GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 775 



tion I represent is composed of that type of people. My remarks are 

 confined strictly to an expression of the views of range producers of 

 beef cattle. I do not, in any way, make any representation to you 

 relative to any other segment of agriculture. But the view I express 

 here today is believed by me to be the view of the beef cowmen of the 

 Nation. 



We have read Secretary Brannan's proposal in its original form and 

 have seen his supplemental explanatory remarks. We are also aware 

 of the testimony given by the Secretary before this committee. And 

 we have seen many comments on this plan in the country newspapers 

 in the range country. Our remarks are founded on these items. 

 We have not seen the proposed bill which Secretary Brannan stated 

 had been prepared in the Department of Agriculture. 



We are opposed to Secretary Brannan's program insofar as it relates 

 to beef cattle and beef. We want no part of it. 



Among the reasons for our opposition to the Secretary's plan are 

 the following : 



I. HISTORICAL 



At no time in the history of this Nation has our industry ever sought 

 governmental support of prices. Nor has our industry ever been 

 subjected to any character of program even resembling such a plan. 



Even at the time when other segments of agriculture were recom- 

 mending to the Congress the adoption of programs of price supports 

 our industry consistently asked to be left out of all such movements. 

 The production of cattle has never been classified by the Congress as 

 a basic industry largely because the people engaged in that industry 

 have uniformly opposed such classification. For the same reasons 

 beef cattle have never been classified as a basic commodity. And 

 beef, which is the ultimate form of our production, has likewise always 

 avoided classification as a basic commodity. These statements refer 

 both to the basic law and to the Steagall amendment. 



The position of our industry is unchanged. We realize that, re- 

 gardless of whether we are included in or excluded from artificial 

 definitions, the importance of our industry is well known and appre- 

 ciated. And we realize that our industry contributes substantially 

 to the general agricultural income. We have neither the desire nor 

 the intent to allow that contribution to decrease. But we know that 

 the basic character of our industry, and the nature of the people en- 

 gaged in it are such that the prosperitj^ of our branch of agriculture is 

 better served by allowing us to live and operate in our historically 

 independent but self-sustaining way. 



II. INDEFINITENESS OF THE PLAN 



One thing that bothers us is the fact that we, and apparently the 

 Secretary also, do not know how his program would work with refer- 

 ence to beef cattle. 



I refer you to the Secretary's testimony as evidence of the fact that 

 he had not thought this item out thoroughly. Until it was so thought 

 out it should not have even been suggested to the Congress or to the 

 industry. And Secretary Brannan told you he had not consulted the 

 beef cattle industry at all. The Secretaiy, in answer to questions 

 asked him by members of the committee, stated that he had not 



