GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 951 



Mr. Wescott. I will answer you in this way on that question: we 

 are attempting to arrive now at some base. We have not had a 

 base 



Mr. CooLEY. Is it not actually an effort on your part to com- 

 promise the controversy which has arisen as a result of the trend in 

 the growing of potatoes in recent years? 



Mr. Wescott. Thank you, sir. That is the answer. 



Mr. Cooley. Right on this point, I wonder how far away you are 

 from an agreement with your other potato growers now; if it is possible 

 to get California and the west coast people to agree to the formula 

 you have suggested. 



Mr. Wescott. I could not answer that. The four States along 

 the Atlantic seaboard have agreed. 



Mr. Cooley. I know you have agreed on the eastern seaboard, 

 but I wondered how this formula was received on the western sea- 

 board. 



Mr. Pace. I was reserving the questions on the formula because 

 when we get into the formula that will complete the hearing for today. 



Mr. Cooley. If they are not in agreement on the formula, I do 

 not see how we could complete it. 



Mr. HoEVEN. I would like to determine why the 7-year period was 

 chosen. , 



Mr. Cooley. He just said it was an effort on their part to com- 

 promise. 



Mr. HoEVEN. What is the basis of it? Why not 5' years or 10 

 years? How did you happen to arrive at 7? 



Mr. Wescott. We arrived at 7 years — the first proposal was to 

 take the 10-year basic average, but there seemed to be some States 

 that objected to it, and, as Congressman Cooley said, we were trying 

 to reach some compromise. 



Mr. HoEVEN. Then that is a compromise figm'e? 



Air. Wescott. That is a compromise figure, definitely. 



Mr. Cooley. Do I understand, then, you are not all in agreement 

 on that particular proposition? 



Air. Wescott. I say four States along the Atlantic seaboard that 

 have had an opportunity to discuss this are in agreement. 



Mr. Cooley. You know it is going to be difficult for us in legisla- 

 tion to provide one formula on the east coast and one on the west 

 coast. 



Mr. Wescott. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Cooley. That cannot be done. So that, if you are not in 

 agreement on that, I wonder if it is possible for you to make a further 

 effort to reach an agreement. 



Mr. Wescott. The council, I think, has recommended some basic 

 formula be prepared. 



Mr. Cooley. All of you seem to want a definite formula in the law, 

 but say that we must write the formula. 



Mr. Case. The council did not discuss any specific formula. In our 

 2 days of deliberation, we were lucky to cover as much ground as we 

 did. 



Mr. Bryant. As Mr. Westcott indicated, we have all States in our 

 membership, and we have never as yet been able to get our vStates to 

 agree upon a formula, and, as far as our board is concerned, we think 



