HELP FOR FARMERS

Opunake Times, 16 June 1939, Page 1

HELP FOR FARMERS

NEW BRITISH PLANS PART IN DEFENCE Further details, of the British Government's plans for helping agriculture to play its full part in national defence may be announced shortly by the Minister of Agriculture. Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, states the agricultural correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph. These plans, the result of conferences with farmers and with the Dominions and foreign Governments, will include the following provisions : Imported cereals such as wheat, barley and oats will be controlled to prevent wide market fluctuations. Aid for Sheepfarmers The Wheat Act, which through the subsidy and the co-operation of the home milling industry, has been working to the advantage of farmers, will not be disturbed.

The subsidy for barley and oats may be, raised from last year's emergency figure of £1 an acre to 30s.

Sheepfarmers, now being driven out of business by low or fluctuating prices, will be assured a market price of not less than 9d per lb. for their products and possibly mor«. The period for ploughing up old pastures and bracken-infest-ed lajtid in Scotland to qualify for the =£2 an acre subsidy under the Government's 1,000,000-acre reolnmmation scheme will be extended from September 30 to late October. Reduced Dairy I imports The. dairy farming industry, handicapped by the low price for surplus supplies, in glut seasons, may find that imports arc to be reduced. The Netherlands and Denmark, it is understood, have agreed to a larger measure of control in the present system of voluntary quotas, but negotiations with Australia, Canada and New Zealand do not seem to be complete. An inquiry may be held into the system of farming land rentals, possibly by setting up a Royal Commission.

V British Wireless message published on May 20 stated that the Minister of Agriculture,. Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, had announced in the House of Commons the Government's decision to give further assistance to agriculture by the application of the principle of price insurance to sheep, barley and oats. For oats, the cost would be 432,120,000 in respect of the 1038 crop, and the minimum liability in any one year in future will be 434,500.000. For barley the additional cost for the 1038 crop will be £BOO,OOO. The only information which has been received in New Zealand concerning the possibility of a reduction in Britain's dairy imports has been that which has filtered through Australian sources.