774 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



Mr. Granger. No; they were not prevented. That is in the tariff 

 lav/, and it has not been changed at all. 



Mr. Murray. I do not know if there is any quota or not, but a 

 quota that does not protect does not mean anything. 



Mr. Smith. There was none coming in until August 16, 1948. 



Mr. Murray. I went through the Middle West at that time. That 

 was when the thing started to decline in price, because they wej-e all 

 talking about Canadian cattle; but for the benefit of the record, Mr. 

 Smith, I would like to point out that before the war we had more 

 cattle used for milk than we had going into beef. 



Mr. Smith. That is right. 



Mr. Murray. And, of course, they did not have time to milk 

 during the war, and now we have a little more so-called beef cattle 

 in the United States than dairy cattle. But, as times get rough, as 

 you know from many years' operation, people start to milking cows. 

 So you are only speaking for the range-stock men. You would not 

 want to take the position that your people sell all the beef and veal 

 of the Nation but only 55 to 60 percent of it. 



Mr. Smith. I am not talking for the dairy man at all. 



Mr. Murray. But that is where over 40 percent of it comes from. 



Mr. Smith. That is not our part of the business at all. 



Mr. Murray. Then you have as part of these agricultural subsidies 

 a,n indirect support. I think you realize that. For example, if hogs 

 are supported, that will have an influence on the price of beef. 



Mr. Smith. That is right. 



Mr. Murray. And all you are asking for is the American market 

 for the American farmer? 



Mr. Smith. That is right. 



Mr. Murray. And by lowering the duty a dozen times on livestock 

 and livestock products in the last 15 years, we jeopardized, according 

 to my analysis — and I guess yours — the system of agriculture that 

 really would conserve the soil and we have spent money on the soil- 

 depleting crops to the extent that we have to use public funds to get 

 rid of the surplus after we pay them for riasing, or not raismg it in 

 some cases. 



Mr. Smith. That is right. 



Mr. Pace. Thank you very much, Mr. Smith. 



It is now the pleasure of the committee to hear Mr. Bryant Edwards, 

 president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. 



STATEMENT OF BRYANT EDWARDS, PRESIDENT, TEXAS AND 

 SOUTHWESTERN CATTLE RAISERS ASSOCIATION 



\It. Edavards. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of thecommii.tee, 

 my name is Bryant Edwards. I am president of the Texas and 

 Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, for which organization I 

 am now appearing. The principal office of that association is located 

 in the Burkburnett Building, Fort Worth, Tex. 



For our organization and for myself I thank you for the privilege 

 you are extending us in allowing us to appear at this time and express 

 our views concerning the proposals that have been made recently to 

 you by the Secretary of Agriculture. 



At the outset I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I speak 

 only as a cowman — a producer of range beef cattle and the organiza- 



