GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 679 



I do not see how we can wait until Congress passes upon a great, 

 comprehensive long range farm program, to determine these questions, 

 for instance, the question of summer fallowing is a very controversial 

 matter in the allotment of acreage to farms — and I do not see how we 

 can change the program, or make these important modifications that 

 have been suggested and do it right now. That is the thing that 

 distiu-bs me. How soon can we have the Department's decision on 

 it? 



Mr. WooLLEY. Well as I say, there apparently was some under- 

 standing on the part of the Department and the committee as to what 

 the committee wanted. We understood it wanted us to draft legis- 

 lation, the legislative form and have it all appear before we came. 



Mr. Pace. No; what we wanted in this instance was the recom- 

 mendation of the Department. .Now the thing that disturbs me 

 that we have a good many of these gentlemen present, and many of 

 them have come from long distances, and I am very doubtful that they 

 wiU be able to get back here at the latter part of next week, and yet 

 I am sure they are not going to be happy at some of the recommenda- 

 tions that ma}^ be submitted. 



Mr. WooLLEY. I appreciate that. 



Mr. Pace. They should have opportunity to discuss them. 



Mr. Hope. How soon, or what is the latest date, the man should 

 have his acreage allotment for winter-wheat planting? 



Mr. WooLEY. We have made allotments for most quotas, I think, 

 the date is July 15. 



Mr. Pace. But outside of that when does the planting start? 



"Mr. WooLEY. Well the planting starts in the fall, of course. But 

 you have got to have the acreage allotment out, and they should be 

 out to the farmers in the next 60 to 90 days. And as you are aware, 

 there are a lot of things that have to be done and should be done before 

 now. Actually there is a feeling being expressed to me here this morn- 

 ing that what we ought to do for acreage allotment for the next 

 succeeding year should be done by January 1 rather than around July 1. 



Mr. Pace. They have a lot of planning to do, and of course the 

 sooner the better. 



Mr. WooLEY. Yes. 



Mr. Pace. But if you have to make these announcements 60 or 90 

 days from now we are really faced with a problem. 



Mr. Wooley. I agree with you. We have done everything we 

 know how to get right at the acreage allotments. I assume that 

 probably what the upset will be is that we will have for the 1950 

 wheat, we will have to take what we have; that is about the size of it. 



Mr. Pace. You have just suggested that possibly for 1950 we may 

 have to operate under existing law. 



Mr. Wooley. Yes. 



Mr. Hope. Are you going ahead with instructions to the county 

 committees on that idea; is that correct? 



Mr. WooLLEY. We could not, of course, instruct the county com- 

 mittees so far as any detail work is concerned, on how the law is going 

 to be changed ; all we have got is the basic data. What we have done 

 so far has been in conformity with the law that is on the statute book 

 today. 



Mr. Hope. Of course it would have to be, but what I am interested 

 in is this: Have you gone so far already, that any changes in the law 



