944 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



ment through which proper grading may be made. That is all States; 

 I do not mean what is available, but all States. The Secretary of 

 Agriculture shall have the right to regulate the shipments to grade 

 No. 1 potatoes as long as the price of potatoes is below the 90 percent 

 parity. In other words, we are not asking the Government to come 

 in and take oiu" low-grade potatoes; we are willing to keep them at home 

 and feed them to the stock, as long as the potato price is below parity. 

 We do not feel like making payments come out of the United States 

 Treasury on low-grade stuff. Also, we would like to give the consumer 

 the benefit of the very best we can raise. 



This next applies to the late States where we have support, not to 

 the early potato-producing States. 



Fourth. If potatoes are below parity, the Secretary of Agriculture 

 shall limit the sale of 20 percent of each grower's production per 

 month. 



Fifth. Potato land out under acreage limitations should be summer 

 fallowed or a legame crop grown for green manure during that season. 



Sixth. Acreage allotment of potatoes is to follow the potato his- 

 tory of the land as neai' as possible. 



Mr. Pace. Thank 70u very much, Mr. Skinner. 



(Below is revised San Luis Vallev Potato Growers plan.) 



La Jara, Colo., A/a/y 10, 1949. 

 Hon. Harold Cooley, 



Chairman, House Agriculture Committee, 



House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. 

 Dear Representative Cooley: Enclosed is the revised San Luis Valley Potato 

 Growers plan. 



Two points we feel should be stressed strongly in this program are: (1) During, 

 years of high production, the Secretary of Agriculture should have the power to 

 control the grade potato to be marketed, thus lessening the burden on the United 

 States Treasury. (2) As long as the potato growers comply with the program 

 we are submitting the growers should be allowed the full 90-percent parity. 



It is felt that the long-range program we are submitting will gr<eatly alleviate 

 the burden put on the United States Treasury and the people of the United States 

 by the past support programs. 



We, the potato growers, appreciate everything the United States Government 

 is doing in our behalf and will cooperate to the limit. 

 Respectfully yours, 



San Litis Valley Potato Growers, 

 Dell T. Skinner. 



Revised San Luis Valley Poiato Growers Plan (Requested) 



It is heartenirg to know that you are having a committee study the price- 

 support legislation enacted hurriedly last June in view of proposing such changes 

 as may be deemed wise. The farmers themselves have had an opportunity to 

 become acquainted with the law and weigh its provisions in the light of their 

 experience. 



We are all actual potato growers and depend on that crop for a major portion 

 of our income. We beg leave to submit to you and your committee the reasons for 

 our belief that the proposed support price of 60 percent of parity applied to pota- 

 toes will wreck the industry and, as a consequence, other crops will suffer bej^ond 

 measure. 



At the same time, we believe a high support on an unlimited production would 

 have ruinous consequences; therefore, we are recommending a support price of 

 90 percent of parity, but that it be contingent on the following: 



1. A limitation of acreage to a level that is calculated safely to produce the 

 needed supply. Any grower who plants in excess of his acreage allotment should 

 be fined $1 or a substantial amount to insure his compliance. 



2. Potatoes marketed shall be sold at market price and a certificate issued to 

 the grower each thirty (30) days for compensatory payments. 



