GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 279 



Now, assume that the farmer raised more eggs than 57.000 dozen. 

 Of course, he would not get any support on those additional eggs, 

 and he could sell them in the market. Would you attempt to exer- 

 cise any control over the amount of eggs that the farmers could 

 produce over and above the 1,800 units? 



Secretary Braxnax. Well, if you undertook to exercise any controls 

 over the aggregate national production of eggs it would be done 

 without relationship whatsoever to the unit system. The decision 

 would be reached without reference to the applicability of the unit 

 limitation. You would reach the conclusion that eggs in the market 

 place, if in any greater abundance, would still find no takers at any- 

 where near a reasonable, fair price, and therefore, you would do 

 w^hatever was appropriate to try to do to curtail the production, 

 because production over and beyond that point would be wasteful. 



That woidd be the guiding principle in whether or not any activity 

 or any effort were made to limit the production of eggs or limit the 

 marketing of eggs. 



Mr. AxDRESEX. Do you think there is a possibility of increasing 

 per capita consumption of eggs which, as I understand it, stands 

 around 380 or 390 eggs? 



Secretary Braxxax. That is the sort of problem I would like to 

 have one of the economists answer. 



Air. Wells. What is the question? 



Secretary Branxax. Could you increase the consumption of eggs 

 from 380 to 390 per capita? 



Mr. Axdresex. I recognize the difficulty of that. The argument 

 has been presented that as the price goes down consumption will 

 be increased. 



Secretary Braxxax. I am reminded they were at 400 during the 

 war. 



Mr. Axdresex. I think that is right. Three hundred and ninety 

 is a good per capita consumption. 



Secretary Braxxax. Yes, and during the war they were at a faii'ly 

 high price. 



Mr. Axdresex. Then, if the price went too low you plan that 

 there could be some exercise of controls? 



Secretary Braxxan. Obviously. 



Mr. Axdresex. Yes. 



Secretary Braxxax. This is not a suggestion of an unlimited and 

 unbounded production wasteful and destructive of the orderly mar- 

 kets of the country. 



Mr. Axdresex. Now, in the case of hogs, a farmer could raise 

 550 hogs. We will assume under the $19 per hundredweight figure 

 that you have for the support price he is entitled to receive $22,000 

 for those hogs, but that he only received $14,000 at the market place. 

 He would be entitled to a check from the Government for the dif- 

 ference between $22,000 and $14,000, is that right? 



Secretary Braxxax. Those are very wide figures, but theoretically 

 it might be possible. 



Mr. Axdresex. Well, it could be possible that we could say it 

 was $16, which is closer to the present market price, and that he 

 should have $22,000 under the $19 basis. That would be $3 per 

 hundredweight he is entitled to have, and he would get the difterence 

 between the $22,000 and the amount he received. Is that the way 

 it works? 



