124 genp:ral farm program 



determined on the basis of the rotation practices followed in the 

 particular areas. 



Mr. Andresen. i^et me ask you a question: Suppose in my home 

 county, along the Mississippi River, on the land adjacent to the 

 river, going back for some 12 to 15 miles is what they would call the 

 j-olling land, gentle rolling lantl, a good dairying area, where they raise 

 considerable corn, used as silage, for dairy feed. Now, as I under- 

 stand the purpose of your regulations, as you have indicated here, 

 the are to attempt to control or reduce the corn acreage on that gentle 

 jolling land and to give greater acreage to the area where the land is 

 more level? 



Mr. Walker. No, I did not mean to say that. I meant to say 

 that in determining these acreage allotments, we would group farms 

 according to the type of farming follow^etl and the topography of the 

 land by areas in whjch crop-rotation practices are similar. The use 

 of such areas would prevent the shift of allotment from one community 

 to another. In the operation of previous programs we found that in 

 some counties the allotment would shift from the heavy producing 

 areas, as level bottom land, to the lighter producing areas of hilly 

 land, unless such allotments were determined on an area basis. But 

 I do not recall any figures now that woidd indicate the actual shifts 

 that would have taken place. 



Mr. Andresen. I know a number of farmers where their historical 

 j)lanting was around 65 acres for corn, and they were cut down to 28, 

 under the 1940 program, so they had to go out and produce other 

 types of feed grains in order to get enough feed to take care of their 

 livestock on the farm. 



Now there has been some talk here the other day, and the chairman 

 will recall it, that an attempt might be made, or it might become 

 necessary to control the acreage in the other feed grains in order to 

 make the corn program work, and I was just wondering what that 

 farmer would I'aise under such a program of trying to provide feed for 

 his livestock. Can you answer that question for me? 



Mr. Walker. He will raise feed crops. 



Mr. Andresen. You mean crops that, are now^ under the control 

 program — barley or oats. If they control all of them and reduce 

 the acreage, what could he raise? 



Mr. Walker. I think it must be realized that such a program 

 would not operate to put a man out of business, that with restricted 

 production would have to come a program of more economical produc- 

 tion, and therefore one that would secure for the producer a higher 

 net income from his operations. 



I do not know how far we should get into this discussion, but it is 

 a problem as to how far it can be carried; and in fact there is a con- 

 ference coming up now for the purpose of determining wliat is to be 

 done with the diverted acreage. The problem exists everywhere. 

 If you are going to reduce the wheat acreage by, say, 15,000,000 acres, 

 and corn, say, 4,000,000 acres, and cotton — I do not know how 

 many, maybe we are going to have some 20 to 30 million acres that 

 will iiave to be diverted to some other crops or land uses. It presents 

 a very serious problem as to just uliat you are going to do with those 

 diverted acres which normally can compete with corn, wheat, or 

 cotton. 



