up to and including the crop year 1942, farm labor was scarce, 

 but the acreage per worker increased. The weatherman came 

 through with marvelous distribution of abundant moisture, 

 and yields rose 19 per cent. The net result was that the 

 dwindling supply of labor produced one third more food per 

 worker. 



TABLE 4. EFFECT OF WEATHER AND PRICE INCENTIVES 

 ON FOOD PRODUCTION 



To produce large amounts of food takes labor, incentives, 

 and weather. With the help of weather, a decreasing farm 

 population can produce an increasing supply if there is plenty 

 of incentive. 



Sales of Farms Do Not Threaten Production 



During the early part of 1943 the press publicized the 

 sharp increase in the number of auctions and of farms sold. 

 The usual explanation is a shortage of labor, and it is com- 

 monly believed that such sales mean decreased production. 



The most frequently publicized sales are those of large 

 farms with many hogs and cattle, employing several hired 

 hands. The liquidation of these large farms makes the head- 

 lines, but their number is small, and they play a minor role 

 in our agricultural production. When the operator of such 

 a farm decides to quit farming "because of the shortage of 



