AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



Operation of the Agricultural Conservation Program 



The work this year has Ijeen directed toward postwar conservation 

 programs, with particular emphasis on improvements necessary for the 

 development of resources on commercial dairy farms such as preparing 

 fields for efhcient tractor operation, and rearranging, remodeling, or build- 

 ing new structures to insure effective use of labor in the handling of the 

 dairy herd. 



As a case study, a farm which is typical of a group of farms was re- 

 planned on the basis of anticipated postwar conditions. The changes re- 

 quired to raise the farm from 18 to 30 cow-capacity were studied. Pre- 

 viously, plans had been made for this farm on the basis of 20 cows ; but 

 the operator now believes that with the more general use of tractor power 

 and better chore practices, he should eventually have a 30-cow farm. To 

 develop field and pasture capacity for 30 cows, to prepare the fields for 

 efficient tractor power, and to make efficient utilization of labor in chores, 

 the following program would be required : 



(1) Continuation and intensification of crop improvement practices 

 on both crop and pasture land in order to raise the per acre 

 yields and carrying capacity 



(2) Conversion of 18 acres of present improved pasture land to crop 

 land, requiring removal of some large rocks on land that was 

 formerly tilled 



(3) Clearing and improvement of 28 acres of present Inrush, timber, 

 and permanent pasture land, and conversion to improved 

 pasture 



(4) Removal of 104 rods of stone fence 



(5) Construction of 64 rods of diversion ditches 



(6) Rearrangement and remodeling of barn, and building a new 

 stable for 30 cows 



(7) The construction of additional silo capacity 



It is not anticipated that this operator can quickly carry out all of 

 these improvements, but their attainment would result in an efficient 30- 

 cow farm. 



The list does not indicate that there are postwar improvements re- 

 quired on dairy farms in building agricultural resources and placing indi- 

 vidual farmers in a position to produce efficiently. 



H. C. Wood WORTH 



The Supply and Distribution of New Hampshire Milk 



The survey of milk transportation was completed during the year. 

 The data are registered on a series of 20 maps and on a series of reference 

 cards. Both maps and cards are on file in the Department of Agricultural 

 Economics. Duplicate copies of the maps have been made available to the 

 ODT and dairy transportation committees. 



The maps show the location of each producer selling wholesale milk, 

 the truck route hauling each producer's milk, and the market destination. 

 The cards, one for each route, indicate detailed data concerning the travel 

 and volume of milk hauled. 



