FARMING AND DEFENCE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 28, 26 June 1939, Page 7

FARMING AND DEFENCE

PLANS IN BRITAIN

(FORECAST OF PROPOSALS

Further details of the British Government's plans for helping agricul. •lure to play its full part in national ukfencc may be announced short:y :by the Minister of Agriculture j Sir Reginald Dorman.Smith, stated the •agricultural correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph on May 15. These plans, the result of conferences with farmers and with the Dominions and foreign, Governments, vwill include the following provisions: Imported cereals such as wheat, 'barley and oats will be controlled to ■prevent wide market fluctuations. The Wheat Act, which through the •subsidy and the co-operation of the home milling industry ; has been, "working to the advantage of farm, ers, will not be disturbed. The subsidy for ba.rley and oat? may be raised from last year's eraer. gency figure of £1 an acre to 30s. Sheep farmers, now being driven •out of business by low or fluctuating prices, will be assured a market price ■of not less. than 9d per lb for their 'products and possibly more. The period for ploughing up old pastures and bracken-infested land in 'Scotland to qualify for the £2 an acre •subsidy under the Government's 1,000,000-acre reclamation scheme will be extended from September 30 to late October. IMPORT RESTRICTIONS The dairy farming industry handicapped by the low price for sur. plus supplies in glut seasons, m#iy find that imports are to be reduced. The Netherlands and Denmark, it is runderstood. have agreed to a larger •measure of control in th e present •system of voluntary quotas., but nego •tiations with Australia, Canada and New Zealand do not seem to be com. •plete. An inquiry may be held into the system of farming land possibly by setting up a Roj'al Commission. A British Wireless message on May 19 stated that the Minister of Agri-•-culture, Sir Reginald Dorman.Smith. "had announced in the House of Commons the Government's decision to give further assistance to agriculture by the appiication of the principle ■of price insurance to sheep, barley and oats. For oat,?,, the cost would be £2,120,000 in respect of the 1938> -crop, and the minimum liability in •any one year in future will be £4,'500,000. For barlej>- the additional cost for the 1938 crop #111 b e £800,- ; •000.