804 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



Mr. Pace. Well, now, under the so-called Aiken bill, which is 

 otherwise known as the agricultural bill of 1948, it contains the follow- 

 ing provision: 



Compliance by the producer with marketing practices prescribed by the Secre- 

 tary may be required as condition of eligibility for price support. 



If that act ever goes into effect, would you suggest that the Secretary 

 of Agriculture exercise the authority he would have in determining 

 expressly the weights at which the hogs might be marketed? 



Mr. PicKELL. I would suggest that Congress change that provision, 

 eliminate any discretionary power. If you want to give support, to 

 grains and cotton, and so forth, at 70 percent of a natural price in 

 relation to other commodities, go ahead, but the rest of it no ; change it. 



Mr. Pace. In other words, that the hog growers would have the 

 benefit of the support price; secondly, that it would save the Govern- 

 ment millions of dollars to market them within certain weights, but 

 still you would not be willing to limit that support to marketing 

 within those weights. 



Mr. PicKELL. I am not willing to concede that it ought to be sup- 

 ported at any weights or any price. 



Mr. Pace. You do not favor the support of hogs or cattle or any 

 livestock at all at any figure? 



Mr. Pickell. Absolutely. 



Mr. Pace. Are there any other questions? 



Mr. Andresen. You suggested, Mr. Pickell, about marketing hogs 

 at 200 pounds. Do you not think it would help the situation if the 

 Government would remove the export controls on pork and pork 

 products? 



Mr. Pickell. I think from a practical viewpoint that the Secretary 

 of Commerce Sawyer did that pretty well on the 11th of February, 

 did he not? 



Mr. Andresen. No, sir. There are still controls on. 



Mr. Pickell. They are possible, but yet he did actually take them 

 off and since then the consumption of lard, for instance, has been 

 greater than the production. 



Mr. Andresen. They still have the controls on, but they are per- 

 mitting under general license the export of a certain amount of pork 

 sides and sow bellies and fat backs and lard. Personally, I am con- 

 vinced that with the money that the ECA has got, which is taxpayer's 

 money from the people of this country, that if they were to remove 

 those controls, the Government would not have to buy 1 pound of 

 pork. 



Mr. Pickell. They not only ought to remove the controls; they 

 ought to help get that stuff out of the country in every conceivable 

 way they possibly can. 



Mr. Andresen. Especially when they do it with our own money. 



Mr. Pickell. Certainly. 



Mr. Pace. Are there any other questions by the committee? 



Mr. Pickell, the committee is greatly indebted to you for coming 

 here and giving us this expression of your views. 



Mr. Pickell. Thank you, sir. 



Mr. Pace. Mr. Chairman, let me announce now that tomorrow at 

 10 o'clock representatives of the dauy industry of the Nation will be 

 here to testify. 



