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<br />, <br /> <br />DON C. McCAIN <br /> <br />Farmers are disappointed and upset, and I don't bl~me them. To say that I have been disap- <br />pointed over this combined assault of falling prices and rising costs understates the case. <br /> <br />But in this winter of our discontent, I hope that farmers will stop, look and think about the <br />problem most carefully. Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. There is no reason to des- <br />troy farm programs because of a temporary setback. If we, allow our anger over prices to undermine <br />our confidence in farm programs we could well lose them, something that would mean catastrophe <br />for farmers and a severe setback for the Nation as a whole.. <br /> <br />In 1967 turndown in income was triggered by natural events that no one could have antici- <br />pated or controlled. It happened in spite of, not because of, farm programs. Without these programs <br />and other corrective actions taken during 1966 and 1967 the current slump would have been much <br />worse than it actually was." <br /> <br />He then went on to blame world weather conditions for a surplus of wheat, feed grains and <br />soybeans. <br /> <br />I submit that he as head of a large corporation making such a'report to the directors and/or <br />stockholders would be fired for lack of business acumen. <br /> <br />He also suggested that farm debt be used more - - it has, it has gone up 83% since 1960. It has <br />carried those farmers that still survive and the purpose of talk by the V.S.DA. and others of Non-farm <br />corporations and capitalization and stock sales of farm assets is to carry the "Cheap Food Policy" <br />subsidation past the point of personal debt capacity. <br /> <br />His answer to whether the nation was operating under a "Cheap Food Policy" was a m,aster- <br />piece - - he inferred not - - or they wouldn't be giving government payments to the farmer. <br /> <br />The farmer in his every day bureaucratic crisis is not being as well represented as labor and <br />others. History records his lost battles to the Departments of Employment, Labor, Immigration and <br />others. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />About these things, he is too big to cry but it hurts too much to laugh. He epitomizes his <br />plight by referring to Willard Wirtz as Secretary For L~bor and to Orville Freeman as Secretary <br />Against Agriculture. <br /> <br />Are there any solutions - - there has to be or the nation is to totally suffer. Is there a "National <br />Cheap Food Policy" - - that question has to be answered an.d put to the people. <br /> <br />A Parity ratio of 74 and a price-cost squeeze ha$ to be reversed. The national image of the <br />farmer to the nation, his importance, his economic "multiplier effect" to the national economy has to <br />be put into proper perspective. <br /> <br />As a small scared desert farmer, I would propose:: 1. That the farmer move actively into the <br />marketing field assuming nothing and striving to learn aUJ This to be done by Commodity groups un- <br />der present marketing agreements. And where needed to further this, new marketing laws be imple- <br />mented. <br /> <br />Here Secretary Freeman could be tested as to his d.esire to see us strong in the marketing field. <br />Heaven help us if he isn't in our corner. <br /> <br />Story of the Prophet: Now it came to pass, a greatiprophet once addressed a herd of donkeys. <br />"What would a donkey require for a three-day journey", and they answered, "Six bundles of hay and <br />three bags of dates." , <br /> <br />"That sounds like a fair price, but I have for only one of you a three-day journey and I cannot <br />! <br /> <br />-24- <br />