1080 . GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



The Angora goat industry is one that is very vital to the economy 

 of a considerable section of the grazing area of the Southwest and the 

 Northwest. We feel that a support program will stop the depletion 

 of herds that is now taking place. I might point out that the number 

 of Angora goats in the United States in 1941 was 4,544,000; in 1947, 

 3,727,000 head; on January 1, 1949, 2,700,000 head. This last figure 

 is an estimate believed to be conservative, based upon a report of the 

 crop reporting service of the BAE, released February 16, 1949. 



The Angora goat originated in Angora, Turkey, and was later 

 exported to South Africa. A number of years later, in 1849, they 

 were exported to the United States, and today the best Angora goats 

 in the world are found in this country. Should this industry be 

 allowed to be destroyed, goats of similar quality could not be found 

 later for seed stock and another long breeding up program would 

 have to be followed. 



Mohair is a woolhke fiber described in Webster's Dictionary as wool. 

 It was classified during the war by the War Production Board as war 

 quality wool and it is classed as wool by the Wool Products Labeling 

 Act of 1939. 



We sincerely believe that mohair deserves your consideration along 

 with wool as an industry vital to our country. 



I certainly appreciate this opportunity to appear before you and 

 will be glad to try and answer any questions you might have. 



Mr. PoAGE. Mr. Wilhams, I should like to ask just where you 

 think, assuming that we include mohair under the definition of wool, 

 which I think is thoroughly justified, where would we class mohair 

 so as to get a fair price on it? Do I understand that merely including 

 it does not do you any good unless you have some kind of grade or 

 classification recognized? 



Mr. Williams. That is true. 



Mr. PoAGE. To put a price on it, what is your suggestion in that 

 respect? 



Mr. Williams. We have done a little work down there just breaking^ 

 mohair down. Of course mohair is sold by grade down there anyway, 

 and it would just have to be further broken down into grades, I mean 

 just a broad break-down would be grown mohair and Idd mohair. 



Mr. Poage. That is, the kid would grade more than old goat 

 mohair, and should bring a higher price. As I recall it in years past, 

 back a number of years past, we expected mohair to bring substantially 

 more than the normal ordinary grades of wool. 



Mr. Williams. That is right. 



Mr. Poage. In fact, just as a rough figure, we used to figure that 

 wool was worth twice as much as cotton, and mohair was worth 

 twice what wool was worth, which got it pretty high. Those rela- 

 tionships have disappeared today, and what I am getting at is about 

 what relationship should be established between the grades of mohair. 

 If it was cotton, I would caU it Middling 15-16. What relationship 

 should exist between the ordinary mohair and ordinary wool? 



Mr. Williams. We believe that relationship is weh established 

 and the details can be worked out in the administration of the program. 

 Mr. Pace. Let me ask this, then. Has there not been through 

 the years in the trade a rather fixed differential in a free market where 

 the price of wool is at a figure that the price of mohair is at a certain 

 figure? 



