WASHINGTON, D.C. - The
government’s payment-m-kind
program (PIK) of acreage
reduction has been labelled as
good for the nation's farmers
before a Senate’s small business
subcommittee hearing, but one
farm supply spokesman said:
“The corresponding devastation
and sacrifices of the agricultural
services and supply industry will
be a high price to pay for the
program’s success.”
In testimony before the family
farm subcommittee of the Senate
Small Business Committee, Alvin
E. McQuinn, chief executive of
ficer, AgChem Equipment Co.,
Minneapolis, echoed statements by
two other members of The Fer
tilizer Institute, the industry
association invited to the hearing.
McQumn, Charles F. Crawford,
president. Green Prairie Co.,
Brookston, Ind., and Barney A.
Tucker, chairman and chief
executive officer, Top Yield In
dustries, Lexington, Ky. em
phasized the depth of economic
impact dealt by the heavy removal
of crop acres under the PIK
program.
Crawford said Fall 1982 fertilizer
sales were down 40 percent from
Fall 1981 in his area, and Spring
1983 sales may end up as much as
35 percent below 1982. The three
individuals emphasized that such
decreases in business to farm
support industries - seed, farm
equipment, fuel, ag chemicals - as
well as fertilizers had pushed
many of these small businesses to
the brink of bankruptcy. According
to McQumn: "It was reported by
ABC network . . . that there have
been more farm foreclosures and
related agribusiness bankruptcies
this year than in any tune since the
Great Depression.”
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Agribusiness stresses PIK impact
The final blow to many farm
supply-related businesses this
spring was the misleadingly low
figures on acreage reduction
earlier indicated under the PIK
program by USDA and the late
acceptance of “whole base bids”
which removed up to 45 percent of
crop acres in some counties, the
industry representatives said. "By
the time the final word from USDA
on acreage committed was
released by USDA March 22, 65
percent of our fertilizer year was
over,” said Crawford. “It was too
late for farm suppliers to make
changes in overhead and in
ventories.”
Tucker, whose business supplies
ABS gets Mr. Angus
DeFOKEST, Wise. American
Breeders Service has recently
acquired the breed’s leading bull,
Ken Caryl Mr. Angus, from
Premier Angus, Howell, Mich.
Over the last few years, Mr.
Angus has sired a combination of
more show winners and test station
leaders than any other bull in the
breed. His offspring include the
following:
-The 1983 Grand Champion
Angus bull at the National Western
Stock Show in Denver.
-The 1982 All American Futurity
and National Western Futurity
Grand Champion bull.
-The 1982 and 1983 Grand
Champion bull at the Western
National Angus Futurity Show in
Reno, Nevada.
—Three Reserve Grand
Champions at Denver in 1981 and
1982.
-Twenty Grand Champion Bull
,/y
retailers, noted that at least nine
months lead tune is needed for
inventory planning. “By the tune
the magnitude of PIK was known,
support pipelines were full down to
and including farm storage of
seeds, fertilizers and crop
chemicals.” The effect on pricing
and supplier cost of the large,
unsold inventories is over
whelming, he indicated for the
local farm suppliers.
Although critical of PIK plan
ning and announcements, all three
of . the Fertilizer Institute
representatives affirmed their
belief that the accelerated acreage
reduction program was helpful to
and Female awards at major
shows in 1981 and 1982.
-Thirteen first place Get-of-Sire
awards at nine major shows in 1981
and 1982.
-The No. 1 bull at the 1983
Midland Bull test.
-The top-indexing bull at the
1983 Treasure State Test, Great
Falls, Montana.
-The top-indexing bull at the
1983 Nebraska test station,
Ogallala, Nebraska.
Mr. Angus and his sons also sired
six champions, twelve class
winners, eight second prize win
ners and five of the best six head at
this year’s Western National.
A three time Denver Champion
himself, Mr. Angus is 62 inches at
the tup and weighs more than 2,700
pounds.
He excels in almost every trait
on the Angus Sire Summary -
Yearling Weight EPD is +76.8,
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fanners. In fact, McQumn said,
“The PIK Program by chance, not
design, may be doing more good
than it will get credit for.” A cold,
wet spring in many prime
agricultural areas, with flooding
and farming delays, will prevent
some cropping altogether. Had
1983 been a full production year, he
suggested - and the PIK program
had not been in force - "there
might have been widespread
disaster. . . for both farmer and
supplier.” He added, however,
"’fills does not justify repeating
the plan.”
The fertilizer industry
representatives urged at least
three actions should a PIK-style
Weamng Weight is +43.0, Birth
Weight is +7.1 and Maternal
Breeding Value is 100.
Cattlemen interested in using 29
AN1357 Mr. Angus can order
semen from ABS at $25.00 per
«iraw Vou can also obtain Mr.
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plan be continued, or resumed in
the future:
1. Announce the plan early,
before fall planting - early June
for wheat; early August for feed
grain programs.
2. Eliminate taking of “whole
base bids”, where government
compensates fanners who bid to
take out of production all of then
acres of given crops.
3. Make available low-cost,
government loans through the
Small Business Administration to
those farm supply industries
heavily hit by the effects of the PIK
program, or similar government
farm programs.
Angus certificates from ABS at
$35.00 each. For more information
on Mr. Angus, contact your local
ABS representative or American
Breeders Service, P.O. Box 459,
DeForest, W 153532, (608; 846-3721.
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