per cent higher than it had ever been in any preceding year. The demand is going to be even larger this year, from consumers with higher incomes, from the government gov-ernment to supply the still expanding expand-ing armed forces, and from nations abroad whose cooperation Is essential essen-tial to victory. In many ways farmers in every part of the country are in good condition con-dition to keep up production and to increase it, although the problem of maintaining output in the face of major obstacles is still difficult. Rainfall has been adequate in most sections of the country and moisture in the soil for the new crops is close to average for the country as a whole, although drouth has been quite severe in several places. More Machines Being Made. Farm machinery and equipment for planting, cultivating and harvesting harvest-ing the large crops and for taking care of the greater numbers of livestock live-stock that are to be fed is still scarce. More is being made, however, how-ever, and the prospects are that farms will be better equipped than they have been in recent years. To make the most of what is available, avail-able, farmers are spending the winter win-ter months in repairing their present pres-ent equipment and putting it in first-class first-class condition for the spring. The government is trying to do everything every-thing possible to make available the materials that are needed for overhauling over-hauling and repairing. The supply of farm labor is going to be rather short, but many of the difficulties in getting enough workers work-ers will be met by the measures now being taken for federal, state and local cooperation. The problem prob-lem last year was met by progressive progres-sive improvement in farming practices, prac-tices, by the deferment of farm workers, by workers from towns during the rush season, and, above all, by the farmers themselves and their families working longer hours and more efficiently than ever before. be-fore. They will repeat that achievement achieve-ment this year. Even though the 1944 volume of production will cost more than in previous years, the total net income of the farmers will probably be larger larg-er than even the large total of 1943. The prices which the farmers receive re-ceive for what they sell have risen somewhat more than have the prices of the products they have to buy and that trend is expected to continue as long as the demand is so extremely large. Net farm income in-come is now at a rate about 2 times that of the average prewar year. , Farm Prices Up. Increased farm income is already being reflected in higher prices for farms. On the average farms are selling about 27 per cent higher than they were four years ago and the rise has been greater than at any time since the land boom in 1919 and 1920. Many farms are changing chang-ing hands, but they are being financed conservatively with large down payments and smaller mortgages. mort-gages. The total mortgage debt is being paid off faster than new debt is being created and as long as that trend prevails the situation will not be likely to lead to later hardships as it did last time. The effect of larger farm income is being reflected in many ways and is resulting in higher standards of living for the farmers. Banks in rural areas are reporting larger increases in-creases in deposits. Merchants in these areas are reporting increased sales, even though supplies of goods are not so large as they have been. Similar gains are being made in the cities. Factories are turning out about 12 per cent more goods than they were a year ago. The increase in the production of military supplies sup-plies and equipment of all kinds is more than offsetting the curtailments curtail-ments in many industries making civilian goods. In some lines the production of civilian goods is being gradually expanded as a few factories fac-tories are being shifted from war work to peacetime operations. For farmers as well as for people in cities, this year will be another one of hard work and accomplishment accomplish-ment in order to raise the food that will be needed and to produce the military supplies that will be required re-quired by the armed forces for ' achieving victory most quickly. |