BRITISH POLICY ANNOUNCED

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24814, 2 March 1946, Page 3

BRITISH POLICY ANNOUNCED

GUARANTEED PRICES PROMISED PROMOTION OF EFFICIENT INDUSTRY Guaranteed prices for the principal agricultural products of the United Kingdom so that a healthy and efficient agriculture may be promoted were promised on behalf of the Government by Mr Tom Williams, Minister of Agriculture, in a recent speech in the House of Commons. The products he specially named were milk, livestock, eggs, cereals, potatoes, and sugar beet. . “The existing system of fixing prices for fat livestock, milk and eggs will be developed so as to cover the period after June, 1948, when the existing guarantees would otherwise cease to operate,” the Minister said. “These branches of food production entail advance breeding and other commitments for the farmer, and, in order to give the necessary continuous assurance of reasonable stability of price, the Government propose to institute a new system of overlapping four-year periods with biennial reviews. -For example, in February, 1946, minimum price levels will be considered and fixed for .the two-year period ending June, 1950, and in 1948 for the period July, 1950, to June, 1952. These minimum price levels will apply to milk, fat cattle, and fat sheep, for which guaranteed minimum prices have already been announced until June, 1948, and to fat pigs and eggs. Actual prices for all these products will continue to be fixed in advance for 12 monthly periods after each successive February review. Fixed Prices “All prices—minimum and actual—will be fixed with due regard to the need for the greatest possible efficiency and economy in methods of production. Account will also be taken of any modifications in the character of the agricultural output which may be necessary to meet changing national requirements. If it should become necessary to apply a quantitative limitation to any section of the assured home market, this would be announced 18 months before the harvest in the case of crops (i.e., after a February review), and at least two years in advance in the case of fat livestock, milk, and eggs (i.e., after a biennial review). “Thus farmers will always know the prices for cereals, potatoes, and sugar beet well before the time comes for sowing those crops. For fat livestock, milk, and eggs • they will know minimum prices three or four years in advance, and actual prices some three to 15 months in advance. In all cases they be given ample notice of any quantitative limitation which may be imposed on the assured market. “The actual method of affording to the farmer an assured market and a guaranteed price will be worked out for ?ach commodity, with due regard to the system to be adopted by the Government for the procurement, distribution, and sale of all those foods—-home-produced and imported—which play an important part in the nation’s diet. The .Minister for Food has already announced that detailed plans will be worked out by the Government, in consultation with the interests concerned, to give effect to this policy. Methods other than that of direct Government purchase (for example, the deficiency payment system of the Wheat Act) will not be. excluded. “As a corollary to the provision of this substantial measure of security of markets and stability of prices, the Government propose to take appropriate steps to ensure that agricultural land is not only properly farmed, but, properly managed and equipped and to promote improved efficiency in the production, marketing, and distribution of home food products. Free technical advice will be made available to agriculturists to improve their farming efficiency. In order to deal effectively with the minority of farmers and landowners who fail in the responsibilities attaching to the occupation and ownership of land, the Government propose to seek powers in permanent legislation to exercise certain necessary measures of control. Such farmers and landowners will be. subject to a period of supervision during which compulsory directions may be served, and in the last res.ort will be dispossessed if, after a reasonable period, it becomes evident that they are unable or unwilling to improve. There will, however, be a right to make representations to an independent tribunal before a tenancy is terminated by the Minister or an owner-occupier or landowner dispossessed. Acquisition of Lands “Powers will be sought to’enqble the Agricultural Ministers to acquire land by voluntary negotiation; or compulsorily in cases of dispossession or where public ownership is the only means of securing the full productive use of the land. “The Government propose to set up a Commission for the purpose of managing and developing for agricultural use land acquired under these powers in England and Wales. “Local bodies will be required to assist in the execution of this policy and to provide the industry with local leadership and guidance. Committees similar to the existing County War Agricultural Executive Committees will be constituted on a permanent basis. Their primary duty will be to promote efficiency, working for this purpose in close association with the National Advisory Service which it is intended to establish in England ajid Wales on October 1, 1946. They will act as the local agents of the Minister in the exercise of the proposed powers of control, and undertake certain executive services; they will also be responsible for the schemes already in existence fort the, training of former servicemen as skilled agricultural workers.

“The world food shortage is extremely serious. For the time being, therefore, compulsory directions to grow sugar beet and potatoes must be served and supervision exercised where necessary over the laying down of grass so that this process keeps in step with the anticipated increase in livestock, with the requirements of home-grown feedingstuffs. and with the continued need for a large tillage acreage. As the world shortage of food passes, the Government intend to leave farmers normally to grow the crops which their experience indicates are most suited to their own land.” The Minister promised that no step would be taken without full consultation with all organisations representing landowners, farmers, and workers, and appealed to the industry to attack its immediate problems with enthusiasm and confidence.