Remarks to the National Association of Television and Radio Farm Directors.

Mr. Atwood, Mr. Secretary, ladies and gentlemen:

It is a fact, of course, that I am interested in farm programs from two angles: one as a farmer and one as a governmental official. And I find my ideas don't always agree when I take the two viewpoints.

I couldn't tell you how necessary I feel it is that the whole country be accurately informed on farm problems. They are basic. It is a basic industry. The prosperity of the agricultural community is absolutely necessary to the prosperity of the nation; and vice versa we can state the same truth--that the prosperity of the nation is necessary for the prosperity of the agricultural community.

I have been very much interested, since I came here, to find the interest that there sometimes is in promoting an idea that is not exactly true. For example, we know that there has been a falling farm income over some years. There have been always the steady rising of costs, although we have succeeded for the last couple of years in keeping living costs rather stable. But there has been a squeeze on the farmer.

Now I suddenly find that many people blame the flexible price support law passed last year. And only people like you can inform the public that it has not yet gone into effect, that the 1955 crops are not yet in. So I don't see how it could have much effect on the price situation as it existed up to this moment.

As an individual farmer, I might say that I am completely disinterested. Until I get out of this job, I don't get any interest in the income and the debts of my farm. That is something that purely belongs to the fellow who is leasing it.

I do, though, believe that in such items as farm prices, and in all other items that you can learn about as you come to this Capital City, you are doing a great service when you inform the American public. There is no question about the commonsense--the logic of the decisions that will be reached by the American public when they are informed. But they must be informed, and accurately. When you have the mission of getting hold of the information, not only about the farm programs, but the things that will interest the whole farm community, you are doing a tremendously great service.

The Secretary and I and this administration approach this farm problem basically from this viewpoint: the farmer is not just a farmer, he is a citizen of the United States, first and always. He is interested in his country. His boy has to go into the Services when he is called. He has to pay his taxes for all of the roads and the schools and everything else that is done if there is Federal money involved. He has to participate in his government in every possible way.

Therefore, he must know about these things so that he can fit into his concept of the whole his own particular problem, not merely viewing it in its isolated sense: that I am getting a little squeezed this year, or there is a drought or something, so let's have something done. He must see it in the fabric or with the background, the backdrop, of the entire picture in which his government and Nation's economy is concerned.

So I think that if we are truly going to interpret the farm problem and farm programs to the farmer, we have got to raise our sights a long way and interpret, with that particular phase of the picture, the background that is such an essential part.

I am told by the Secretary of Agriculture that this group has done a yeoman's job in this regard. For it I hope you will accept my thanks, my gratitude, and more than that my utter conviction that you are doing a truly great service to farmers and to the United States of America.