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policy was one of scarcity, centering on the prevention or 

 elimination of surpluses. The nation tried to prevent sur- 

 pluses by restricting the acreage of wheat. Farmers were 

 penalized forty-nine cents per bushel for wheat produced in 

 excess of their quotas. We attempted to eliminate the surplus 

 wheat by the ever normal granary policy. This did not dis- 

 pose of the surplus, and the nation is now trying to get rid 

 of it by feeding it to livestock, a very effective but not an 

 advisable way. 



The nation restricted the acreage of cotton and thereby re- 

 duced the production of cottonseed oil, an important food 

 product. The nation reduced the acreage of corn, and thereby 

 restricted pork production. 



Policy Changed from Restriction to Expansion 



Formerly, the policy was to pay farmers not to produce 

 and subsidize to raise the price. Now the policy is to pay 

 farmers to produce and subsidize to prevent prices from 

 rising. 



During 1942 farmers were encouraged to plant more pea- 

 nuts and soybeans. The restriction policy on wheat was con- 

 tinued, and was not lifted until the spring of 1943. Acreage 

 restrictions on cotton have not yet been relaxed. After the 

 farmers have met their quota of war crops and complied with 

 soil-conservation practices, they can increase their acreage of 

 corn if they have the acres. 



Formerly our national policy was to control the acreage 

 of important crops and permit prices to fluctuate. During 

 1943 our policy was to let the farmers plant crops of their 

 own choosing, but rigidly regiment the prices. Formerly the 

 fluctuating prices were not permitted to guide production. 

 Now production is guided by a guided price. 



The controlled-scarcity policy has grudgingly become a 

 controlled-expansion program. Those who once sponsored the 



