Morse, True D.

English

Research Papers in Economics

The  Low-Income  Farm  Problem
By True D. Morse
One  of  the  great  opportunities  in  America  today  is  to  improve
the stability  and welfare  of low-income  farm families.  This segment
of  agriculture  has  been  sadly neglected.
President  Eisenhower  must  have  jolted  thinking  people  in Jan-
uary  1954 when  he told  Congress:
. . . The  chief beneficiaries  of our price-support  policies have been the
2 million larger,  highly mechanized farming units which produce  about  85
percent of our agricultural  output.
The individual  production  of the  remaining  farms,  numbering  about
3.5 million  is so  small that the farmer derives  little benefit  from  price sup-
ports  ....
He asked that special attention  be given to the problems  peculiar
to  small  farmers.
"Development  of  Agriculture's  Human  Resources"  was  the title
of the resulting  report and recommendations.  The report recognizes
that  more  is at stake  than  income  and  levels  of  living  in  economic
terms.  When  incomes  are  low  over  a  long  period,  participation
in  the civil  and religious  life  of  the  community  diminishes.  People
are our  most vital  resource.
The  interest  being  shown  in  the  new  Rural  Development  Pro-
gram  is  extremely  encouraging.  We  know of meetings  and activities
in at least half of the 48 states,  and work is being conducted in other
states  and local  communities.
There  is a  new determination  to be of more  help  to low-income
farm  families.  All  who  are truly  concerned  with  farm  families  and
progress  for  rural  America  can  now support  this program  to  speed
aid to farm  families who need it most.
Low-income  problems  of  farm  families  must  be  attacked  on  a
broad  front.
1.  FARM  INCOMES  must  be  increased.  The  soil  must  be  made
more  productive  by building  up  its  fertility.  More  and  better  live-
stock and poultry are needed.
This  increased  productivity  will  pay  off in  many ways:  reduced
family  living  costs,  better  nourished  families  with  stronger  bodies
and improved health, and more cash income.
2.  MORE  EFFICIENT  SIZED  FARMS  will  often  be  needed.
1013.  FARM  TIMBER  is  a neglected  opportunity on most  low-income
farms.  In  many communities  half  or more  of  the land  is  in  timber,
producing  very  little  income.  Land  should  be  put  to  its  most  con-
structive  use-farmers  cannot  afford  to  have  it  otherwise.
4.  CREDIT  NEEDS  FOR  SMALL  FARMERS  AND  PART-TIME  FARMERS
must  be  met.  Private  lenders  can  help.  Public  agencies  are  seeking
needed  legislation  and  funds.
5.  INDUSTRIAL  EXPANSION  is  needed  in  areas  of  underemployed
rural  people.  This will  receive  increased  encouragement  in  the  in-
terest of national defense and greater industrial strength and stability.
A national policy  for industrial  dispersion  as  a  defense  measure  was
announced  as  far  back  as  1951.
Industrial expansion  will increase  where people can  live on small
farms and work full time or part time in factories.  It is an open door
of opportunity  for low-income  areas.
6.  MORE  ADEQUATE  VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  is  needed  for  young
people.  A  higher  level  of  skill  and  technical  ability  is  urgently
needed  for our rapidly developing industrial  era - for farms,  indus-
try,  and  defense.  About  half  of  the  young people  from  low-income
farm  families  leave the  farms  to work  in offices  and  factories,  and  to
assume leadership  throughout  the  United  States.
Developing  the  human  resources  of  our  rural  areas  will  bring
more  prosperity  to  members  of  the  families  living  on  low-income
farms.
7.  JOB  OPPORTUNITIES  must be  made known  to more  low-income
farm  families.  Often  these opportunities  are in  agriculture  - either
seasonal  or full-time  employment.
8.  HEALTH  AND  NUTRITIONAL  NEEDS  must  be  more  adequately
met.  This  is  especially  important  for  young  people.  Whether  the
young  people  remain  on  the farm  or go  to our cities  and industrial
centers,  too  often their health  has  been impaired  because  their diets
were  inadequate,  or because  they  grew  up  where  there  were  no,  or
too  few, doctors,  dentists,  and clinics.
9.  CHARACTER,  MORALS,  AND  RELIGIOUS  QUALITY  of  our  future
workers and leadership must be strengthened.  The rural churches in
numerous  communities  are weak  and  neglected.  Unless  our  future
citizens  receive  religious training as  children and young  people, they
are not  likely  to become  strong moral  leaders  as  they  grow older  or
move  to  cities.  The churches  have  a  big job  in  this  total  program.
10.  COMMUNITY  AND  TRADE  AREA  DEVELOPMENT  PROGRAMS  have
102already  pointed  the way  to greater  farm  prosperity  and better  living
in many areas.  They stand as  monuments  to strong and constructive
local  leadership.
Aggressive  farm,  business,  civic,  and  other leadership  must  team
up  in local  efforts  to aid in  increasing  the  incomes  of  small  farmers
and raising their educational  and living standards.
In this  program  the accent  is  on youth.  Many of  these  problems
can  be  solved  only  between  generations.  The  young  people  have
their lives ahead of them.  They  learn more readily.  Their pattern of
values  has  not yet  been  fixed.  They can  make  changes  with  less dis-
rupting  effect  upon  their  lives,  the  lives  of  others,  and  the  com-
munity,  than  is  the  case  with  older  people.
Low-income  farmers  are  found  in  every  state.  Part-time  farmers
are  in  every  agricultural  area  and  are  an  important  and  growing
factor  in both our rural  and industrial  development.
About  four  out  of  five  of  our  nation's  leaders  throughout  its
history  have  come  from  a  rural  environment.  We  must not  fail  to
develop  the  human  resources  of  our  rural  areas.
Senator 'eorge  D.  Aiken  in  discussing  the  new  program  before
Congress  said:
We  have  known  for  years  that  we  should  inaugurate  and  expand  a
program directed  to the plight  of low-income  rural people....
It will  make  a  stronger  America  if these  low-income  farm  people  be-
come  more  independent,  if more  of them  can have  higher  education,  if  all
of them can have  better health  ....
Our  goal,  Mr.  President,  should  be  complete  victory  over  rural
poverty  ....
103

THE LOW-INCOME FARM PROBLEM

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Research Papers in Economics