The Sidney Herald

Farm Bureau
Points Out
Vote Choices

The choice is between Government intervention and bureaucratic control or the right to produce what they want, how much they want and what the processors and consumers demand of them.

For a more vivid illustration the choice for the wheat producers is simply this: if you vote Yes you are voting for the continuation of the now existing program of strict acreage controls, allotments and penalties, with a support price of $1.28 per bushel.

If you vote No you are voting for either complying with the allotment program to get at least 50% of parity, approximately $1.30, or you will be producing for the open market and will have no restrictions as to how many acres or bushels that you can produce as long as you feed it or sell it on the open market, which would mean perhaps two things. Number 1, the present price for wheat on the world market is now $1.60 so it would appear that the high quality wheat Montana produces would not be below that price or Number 2, it could mean that you could receive at least $2.00 and up for your good quality wheat on the open market. If you care to check with your elevator operator or processor you will find that wheat is at a premium price of $2.05 per bushel, of which is at least 50% of the Montana production, with less quality wheat selling for $1.92, which is 10c above the $1.82 price set by the Secretary of Agriculture for the 1963 wheat crop.

The choice is simple. You vote for government controls or you vote for a higher price for Montana wheat.

For almost a decade now the wheat producer has been told by the Federal Government how much to plant just because the Congress of the United States has been and still is, not willing to accept their responsibilities and by continuing to pass discriminatory laws controlling the production of wheat.

Even at the beginning of this Government program Montana was not one of those states that were producing an over supply of surplus wheat. They were instead producing for the supply and demand market system that has made ours the greatest country in the World. However, as time went on and the U.S. Government continued to expand payments to those producing wheat for the U.S. Government only and not the market place, it became more apparent that the Montana wheat producers, through a reduction in wheat acreage allotments and who raise wheat for the market place, are the losers.

Our Government was established on principle. Principles of the Ten Commandments, the principle of a Free people, Free to raise what they want, where they want to raise it. Yes, and even the right to go broke as well as succeed.

What have we to leave to our children if we don't leave the Heritage that was given to us by the sweat, blood and toil of our forefathers.

Yes, there is a choice if you exercise your right to vote August 30th on the Wheat Referendum.

COUNTY FARM BUREAU