GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 395 



On April 19, ^vhicli was last Tuesday, a week ago, I sold the eight 

 hogs. By then they weighed 1,400 pounds. I sold them for a net 

 price of $238.18. ^\1iile I was feeding them, prices for top hogs 

 dropped $10 per hundredweight. Therefore, my loss was $11.62 on 

 the eight hogs. In other words, I paid $11.62 for having the privilege 

 of feeding eight hogs from October to April. 



Gentlemen, you see our problems first hand. I have been attending 

 these hearings all this week. In my mind. Secretary Brannan has a 

 great plan that will benefit the farmers — also other groups— by keep- 

 ing the farm group a strong consuming or purchasing group, I agree 

 all depressions have been farm-led and farm-fed. 



Let me beg you to use this unit system or one similar, to insure the 

 existence of the family-type farmer. History both recent and ancient, 

 tells us that when nations let the big farmers eat up or crowd out the 

 small farmers, these nations fail. One of the three main causes of the 

 fall of the ancient Roman civilization was that big, forced-labor 

 farms could produce cheaper than the small farmers ; therefore push- 

 ing the small farmers out of business. The family farmer and his 

 farm have meant much to America and our way of life through the 

 years and at the present time. We plead with you to make secure 

 the family farmer on his land. I shall return to Alabama and tell 

 my neighbor friends about the Brannan plan. I will tell them about 

 the Farmers Union bill. Best of all, I will tell them of the interest 

 this committee has shown this week in these plans. 



That means so much to the way of life of these farmer friends of 

 mine in i^labama. In conclusion, let me urge upon the committee the 

 very great need of some kind of action now to keep us from having 

 our prices go down to the low levels that are provided in the 1948 bill. 



My neighbors are very much worried about what they have heard 

 of this change 'of prices that will go into effect next year under the 

 1948 bill. 



As you can see from the figures I have read to you concerning my 

 farming operations, I cannot afford to have prices of my products 

 reduced while my costs are still going up or staying up. 



My experience is typical of many others. We are bound to have 

 a very much reduced standard of living if this happens. For all of 

 these reasons, I strongly urge the committee to adopt a bill along the 

 lines of the Brannan program and the Farmers Union bill. 



Thank you. 



Mr. Pace. Thank you very much, Mr. Steed. We are delighted to 

 have a family-sized farmer from Alabama to give the committee his 

 views. The last witness will be Mr. Wyum, who is chairman of the 

 program committee of the National Farmers Union. 



Mr. Wyum, we will be delighted to hear from you at this time. 



STATEMENT OF OBED WYUM, CHAIRMAN, PROGEAM COMMITTEE, 

 NATIONAL FARMERS UNION 



Mr. Wyum. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I appear 

 before you today in a dual capacity. I am a farmer and operator of a 

 family-type farm. I am also chairman of the program committee of 

 the National Farmers Union. 



You are considering farm legislation and particularly changes that 

 should or might be made relating to farm price sujjports and income. 



