TIGHT SQUEEZE- 



IN FARM SUPPUES 

 1945 BY WFA OFFIQAL 

 AS RESULT OF MILITARY NEEDS 



^^I 



T IS clear now that we're in for a 

 tight squeeze." 

 These are the words of Frederic N. 

 Northrup, director, office of materials, 

 and facilities,- WFA, in addressing the 

 National Committee for Farm Production 

 Supplies in Chicago, Jan. 9. on the farm 

 supply picture for 1945. 



Here are some of the highlights of the 

 picture drawn by Northrup in his first 

 public statement since the Germans 

 started their big counter offensive in De- 

 cember. 



"Machinery is not coining off 

 the lines as fast as most informed 

 f>eopIe expected. . . At last re- 

 port, tractor produaion was ap- 

 proximately up to schedule. Spring . 

 tools and some other items requir- 

 ing heavy use of castings were run- 

 ning behind schedule. Farm ma- 

 chinery in general — with the ex- 

 ception of tractors — was running 

 20 to 25 per cent behind schedule. 

 "A lag of this proportion, coincident 

 with a demand increased by the tighten- 

 ing farm labor supply, may mean a ser- 

 ious pinch on farm machinery this year. . . 

 The wise farmer will check over and re- 

 pair every old machine he can possibly 

 keep in operation. . . 



"Transportation problems will un- 

 doubtedly reach a new peak. ODT. 

 which is the claimant agency for trucks, 

 recently pointed out that the approved 

 truck production program will provide 

 less than a fourth of the new trucks 

 that are estimated to be essential. 



"Production of light trucks, which 

 are especially important to farmers, is 

 authorized at about 12 per cent of 

 ODT's estimated requirement. 



"The shortage of heavy truck tires 

 will also handicap our transportation 

 of farm commodities. We'll probably 

 get some more surplus Army trucks, but 

 we can't predict or count on any par- 

 ticular number." 



. . ."Manufacturers are turning out 

 another big supply of parts, and there 

 should be enough to go around. 



. . ."This year we're starting to take 

 up the lag on some of the planting, fer- 

 tilizing and tillage equipment — such 

 items as corn and cotton planters, listers, 

 potato planters, beet and bean drills, 

 endgate seeders, fertilizer distributors, 

 tractor plows and cultivators, disc har- 

 rows, walking cultivators, and rotary 

 hoes. 

 . . ."Labor-saving machines for har- 



vesting and haying are still recognized as 

 our greatest need, but the planting, fer- 

 tilizing, and tillage equipment I men- 

 tioned will take a bigger share of the 

 authorized material than in our pa,st pro- 

 gram. 



"As to tractors: Last year we got 

 around 180,000 wheel tractors, including 

 30,000 through the carryover authoriza- 

 tion. This year, as the situation looks 

 now, we'll get between 150 and 160 

 thousand. 



. . ."This year's program is 

 about the same as last year's pro- 

 gram, but less than last year's total 

 production. Labor-saving machin- 

 ery is again emphasized. But pro- 

 duction of many items is running 

 consideraby behind schedule. Care, 

 share and repair will be essential 

 once again. 



. . ."We'll probably have enough gas- 

 oline for farm work, as in the past year. 

 "Lumber, though now critically short, 

 is not causing as big a problem in agri- 

 culture as we anticipated, possibly be- 

 cause farmers have so little time to do 

 construction and maintenance work. 



"Farmers can now go to the county 

 AAA committees and get certificates for 

 lumber to be used in urgently needed re- 

 pair and maintenance of farm dwellings, 

 just as they now get certificates for lum- 

 ber to be used on other farm buildings. 

 We expect about as much metal roof- 

 ing and siding as in 1944. 



"Copper wire is getting a little 

 tighter but the shortage of transform- 

 ers may continue to limit the demand 

 for wire. 



"Electric motors of fractional horse- 

 power — about the same as in 1944. 



"At least as many hand tools are in 

 prospect as 1944. Manufacturers of 

 fence w'ire and netting are authorized to 

 produce at a greater rate than their pre- 

 war rate. As to nails, staples, bale ties, 

 and pipe — no shortage exjsected. 



"Farm chain of most types is ex- 

 pected to be adequate for essential 

 needs. 



"Ammunition supplies will be tighter 

 but further step)S are planned to assure 

 supplies to farmers for the control of 

 predator>' animals and birds. 



"Binder twine quality will impro\e 

 in 1945 and supplies will be adequate. 

 Rope will continue to lack something of 

 meeting prewar qualit)'. 



"We'll have fewer milk cans but 

 probably enough to meet farmers' 

 .needs. 



'We'll continue to battle shortages of 

 wooden containers. Our only hope of 

 having enough containers is to re-use 

 ever}' second-hand container that can be 

 re-used. 



. . . "One of the most troublesome re- 

 sults of the fabric shortage will be the 

 scarcity of agricultural bags. 



"On insecticides and fungicides — 

 we'll have about the same short supply 

 of rotenone as last year. We'll have 

 very little p>yrethrum. If we have severe 

 infestation of bugs whose control calls 

 for nicotine, we may run quite short of 

 nicotine. . . 



"On fertilizers — prospects for nitro- 

 gen and superphosphate have been going 

 down due to military demands for some 

 of the materials used in fertilizer pro- 

 duction. Of course we exjject to have 

 more nitrogen and superphosphate than 

 we used in the prewar years of 1935-39 

 — 60 per cent more nitrogen and 54 p)er 

 cent more super. But we'll have perhaps 

 10 per cent less nitrogen and 7 per cent 

 less super than we had last year. 



"Potash is better. We'll have nearly 

 twice as much as used in the years just 

 before the war and 20 per cent more than 

 last year. That brings out total supply 

 of commercial plant food to about the 

 same tonnage as last year. But the ton- 

 nage of approved grades high in nitrogen 

 will be lower. 



"We'll have less superphosphate for 



straight use. The approved grades high 

 in potash contest should be more abun- 

 dant. Taking early delivery improves 

 the chance of meeting farm requirements 

 as fully as supplies of all these supplies 

 permit." 



Crop Goals 



Final agricultural production goals 

 for 1945, as announced by War Food 

 Administrator Mar\in Jones, call for con- 

 tinued full production. The final na- 

 tional goals represent the total of state 

 goals recommended by farmers, farm 

 leaders, and state agricultural officials. 



Crop acreage goals call for production 

 above the high le\els of 1944. For flax- 

 seed, sugar beets, and cover crop seeds, 

 the goals have been materially increased 

 over 1944. 



Moderate increases over 1944 acreage 

 are shown for dry beans, pnjtatoes, and 

 tobacco. The goals for legume hay seeds 

 and for soybeans are maintained at the 

 record 1944 levels. 



FEBRUARY. 1945 



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