§ Mr. R. Morganasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of his insistence on the maximum of cereal production in this country, he will take simultaneous action to ensure the maintenance of sufficient livestock for the purpose of supplying an adequate quantity of natural manures?
Mr. HudsonThe number of livestock that can be maintained is governed by the available supply of feeding-stuffs of all kinds, both home grown and imported, including grazing. In carrying out the food production campaign farmers are being encouraged not only to grow more cereals and other crops for direct human consumption, but to grow more feeding-stuffs, including cereals, for their own stock. As a result of this policy it has been possible to keep our livestock population other than pigs and poultry at a high level. The numbers of cattle have in fact increased during the first year of the war.
§ Sir A. Baillieasked the Minister of Agriculture what are the present prospects of better conditions for those farmers who are principally concerned with the raising and maintenance of livestock, and whose farms are not so situated that they can provide any substantial part of the necessary winter feeding-stuffs for such livestock?
Mr. HudsonI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 16th October to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Howdenshire (Colonel Carver).