FOOD PRODUCTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1939, Page 8

FOOD PRODUCTION

PLANS FOR EXPANSION IN BRITAIN IN EVENT OF WAR SUBSIDY OF £2 AN ACRE. ON GRASS LAND PLOUGHED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.7 a.m.) RUGBY, May 3. Plans for the expansion of the home production of food in war time were discussed in the House of Commons by the Minister for Agriculture, Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, who said: Under the Government’s general plans for insuring food supplies in war time, a function that lias been allotted to the Agricultural Department is that of making the arrangements that would be required in the event of an outbreak of war to bring about an expansion of food production in the United Kingdom. Plans accordingly have been prepared for the central and local organisations which would be responsible for central direction, and executive committees would be set up m each county to whom important functions would be delegated. Tne expansion of home food production would necessarily involve an increase in atable land, obtained by means of a ploughing-up campaign. The particu.ni crops wh'ch we should have to expand would depend on a number of circumstances, including’ the season of the year when the outbreak of war occurred and the situation in regard to the food reserves of Britain and overseas supplies, and the suitability of newlj ploughed land for particular crops, whether for human consumption or tor feeding stuffs for livestock which provide vital supplies of milk and meat. A, great deal of information has been collected by the Agricultural Department and prepared in a form m which it would immediately be available tor the proposed executive committees. Reserves of fertilisers have been secured and plans have been made to organise and control the supply and distribution of fertilisers, foodstuffs, tracI tors and other machinery, fuel, implements, seeds and other farm requisites for the industry’s wartime requirenients. “The problem of labour had been carefully considered with other departments concerned. In addition to the safeguards provided under the scheme of reserved occupations, steps are being taken to enrol persons willing to undertake work on the land in war time and plans are being made for training, by intensive courses, in tne event of war, those who have had little or no previous agricultural experience. 'inis matter is now receiving further consideration in light of recent Government decisions in regard to the Territorial Army and compulsory military service. The Government does not consider it. necessary, or desirable that plans for production on a scale or of a character that would be required in war time should be put into operation in advance of an outbreak of war. It considers that the best preparation for an emergency is to bring the land into a state of greater fertility which would enable it to, respond more' fully to the increased demands which would be made upon it in the event of an outbreak of war. “The government therefore desires that, farmers should make a special effort this summer to improve their poorer grassland, large areas of which could not in their present condition yield satisfactory crops. To assist farmers to improve the potential productivity of such land, the Government proposes to ask Parliament to authorise the payment of a contribution of £2 an acre in respect to permanent grass ploughed up after this announcement and before September 30, and brought into a state of cleanliness and fertility.” _________