1920.] Speech by Minister of Agriculture. 323 



frequently indulged in, that the farmer to-day is not being 

 asked to grow wheat at 68s. a quarter. I have read several 

 such criticisms in the last few days : " What is the use of the 

 Government asking us to grow wheat to-day at 68s. a 

 quarter ? " The answer is that we arc not asking the farmer 

 to do anything of the kind. The 68s. was the figure calculated 

 as a starting point in 1919 by the Royal Commission and 

 referred to conditions which are now past. The minimum 

 price which the farmer will receive in any event for his wheat 

 will be calculated on a sliding scale starting from the 68s. It 

 will either go up if the cost of production increases, or go 

 down if the cost of production falls below the point at which 

 it was when that 68s. was calculated in 1919. You may ask 

 me : " What is the equivalent to that 68s. to-day ? " As 

 you know from the Bill, the guarantees do not come 

 into force till next year ; but we have made calculations as 

 to what would be the comparative figure to-day, if the guaran- 

 tees were in force, and we are of opinion — although I must 

 not anticipate the work of the Commissioners — that the 

 equivalent figure to-day would be between 80s. and 85s. Next 

 year it will probably be higher. That, if the guarantees were 

 in operation this year, would be the minimum price which the 

 farmer could possibly receive. But above that we give him 

 in connection with these guarantees, for the crop of next year, 

 the equivalent of the free play of the market. (Hear, hear.) 

 At whatever price imported wheat comes into this country 

 the farmer will get the equivalent of that price for his wheat 

 harvested in 1921, instead of being tied down, as he has been 

 recently, to a controlled maximum. What the average world 

 price will be for wheat harvested next year I cannot foretell. 

 The Food Controller has suggested that it may go as high as 

 140S. In the interests of the community I hope it will not, 

 but it seems almost certain that the price will be well above 

 the average of loos. at which it stands to-day. Surely then, 

 if the farmer is protected on the one hand against serious 

 loss, if he grows wheat, by a minimum price which to-day could 

 not be less than 80s., and, on the other hand, he is to have the 

 chance of making his profit up to the average world's price, 

 then I venture to say he is being given not merely what he 

 is entitled to. but everything that he has asked for through 

 any of his responsible representatives. That being so, I 

 have no doubt myself, and I am glad to learn in discussing 

 it with leaders of agricultural opinion that they have no doubt, 

 that this inducement will prove sufficient to bring about 



