John F. Kennedy photo

Statement by the President on the Feed Grain Bill and the Forthcoming Referendum on Wheat.

May 16, 1963

THE AMERICAN farmer has won an impressive victory. The Congress, over the objection of those seeking to commit him to low prices and a declining income, has voted to assure at least 2 more years of the opportunity for reasonable prices and reasonable profits.

There was more involved than merely the extension of a highly successful feed grain program, looking toward smaller surpluses, less Government costs, and higher farm income. The Congress has assured farmers that if they approve the wheat referendum on Tuesday they will be able to plant feed grains on wheat acres or wheat on feed grain acres. They may interchange among their allotted acres in any way that will benefit them most.

The farmers needed this information to vote intelligently.

The feed grain program passed today gives the farmer freedom to farm at a profit, freedom to plant his allotted acres in accordance with his best judgment, freedom to overplant wheat in good years and underplant in poor years without penalty, and freedom from disastrously low prices.

Note: For the President's statement upon signing the Feed Grain Act, see Item 197; for his statement on the results of the wheat referendum, see Item 201.

John F. Kennedy, Statement by the President on the Feed Grain Bill and the Forthcoming Referendum on Wheat. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/236322

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