972 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



not be supported at less than 60 percent and shall be supported at 

 that level necessary to increase the production of wool up to 360,000,- 

 000 pounds. That means it would have to be supported at 90 percent 

 of parity for the next 117 years. Then there is a provision in there 

 that cotton, corn, wheat, rice, and peanuts be supported at 60 to 90, 

 depending upon the supply. I believe that is seven commodities 

 that have special treatment. Everything else in there is from zero 

 to 90, in the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture. You do not 

 think that is equal treatment, do you? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. Naturally not. 



jMr. Pace. It has been the feeling of some of us that agriculture is 

 entitled to that same degree of protection and security as is enjoyed 

 by other groups. We feel that the producer is entitled to a reasonable 

 support price as long as business has its protection and labor has its 

 protection. But there is also a feeling that there is an obligation on the 

 part of the producer to exercise such limitations on production as will 

 bring the supply and demand somewhat in balance and not be an 

 excessive burden to the taxpayers of the Nation. I feel, while I per- 

 sonally favor 100-pcrcent parity support, that it is the duty and obli- 

 gation of the producers to keep their products within reasonable limits 

 and tliat such means as necessary to bring that about should be put 

 into effect. 



Mr. WiCKHAM. May I speak to that point? 



Mr. Pace. Yes. 



Mr. WiCKHAM. I submit to you that the potato growers of the 

 United States are the only ones who have voluntarily come forward 

 with a program in which they have said, "We wish to limit our produc- 

 tion and we wish to do it in this and that and a third way, and we wish 

 to take lower support prices." Because of those factors, we are en- 

 titled to special consideration and none othei'. 



]\Ir. Pace. But you do not agree to the control of all of you? You 

 simply say that you will submit to acreage allotments and let 80 per- 

 cent of you go along with your Government and let the other 20 percent 

 get the benefit of the program without conforming to its requirements? 



Mr. WiCKHAM. Mr. Chairman, at the present time that is still — 

 and I think this in deference to all my colleagues here — beinghandled 

 in the industry. We are voluntarily accepting the responsibilit}^ for 

 those who have jumped the program and curtailing our own produc- 

 tion. I will not say it is right or proper, but it has been my experience 

 in this world that there are a few who carry the responsibility for the 

 many and we, the potato growers, are doing just that. AA e have done 

 just that for the last 3 years. 



Mr. Pace. Thank you very much. 



A letter signed by Harold R. Blakely, president of the Erie Co., 

 N. Y., Potato Growers, Inc., will be inserted at this point. 



May 17, 1949. 

 To: Representative Stephen Pace, chairman, House Subcommittee on Agriculture. 

 From: The potato growers of Erie County, State of New York, represented by 

 the Erie County Potato Growers Cooperative, Inc., a group of about 200 

 small growers, w"ish to get the following on record at the' forthcoming con- 

 gressional hearing on potato legislation. 



(1) Acreage allotments. — We feel that acreage allotments on a family-size farm 

 where potatoes have been grown«for years and will continue to be grown as a 

 part of a balanced farm economy, has worked and will continue to work hard- 

 ships on these growers. We feel that with a market like we have here, in this 



