§ 51. Mr. Priceasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in the granting of rations for dairy cows in the coming winter, any consideration will be taken of smallholders under 10 acres whose facilities for growing their own feeding-stuffs are meagre?
Mr. HudsonRations for dairy farmers, including the class to which the hon. Member refers, will normally be provided only in respect of milk sold in excess of half-gallon per cow per day. Where the county war agricultural executive committee are satisfied that a farmer has been unable to grow enough feeding-stuffs to provide both for maintenance and for the first half-gallon, they may at their discretion issue full rations in respect of all milk sold. Where, however, farmers cannot provide even maintenance rations for their cows, they will be expected either to make arrangements to buy unrationed feeding-stuffs, such as hay, or to reduce the number of their cows.
§ 52. Mr. Priceasked the Minister of Agriculture whether farmers who have wheat saleable for milling will be eligible to receive a cereal ration in proportion to their wheat sold, irrespective of the amount of oats and beans which they have also grown on their land?
Mr. HudsonCounty war agricultural executive committees will be given an atllotment of coupons to be issued at their discretion to wheat growers who are in need of feeding-stuffs for stock other than dairy cows, whose needs are otherwise provided for.
§ Mr. PriceWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that many farmers planted large acreages of wheat last autumn, before they knew that it would be requisitioned for human food, and that therefore in many cases they have not got a sufficient acreage of other crops, and will it be borne in mind that that is the case of a good many farmers?
Mr. HudsonWheat is grown for human consumption, and that was made quite clear on numerous occasions last autumn.