GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 967 



out of line with other agricultural comroodities in our cost of produc- 

 tion. There are some cases that are different. For instance, there 

 would be the production of milk and the production of fruit in which 

 there have been no mechanical advances. But in most instances, 

 there has been a mechanical advance and a lowering of unit cost of 

 production. I submit we are well up on that curve. But aiso you 

 roust give the potato industry credit for being the first ones to say we, 

 the industry, think we can get by on 60 percent. We think we will 

 save the American people money. We think that it will solve a great 

 many of these problems. 



Mr. Pace. I believe I will give you credit for that, and I think you 

 are entitled to a lot of it. 



Mr. Andresen. Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Pace. Mr. Andresen. 



Mr. Andresen. You are an actual potato farmer, I understand. 

 How many acres of potatoes did you produce in 1946? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. That is 2 years ago. I believe I produced 74 acres 

 of potatoes. 



\h\ Andresen. What was your yield per acre? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. My yield of potatoes m the last 5 years has not been 

 far from 200 sacks of Xo. 2 potatoes to the acre. 



Mr. Andresen. Two bushels to the sack? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. A sack of a hundred pounds is actually a bushel and 

 two-thirds, but we figured two bushels of field grade to grade out a 

 hundred pound? of No. I's. 



Mr. Andresen. What was your acreage for the 1947 crop? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. For the 1947 crop, I believe my acreage was 68 

 acres. 



Mr. Andresen. What was it in 1948? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. It was dovm to 64 or 65. 



Mr. Andresen. Have j^ou planted your potatoes for 1949? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. Yes. 



Mr. Andresen. How much is your acreage this year? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. My acreage this year is 57. I had over the base 

 period 89 acres and I am down to 57. There are a few adjustments 

 because I am exceptional in one respect. I am the only certified seed 

 grower on I.iong Island. 



Mr. Andresen. Do you produce only seed potatoes? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. No, sir, we grow practically all table-stock potatoes 

 but I do grow a very small amount of certified seed for which I am 

 under one slight consideration, because my seed potatoes are all for 

 the export market to Central America. 



Mr. Andresen. I understand from your distinguished Congress- 

 man, Mr. Macy, you produce some of the best potatoes in the country. 

 What I wanted to get at was this: Y^ou are a commercial producer? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. Yes. 



Mr. Andresen. Have the other commercial potato producers re- 

 duced theu' acreage in line with what you have reduced yours? 



Air. WiCKHAM. In our section the compliance has been 10 percent 

 in excess of the acreage. We have had 90 percent compliance, and I 

 think 86 percent the following year. This year, even with a low sup- 

 port price, we will have about 80 percent compliance. 



Mr. Andresen. Y^ou only produce No. 1 potatoes in your area, do 

 you not? 



