—Lancaster Farming. Saturday, Nov. 20, 1976
36
Penn State economist suggests policy
to deal
UNIVERSITY PARK,
Pa.—Legislation in 1977
could complete the con
version of farm policy into a
more complete food and
farm policy, according to
George E. Brandow,
professor of agricultural
economics at The Penn
sylvania State University.
Since the 1973 act expires
next year. Congress will
have an opportunity to
renovate policy in light of the
changed food situation in
recent years, Brandow
points out.
Uncertainity as to what the
underlying food and
agricultural situation will be
in the future calls for a policy
capable of dealing with both
scarcity and surpluses,
Brandow observes.
He believes future con
sumers, advocates of food
aid for poor countries, and
other groups will take a
more active interest in
policy than in the 1950’s and
1960’s when surpluses
seemed assured. Now either
scarcity or surplus—or
fluctuation between them
during the next decade—is
possible, he says.
Now is the time
[ Continued from Page 10]
crttle feeders a windbreak
may be needed to prevent
the dry grain from blowing
away. Don’t allow expensive
feed to be wasted.
TO BEWARE OF
MANURE PIT GASES
Some livestock producers
with liquid manure pits may
be cleaning out before winter
arrives. This can be a
dangerous time in relation to
poisonous gases in the pit. In
most cases the manure is
agitated before removal,
which may fill the pit, and
the building with dangerous
gases. We know of animals
that have suffocated over
such pits, and the gases
blamed on explosions. Also,
it is very dangerous to go
into an empty, or partly
empty pit, without a gas
mask. Good ventilation in
the pit, and in the building at
cleaning time, is very im
portant.
TO ORDER LIME
AND FERTILIZER
There are many ad
vantages to ordering lime
and fertilizer needs before
the end of the year.
However, a complete soil
Viewpoints
A nation’s character is
the sum of its splendid
deeds, they constitute one
common patrimony, the
nations inheritance They
awe foreign powers, they
arouse and animate our
own people
Henry Clay
with scarcity and surpluses
“Stocks likely to he
carried voluntarily by
producers and the trade will
not prevent substantial price
gyrations. Greater stability
can be achieved at ac
ceptable cost, but food
markets can not be insulated
from the effects of inflation
in the economy at large, or
from persistent scarcity or
surpluses should they
develop,” Brandow affirms.
Expansion of agricultural
markets abroad has become
a national as well as a far
mer concern because of oil
imports. - Botii market
growth and stability could be
encouraged. This might be
accomplished, he suggests,
by providing incentives for
forward sales
arrangements, by including
importers to carry in
ventories, and by
establishing priorities for
U.S. supplies in times of
serious shortages.
On food aid for poor
countries, the Penn State
economist suggests that the
U.S. has an opportunity “to
prepare others and ourselves
test is the place to start, and
this should be done before
the ground freezes. Good
farm planning includes
placing orders for supplies
and materials long before
they are needed. By ordering
early the grower is more
sure of getting exactly what
he wants, and in addition,
might benefit from price
reductions. Phosphorus and
potash can be spread on the
ground during the fall and
winter months with good
results. However, this is not
advised on steep slopes
without vegetative cover. A
good fertilizer program adds
to efficiency and maximum
yields; the time to start for
the 1977 season is now.
for dealing with a crunch
that may come with little
warning” through advance
arrangements tied to modest
commitments.
Food aid for poor families
in the U.S. by means of food
stamps and other devices is
now ■. established policy,
Brandow notes. Farmer
bargaining and marketing
orders can improve stability
and performance of'
markets, he says, but have
also been under attack as
price-raising devices. He
believes inflation and
revived interest in antitrust
policies will make the
distinction between farmer
bargaining and marketing
ordersmore important in the
future.
“Apparently, the U.S. can
support prices of feed grains,
wheat, and soybeans in
times of surplus at levels low
enough not to stimulate
production elsewhere but
high enough to be of -some
help to U.S. fanners,” the
Penn State farm marketing
analyst observes. He hastens
to add that high price sup
ports can cause great dif
ficulties.
Devices are now in place to
deal with- surpluses, he
notes, although the target
prices introduced m the 1973
Agriculture and Consumer
Protection Act may prove
less workable than supplied.
In Brandow’s opinion, some
technical changes to update
old provisions of law are
badly needed.
And he indicates that
devices to stimulate food
production by long range
subsidies do not seem ad
visable now. But an
adequate food supply is
sufficiently in doubt, he
contends, to justify
assurance of tolerable prices
to farmers, to set reserve
stock goals at generous
levels, and to push research
on agricultural technology,
new foods, and nutrition.
“A little too much food will
be a lot easier to live with
than a little too little,” he
concludes.
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