832 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



equipment on these farms. As one of the latest developments of the 

 ingenuity of the American farmer, this broiler industry has enjoyed 

 phenomenal growth during the past decade. Production of poultry 

 meat attributed to concentrated broiler-producing areas increased 

 from 105,630,000 birds in 1939 to 350,773,000 in 1948. The growth 

 of this farm industry, and the increase in the number of farm families 

 who gain their livelihood from it, may be attributed largely to two 

 factors: (1) A shift in production to more economical units; (2) the 

 concentration of production into closely knit areas. 



To produce a pound of broiler meat with a minimum of labor and 

 capital outlay for buildings and equipment, and to gain economies 

 from heating larger units, broilers are produced in these areas in 

 flocks ranging from 500 to over 30,000 birds. 



The concentration of broiler production in localized areas has 

 brought further economies to both the producer and the consumer. 

 The larger number of birds in one locality offers a better opportunity 

 for helpful assistance from technically trained personnel of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, feed companies, and others. The 

 concentration of birds in the area also results in savings in assembling 

 birds at processing plants and markets, since a truckload may be 

 secured at one farm, rather than by visiting a number of scattered 

 farms or assembly points. This has reduced the cost of assembling 

 birds from 2 cents per pound to one-half a cent per pound. Econo- 

 mies in processing, packaging, distribution, and selling have also re- 

 sulted because of the adequate volume that is so necessary for effi- 

 cient operation. 



These closely knit areas have developed an acute sense of awareness 

 of consumer demands and changes in market trends. Since broilers 

 are marketed every week throughout the year, the areas have con- 

 stant guides in the marketing figures gathered for their information. 

 This has resulted in a more flexible program, paving the way for 

 rapid changes or adjustments in production or marketing methods as 

 the need arises. 



This system of production has also resulted in an improved standard 

 of living for the many thousands of farmers. This factor is especially 

 true in the Southeastern States where, as you drive through one of 

 these concentrated broiler areas in north Georgia, North Carolina, 

 Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi, you will see new homes that 

 have been erected by farmers with profits from broilers. An increas- 

 ing number of refrigerators, radios, electric water systems, and other 

 improvements in these areas have been made possible through the 

 income from this industry. In addition, litter from the broiler pro- 

 duction operation, an excellent fertilizer, has been used to improve 

 thousands of acres of land, thus making it possible to produce cover 

 crops, good meadows, and pastures, which have led to increased 

 production of other livestock, more effective control of erosion, and, 

 to a large degree, elimination of the necessity for these farmers to 

 depend upon one-crop farming for an income. 



It is significant that this industry has not only 'enjoyed remarkable 

 growth during the past decade, but that it has brought about a better 

 way of living for those who are participating in it without having 

 to depend upon Government support programs, production controls, 

 compensatory payments, or any of the other features which so many 

 consider as necessary when they view the present-day agricultural 

 horizon. 



