294 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



Mr. Granger. You have that industry in two categories. You 

 have meat in the perishable class and the wool in another class, do 

 you not? 



Secretary Brannan. But, Mr. Granger, there is no relationship 

 between group 1 and group 2. Group 1 just consists of the com- 

 modities which we said to the committee should receive the greatest 

 emphasis or should never be allowed to go below this minimum sup- 

 port level in our support operations. The other division between 

 perishables and nonperishables was a division for the purpose of the 

 application of method and has no relationship to the level of support. 



For example, a commodity in group 1 such as cotton would enjoy 

 a high level of support. At the same time, it would find itself in the 

 list of commodities supported by purchase agreements and loans. 

 Wool is not in the first category of group 1 commodities. Yet it is in 

 the group of commodities along with cotton as one of those commodi- 

 ties which would be supported by loans and purchase agreements. 



Mr. Granger. You say it would be supported? 



Secretary Brannan. Yes, sir. To give an example on the other 

 side, hogs are in the group 1 commodity because they are substantial 

 contributors to farm income, yet they are in the group of nonstorables 

 which we would attempt to support by production payments. In 

 short, you have just the opposite situation. Cotton is in group 1 

 and in the list for support by loans and purchase agreements. Wool 

 is not in group 1 but it is in the list of commodities supportable by 

 loans and purchase agreements. 



Mr. Granger. At what level would you propose to support wool? 



Secretary Brannan. I would say, Mr. Granger, that we would 

 support it for the time being at the levels of support which are generally 

 in force and effect now. For the purposes of the Board's deliberations, 

 that would represent the best advice we had on the subject at the time 

 from the Congress and from our previous experience. 



Mr. Granger. As I said yesterday, there is a considerable part 

 of the meat industry in distress. 



I might add, Mr. Secretary, that not only hogs but cattle also have 

 been on the markets in greater numbers than they have in a long time. 

 I do not suppose you had anything to do with that. 



Secretary Brannan. I have not said anything about cattle lately. 



Mr. Granger. Anyhow, they were there in great numbers. 



Mr. White. Would the gentlemean yield temporarily there? 



Mr. Granger. Yes. 



Mr. White. I would like to ask the Secretary in connection with 

 the discussion that was had here yesterday in the committee which 

 intimated that he had been at fault in connection with the decline in 

 hog prices if he recalls last year Mr. Stassen made the statement during 

 the campaign that price supports held prices up. 



Now, some of the gentlemen in the Republican Party here yesterday 

 said support prices put prices down. I wonder if the Secretary does 

 not wish, as I do, that the Republicans would make up their minds 

 just exactly what price supports do. 



Mr. Andresen. Will- the gentleman yield? 



Mr. Granger. I yield. 



Mr. Andresen. I never figured that the agricultural proposition 

 has a political proposition either in an off year or during a campaign 



