962 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



Last year your total progi-am purchases bought 84 percent U. S. 

 No. I's and 16 percent U. S. 2's, or B's. So I think that the earher 

 States under your 1949 program show a definite trend toward getting 

 a better type of potato on the market for the consumer, which is 

 one of the main purposes we were trying to accomplish. 



Mr. Andresen. Alay I ask a question? 



Mr. Pace. \lr. Andresen. 



Mr. Andresen. What has the Government been paying for No. 1 

 potatoes under the 60-percent support? 



Mr. Cox. In my immediate area, the support price for all grades 

 was $3.20 a hundred pounds. That was up to the 1st of ]May. It 

 dropped to $2.20, I believe. It dropped $1, I am sure. 



Air. Pace. You say they paid the same price for all grades? 



Mr. Cox. That is correct. There was one price this year under 

 this program. 



Mr. Pace. Why is that? 



Mr. Cox. That was to give the incentive to get the lower grades 

 oft' the market. You see, heretofore the price differential was so 

 great that the farmers were having the idea they could sell the No. I's 

 to the Government and put the 2's on the market at a little higher 

 price than the Government was paying. To get the deshed effect, 

 they raised the price on the No. 2's and lowered the price on the No. 

 I's, and now they are buying No. 2's rather than No. I's. 



Air. Andresen. What was the price paid for No. I's last year prior 

 to May 1? 



Mr. Cox. I do not know about May 1, Mr. Andresen. Last year 

 the support price in Florida was $4.15 a hundred for U. S. I's. 



Mr. Andresen. i^nd No. 2's? 



Mr. Cox. $2.07/2. 



Mr. Andresen. It seems to me you have a better deal now under 

 60 percent than you did under 90 percent. Thev buy them all at 

 $3.20. 



Mr. Cox. You have a better deal as far so getting rid of your low 

 grades is concerned. 



Mr. Andresen. Do they buy culls? 



Mr. Cox. No. U. S. 2's, B's, or U. S. No. I's. 



Air. Andresen. Wliat is the price now after Alay 1? 



Air. Cox. I think it is $2.02. 



Air. Andresen. Is the marketing season just about over in Florida? 



Air. Cox. Yes, sir. 



Air. Andresen. There is very little on hand to take at that $2 

 price? 



Air. Cox. Yes, sir. 



Air. Andresen. I cannot quite figure out the reason for the reduc- 

 tion of the price on Alay 1. 



Air. Cox. I presume the reason for the drop was to bring Florida 

 in line with other marketing areas such as Alabama, Texas, South 

 Carolina, and the other areas which were marketing I's. You would 

 actually be buying all the potatoes out of Florida at $3.20 if the other 

 areas were supported at $2. 



Air. Andresen. Do you know how many bushels the Government 

 bought in Florida this year? 



Mr. Cox. I do not. 



