992 



GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 

 Table 3 



Percentage of parity received: 1930-34 average, 71.4; 1935-39 average. 80.5; 1940-44 average, 94.6; average, 

 19 years, 1930-48, 84.9; highest S-year average, 1942-40, 106.4. 



For these reasons, the National Potato Council feels that support at 60 percent 

 of parity, which is now on trial with the 1949 crop, will take care of most of our 

 surplus production problems, if given time to prove itself. 



If a fair trial of the 60-percent price-support program should fail to reduce 

 sharply the cost of the program to the Government, potato growers will unite in 

 urging a stronger restrictive program to the Congress, just as they led the way in 

 asking a lowered support program. 



In the meantime, the National Potato Council recommends that Congress enact 

 legislation instructing the Secretary of Agriculture to apportion potato production 

 goals to the several States on the following basis: 



The national production goal for potatoes shall be apportioned each year 

 by the Secretary of Agriculture among the several States in proportion to the 

 1949 production goal of potatoes which was established for each State, pro- 

 vided: 



1. That 1 percent of the national production goal in 1950 and one-half of 

 1 percent of the national production goal in subsequent crop years, shall be 

 set aside each year and shall be issued annually by the Secretary to new 

 growers, new areas, or for the purpose of correcting any inequities in the dis- 

 tribution of acreage among States. 



2. That, beginning with the crop year of 1950, the definition of a com- 

 mercial potato farm shall be changed from 3 acres or more to 1 acre or more 

 of potatoes, and the base acreage for the purpose of establishing goals for 

 growers planting 1 to 2.9 acres of potatoes shall be the planted acreage 

 in 1949. 



3. That, unless there is an increase in the national production goal from 

 the preceding year, the commercial acreage goal for each State shall bo liir ited 

 to not more than the average planted commercial acreage during the most 

 recent 2-year period, adjusted for nonplantings due to disaster, provided the 

 State planted le.ss than 90 percent of its commercial acreage goal during the 

 preceding year. 



This proposed legislation would write into the law a base period for the determi- 

 nation of commercial potato production goals for each of the potato-producing 

 States. It would set aside a small specified percentage of acreage to be allocated 

 by the Secretary. It would define a commenial potato farm, and provide limita- 

 tions in States where the allotted acreage is not planted. 



