FARMING IN BRITAIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20141, 10 January 1940, Page 9

FARMING IN BRITAIN

MEETING WAR DEMAND WONDERFUL RESPONSE REHABILITATION PLAN (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Jan. 8. A -tribute to the farmers’ determination in response to the demands made on agriculture was paid yesterday by the Minister of Agriculture, Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, in a speech to the Farmers' Club. "The response already has been magnificent,” said Sir Reginald Dor-man-Smith. “After less than 130 -days of war, well over 1,000,000 acres have been scheduled for ploughing, and

much already lias been ploughed, but the weather has held up the work.” Great as was the need of farming to make contributions in war-time, the Agriculture Ministry’s policy was more than an emergency measure and was an endeavour to make British farming a “credit-worthy industry” in which the claims of labour were as fully recognised as the benefits to the employers.

After dealing with policy details, Sir Reginald Donnan-Smith declared: “The task of rebuilding the British countryside has already, in part, begun.”

The farmer’s job was equally as responsible as anyone’s. There must be a sterner effort in 1940-41 if the war was to be continued.

Prices constituted the main problem. The Government was seeking a fixed level. The immediate task was to produce the maximum amount in the shortest time. Agriculture would have to depend on women to an increasing extent, as in the last war.