632 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



Undoubtedly what the Chairman suggests might happen, tempo- 

 rarily, and probably would happen. That is, that a good many farm- 

 ers might say, "Well, I will just hike my acreage this year and take a 

 chance on the world demand being heavy enough to absorb what 

 extra we produce." I think you would have that tendency confront- 

 ing you. 



The alternative to that would be, as you suggest, to base it upon 

 the percentage of the crop which went into domestic consumption 

 during some previous period of years. That is what you are 'suggest- 

 ing now. 



Mr. Kaseberg. Yes. 



Mr. Pace. Do you mean to give him an exact production figure? 



Mr. Kaseberg. That is right. 



Mr. Pace. I have had experience in that. I am afraid you would 

 have the most rigid type of control you have ever conceived of, because 

 you have allotted the farmer 50 acres here to produce for human 

 consumption and you have given him no allotment for the export 

 market and for other uses. Then you would be required to police 

 that in the most strict manner of which you have ever conceived. I 

 have seen it done on peanuts. We had a good support on an allotted 

 acreage. We had a free acreage on peanuts for oil. You had to pre- 

 vent a mingling of the two crops and you had to know exactly what 

 peanuts were grown on the allotted acreage. You had to prevent any 

 of this free-acreage production from being bootlegged over into an 

 allotted-acreage area. 



I am inclined to believe that the suggestion of Mr. Hope, from the 

 standpoint of the grower, if it can be carried out, would be far more 

 acceptable each year. We would make an estimate of the crop and 

 an estimate of the need for human consumption in the United States 

 and give each man his part of it. 



Please understand my attitude on the wheat problem is very largely 

 what these representatives of the wheat sections say. The only 

 reason I am presenting it to you is that if there are any flaws in it I 

 know you want to find them out. Please understand that I am in 

 complete sympathy with whatever wheat growers want. 



Mr. Kaseberg. Mr. Chairman, we have stated at the outset that 

 this program, we feel, would fit our region best. When you have half 

 of your farm in wheat and half of it in summer-fallow, there is no 

 chance to increase the acreage. There is no diversity of crops. 



In oiu- region we would not need to fear that any additional acreage 

 would come into the program, because when you are divided that way 

 you cannot increase 100 percent of your farm. 



Mr. Pace. Of com-se, you do have another control, Mr. Hope. 

 That would be through your soil-conservation program. You could 

 make him fallow the other half, which would in effect keep him out of 

 planting it. However, the penalties there are not too severe unless 

 you also refused him his support. 



Mr. Kaseberg. There will be no danger of our area ever going on 

 an annual cropping basis. It just will not work out. Our moisture 

 is not there. 



Mr. White. Is there not some uncleared land in your area? 



Mr. Kaseberg. It is so small that it does not even need to be 

 considered. 



