( 78 ) 



Therefore continued increase in the amounts of highly 

 prized foods produced from a unit of feed awaits the genet- 

 icist and the commercial breeder; the nutritionist and the 

 commercial feeder; and the plant breeder and the commer- 

 cial seedsmen. Undoubtedly, over the next quarter of a cen- 

 tury, progress will continue to be made. But the changes will 

 be slow and gradual and the chances of any significant in- 

 creases in our food supplies from this source during the next 

 year or two are small. 



First We Discouraged, Then We Encouraged Production 



Our changing policy concerning the production of crops 

 has been accompanied by a changing livestock policy. In 1933 

 the nation slaughtered millions of pigs to keep them off the 

 market. During the latter part of the thirties the nation cur- 

 tailed the expansion of livestock by locking up grain under 

 the ever normal granary policy. Recently this policy has 

 given way to a program of all-out livestock expansion, with 

 particular emphasis on pork production, frowned on a dec- 

 ade ago. It is questionable whether the economic interests 

 of the nation have changed in proportion to these changes 

 in policy, as the impending liquidation of livestock will in- 

 dicate. 



Not only has it been patriotic to expand livestock produc- 

 tion, but it has been profitable as well. High prices have been 

 paid for livestock products, and grain prices have been kept 

 at relatively low levels to encourage livestock production. 

 In 1942 the expansion policy of the government coincided 

 with the expansion policy of nature, and the government con- 

 gratulated itself upon its success. 



Since hogs are condensers of food, the slaughter of pigs 

 during the early thirties piled up food at a time when it was 

 generally believed there was a surplus. The recent expansion 

 of numbers of hogs, on the other hand, has reduced food sup- 



