GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 1167 



plate any regulation of hog production or any controls over the amount 

 that can be marketed? 



Secretary Brannan. No, sir; not during the balance of this year. 



Mr. Andresen. But I mean on a permanent program. 



Secretary Brannan. As I said yesterday, there may well come a 

 time when the production of hogs might reach proportions that the 

 American market and any potential export markets would not absorb 

 them at reasonable prices, and on that occasion I think the farmers 

 themselves would probably want to — and I think they should- — take 

 a look at the possibilities of limiting the production and marketing of 

 hogs under the existing authorities which are now available to some 

 crops. It just seems to me, Mr. Andresen, that om- capacities to 

 produce in this country are so extensive that from time to time with 

 respect to some crops we can be producing in what amounts to a very 

 wasteful way. I think we produced in a wasteful way with reject 

 to potatoes this last year. That is no accusation against any farmer. 

 Nevertheless, om- great capacity to produce could lead us into some 

 wasteful production, and I think the farmers would want to cut off 

 when it reaches that kind of proportions. 



Mr. Andresen. Of course, if every farmer would go in and raise 

 550 pigs, you would have so many hogs that you could not have any- 

 thing else in the country. 



Secretary Brannan. That is right. But there is nothing to limit 

 the production of commodities you can raise in 1950 or the number 

 of hogs at all. 



Mr. Andresen. But under the proposal you made, you suggested 

 a support price of $19 a hundred and also 1,800 units, which is equiv- 

 alent to 550 hogs, and it would be very profitable for the farmers to 

 increase their hog production if they could be guaranteed $19 a 

 hundred. 



Secretary Brannan. As you also remember, we said some items in 

 the projection of the support price standard might be out of line be- 

 cause of factors which have occm-red in the last few years. I think on 

 the very first occasion of my appearance and many times subsequently 

 we indicated hogs were probably one of the items which was out of 

 adjustment because of a very short corn crop in 1947. Therefore, 

 we never talked in terms of actually $19 for hogs, and I do not think 

 the farmers would actually think in those terms. The bill we sent 

 up here contained language which would permit us to make arbitrary 

 adjustments in connection with corn-hog ratios or in ratios of as much 

 as 15 percent. So T would not be too apprehensive about the $19. 



Mr. Andresen. Has the trial program been approved by the Bureau 

 of the Budget? 



Secretary Brannan. I think you will have a letter very shortly 

 expressing their views, and I would rather not anticipate it, if I may. 



Mr. Andresen. Up to the present time, you do not loiow if they 

 have approved it? 



Secretary Brannan. We have discussed it with them orally, and 

 they were aware and consented to the bill having been sent up here. 



Mr. Andresen. Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. 



Mr. Pace. Just a few questions. Mr. Secretary, there are two 

 things I want to get your considered judgment on that have been 

 brought to my attention repeatedly. You touched on one of them 

 yesterday. 



