ADVICE TO U.S. FARMERS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 March 1930, Page 6

ADVICE TO U.S. FARMERS

BY FARM BOARD HEAD

[United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.]

WASHINGTON, March 24

Mr Legge, in an interview in the April issue of the United States Chamber of Commerce official organ, “The Nation’s •Business.” states that ho estimates that twenty per cent, less production of wheat would bring the American farmer twenty per cent more money than he was getting now for what he produces.

He asserts that the American farmer through a campaign of education, will in time come to see “the advantage of curtailing production to a point where he will get a better return for a smaller crop.” He says:— “Only through organisation can the farmer work effectively. There is no way to coerce the farmer into joining the co-operative. You cannot compel him, but you may persuade him, if you show him that the cooperative organisation is working in his interest. That is what we are now undertaking to do. There is nothing mysterious about the way in which we determine the loan value of a crop. A limit must be fixed somewhere. The loans -being given are based upon the best information we can gather of the world supply and demand,- leaving a reasonably safe margin of protection. Agriculture has lagged behind other indusr ries in the general progress of - : the country. • The country is seeking the reason thereof. The best explanation, in my opinion, is that, subsequent to the lack of organisation we have nearly six million farmers, and nearly all of them are competing one against another in a buyer’s market in which the buyers are comparatively few. Agriculture is being operated as an unorganised enterprise, and is trying to compete with highly-organised effort in other industries.”

Concerning the Farm Board, Mr Legge stated: “Our aim is to make the Federal farm aid as temporary as possible, but it probably will take a long time, perhaps a good many years before our programme can be completely worked out.*’