GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 81 



to produce a miiiiinum amount that might be needed to maintain his 

 own operations would be to apply the same principle that we apply 

 in the Cotton Quota Act? There you exempt two bales. Anybody 

 who wants to can go out and grow his two bales of cotton. 



We have a mmimum in wheat. Now, if we try to define a farm as 

 a family-sized farm, you could fix a reasonable minimum that anybody 

 might grow. We do that on cotton. Every little town in the South 

 has cotton planted on vacant lots. It does not come under the quota 

 because it all comes within that 1 , 000-pound or two-bale limit. If you 

 will give some such basic exemption on the growing of corn, will you 

 not solve the very problem that is being discussed here? 



Secretary Brannan. Mr. Poage, if I understand your position, with 

 which I agree, you are saying just the opposite of what Mr. Hill is 

 saying. Mr. Hill is saying that we should take the family-sized farms 

 out of the operation of the program. What yon are saying is that we 

 should take the very small producer out of the operation of the 

 program. 



Air. Poage. That is exactly the same. 



Secretary Brannan. I do not apply the term "family-sized farm" 

 to that small producer. I apply it to the bulk of the farms in this 

 country. 



Mr. Poage. That small producer may not even be able to support 

 a family. 



Secretary Brannan. That is right. That is a clear distinction, if I 

 understand Mr. Hill's suggestion. Plis suggestion is that you run a 

 corn program without applying it to the bulk of American corn 

 producers. 



Mr. Hill. Let me ask you this: How are you going to sell an idea 

 to the farm people if a farmer who does not market one bushel of corn 

 but must come under your control program? 



Secretary Brannan. That is a misuse of the term, because he does 

 not sell his corn. He sells it on the hoof. That does not make any 

 difference. 



Mr. Pace. All things must come to an end. 



Mr. Secretary, I want to make one comment in conclusion. I know 

 it was a mere oversight when you referred to the job you and this 

 committee have to do in convincing the American people of the fair- 

 ness of the farm program. I am sure you would want to add that we 

 also need to convince the American people of the importance to the 

 economy of this nation and their own welfare of a stable and prosperous 

 agriculture. 



Secretary Brannan. Indeed I do, sir. 



Mr. Pace. That is one of the great benefits that the general public 

 receives from a fair farm program. 



Secretary Brannan. And many other benefits. 



Mr. Pace. Mr. Secretary, we are indebted to you. We will not 

 ask you to return tomorrow. You have been very generous with your 

 time. I would like to have tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock a repre- 

 sentative, Mr. Secretary, who is qualified to go into the details of how 

 corn allotments are now being made. 



For example, under the law, as I see it, there is no formula at all for 

 the farm allotment in the county except some general language. That 

 is, there is no historical base or anything of that kind. 



