It is in fact life insurance-$2.50 per year for each man, woman, and child.

In this country, to have that terrible surplus-I call it life insurance. I do not think that $2.50 is very much money for a person's life. That is what is actually his life insurance.

Total cost 1932-1954, $8,469,000,000.

Let us divide the storable surplus among the States in storage depots, thus having it ready locally, for any emergency, be it flood, fire, or atomic disaster.

Right here in Vermont in the year 1816-froze to death; there was total crop failure. Snow all summer on north slopes. This could happen again, not only in Vermont, but in other important crop areas as well.

We must strike to enlarge our foreign markets and at the same time purchase some of their goods, which may at first hurt a few, but will in the end be of lasting benefit to all.

We must see that the school lunch milk program is continued even after our surplus foods problems vanish.

Our surplus is an ace in the hole in our dealings with Russia, and I dread to think of the situation in reverse.

We must get our surplus foods into the hands of the ill fed and for the life of me I do not see how world trade can be disrupted if food is supplied to those who are unable to buy.

It was some 2,000 years ago on the shores of Galilee that One called Jesus fed the 5,000, He did not say, "Will this hurt world trade or the merchants in Jerusalem?" No. The people were hungry and He fed them. Are we any better than He?

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, sir.

Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to say that the committee was very glad to come here to the New England States. We wish to say that you were most courteous to us. As a matter of fact, I think that we got as fine treatment or maybe better treatment here than we received in many places that we visited. You have been very kind to us.

I wish to take occasion to thank in particular those who assisted in arranging this meeting and I wish to say that among those was your commissioner, Commissioner Towne, and your State senator, Donald Smith, Jr., and Mr. Henry Stafford, and many others.

I hope that from the wealth of information that you have given us today, and that which we will receive tomorrow in New York and other States of the Union, we will be in a position to write a bill that will be of good service to the farmers of the country and will try to put them back on their feet.

Senator AIKEN. I would like the record to show that Congressman Prouty has been sitting with us here all day very patiently, refraining from asking questions because he knew that there was not sufficient time for all of those who wished to participate.

The CHAIRMAN. We appreciate his being here.

Mr. PROUTY. I appreciate the opportunity to be here.

The CHAIRMAN. If there is nothing further, the committee will now stand in recess, to meet tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock in Utica, N. Y. (Whereupon, at 6 p. m., the committee recessed, to reconvene the following day, Saturday, November 19, 1955, at 9 a.m., in Utica, N. Y.)

64440-56-pt. 7—11

(Additional statements filed for the record are as follows:)

STATEMENT FILED BY MRS. DORIS RICHMOND, EAST CHARLOTTE, VT.

I am Mrs. Doris Richmond, of East Charlotte, Vt. I have been a dairy farmer's wife for nearly 18 years. The independence we have had so far has made privation more bearable.

You Senators, as citizens of our loved country, well know that every bill passed restricts that independence.

I plead that you influence others to stop playing cat-and-mouse politics with us and place the responsibility for our future well-being back in the hands of the farmers where it belongs.

Every move so far is one step nearer to making us serfs of the Government. Our sons no longer wish to farm, a trend which may well be disastrous in the future.

I firmly believe two schools are needed and should be farmer organized and supported: One, a trade school for marginal farmers; one, a school to educate all farmers to the perils of blindly paying dues to any so-called farmer representation group, and to educate them to understand all problems concerning milk, all the way to the consumer.

A knowledge of farming is not enough.

A knowledge that a quality product is the only way to keep our market.

An educated, independent farmer is a bulwark against the poison taint of subsidies, handouts, and giveaway programs that are creeping over the earth today.

I thank you.

STATEMENT FILED BY PAUL HELLER, SECRETARY, ARTIFICIAL BREEDING COUNCIL OF NEW ENGLAND

Progressive dairy farmers feel that they can best improve their economic situation by finding and developing more efficient ways to produce their commodities. Two extremely practical methods of achieving this goal are (1) reducing losses due to ravages of disease, and (2) by more rapid improvement of the productive inheritance of their herds through more liberal use of known herdimproving dairy bulls. There are now underway at several experiment stations in New England, research projects aimed at accomplishing these objectives.

Specifically, one research project is being conducted in the field of diagnosis and treatment of vibriosis, a disease that is of great economic importance as far as breeding efficiency and production efficiency can be considered to influence the income of dairy farmers. Work in this category is being done at the agricultural experiment station at the University of Connecticut. Members of the research committee of the Artificial Breeding Council of New England feel that the sooner information becomes available relative to the most effective methods of diagnosing and controlling this disease, the quicker dairy farmers will be able to eliminate losses to their income from this ominous source.

There are underway at the agricultural experiment station at the University of Maine studies designed to develop means for more practical and widespread use of outstanding proved sires through the use of frozen semen. Here again the sooner that it can be shown that there are ways of expanding the use of great sires through conservation and longtime storage of semen, the sooner progressive dairymen will be able to take advantage of this media to improve the inheritance of their herds and flocks, for increased and more efficient production. With respect to the two categories of research mentioned previously, i. e., control of vibriosis and development of frozen semen use, the research committee and the directors of the Artificial Breeding Council of New England feel and urge that the Agricultural Committee conducting hearings at Montpelier, Vt., on November 18, 1955, should consider favorably the possibility of expending funds for facilities, equipment, and personnel in furtherance of the research projects described. It is a lot less expensive to find ways for producers to be able to earn a satisfactory income by employing more efficient methods than to assist them to continue in business by financial aid from sources other than normal marketing channels. Promoting the welfare of an industry by this manner is entirely American. It is also basic, sound, and progressive in terms of what is needed for a healthy, self-sustaining agricultural economy.

STATEMENT FILED BY CLIFTON CHADWICK, RANDOLPH CENTER, VT.

My name is Clifton Chadwick, of Randolph Center, Vt. I own a poultry farm which I have operated for 35 years. I am also president of the Vermont Poultry Association. Speaking for myself and in behalf of the poultrymen of Vermont, I would like to heartily support and endorse the statement just made by George Angevine. I believe that the present administration's policy, as carried out by Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Benson, is sound and should be commended. Its program of flexible supports with the aim of doing away with them altogether as soon as possible is, I believe, sound and right. I don't feel that supports are the answer to any commodity group's problems. I believe that the Government can be of much more help in the fields of education and research, things that the farmer cannot do for himself. This program will be less expensive to the taxpayer and do him much more good. Thank you.

PRICE-SUPPORT PROGRAM

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1955

UNITED STATES SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY,

Utica, N. Y. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9 a. m., in the ballroom of the Hamilton Hotel, Utica, N. Y., Senator Allen J. Ellender (chairman) presiding.

Present: Senators Ellender (chairman), Holland, and Aiken. Also present: Senator Ives of New York.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order.

I wish to say that the committee is very glad to be here in Utica this morning, and we hope to give every witness who desires to be heard an opportunity to speak. We kept Utica for dessert, which happens to be the last place that we will hold hearings. We have been on the road now since October 23. We have gathered quite a lot of very valuable information which we hope will lead the way to a good farm bill to be enacted in the early part of next year.

I wish to say when the first witnesses come up we may ask quite a few questions in order to point up the problems. And I further wish to add, do not judge by the questions we ask how we feel about the matter. We usually take a negative if you take the affirmative, or vice versa, in order to get all of the facts to make a good, complete record.

I am also going to ask the witnesses to kindly listen to all the witnesses who appear before they do and let us try to eliminate all duplication. I want you to be attentive, as I know you will, and let us try to make a good record, one that will be read by the other Senators who do not happen to be here, and one that we can present to the Congress when we meet in January.

I wish to place in the record at this point a statement from Mr. Fred C. Smith, executive secretary of Congressman William R. Williams, who represents the 34th New York Congressional District. He is now on a tour with a dairy subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee holding hearings somewhere in Wisconsin.

(The statement is as follows:)

Congressman William R. Williams, who represents this 34th New York Congressional District, regrets that he is unable to attend this hearing in his own district today. The Dairy Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee, of which he is a member, is holding a series of hearings this week in Wisconsin and Minnesota with final sessions today.

The Congressman has delegated me to attend the hearing in his behalf and report the proceedings to him.

The CHAIRMAN. The first witness scheduled for this morning is Mr. Frank B. Lent. Give your full name for the record and your occupation.

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