Mr. SHUMAN. It represents the position of the American Farm Bureau Federation, which represents the decision made by voting delegates representing the producers of all agricultural commodities.

Now it is not in conflict. We maintain this very definitely. It is not in conflict with the opinion of the cotton producers. I am sure that the majority of the cotton producers are in accord with this position. Senator MONTOYA. Let's take New Mexico, for instance. Do you mean to tell me that the position of the Farm Bureau is representative of the majority of the cotton farmers of New Mexico?

Mr. SHUMAN. Mr. Adair, the vice president of the New Mexico Farm Bureau Federation, is here. I wonder if Mr. Adair, Mr. Chairman, would be the one perhaps to answer that. He has a little statement to present later. I can answer generally, but I call on Mr. Adair. Senator MONTOYA. I would like to have that answer.

Senator HOLLAND. From Mr. Adair or from Mr. Shuman?

Senator MONTOYA. From either one.

Senator HOLLAND. I don't know Mr. Adair.

Mr. MERRELL. I am vice president

Senator HOLLAND. Just a moment. You thought Mr. Adair was here. Is it equally acceptable to have this answer come from Mr. Merrell, this gentleman?

Senator MONTOYA. Yes.

Mr. MERRELL. I am the vice president of the New Mexico Farm Bureau.

Senator HOLLAND. I understand his name is Adair Merrell.

Mr. SHUMAN. I am the guilty one. I confused and used his first name as his last name. It is Mr. Merrell.

Senator HOLLAND. We are all together. Go ahead and answer the question.

STATEMENT OF ADAIR MERRELL, VICE PRESIDENT, NEW MEXICO FARM & LIVESTOCK BUREAU, ANIMAS, N. MEX.

Mr. MERRELL. I am the chairman of the resolutions committee of New Mexico and vice president of the Livestock Farm Bureau and also a member of the State steering committee of the CPI and I have worked for the CPI.

In answer to your question, Senator, I think the testimony presented by Mr. Shuman is in conflict to a certain degree with the resolution from New Mexico. The resolution from New Mexico was in favor of the CPI program as it was originally presented, which was that the money would be collected by the Government but would be turned over directly to the CPI to be administered and spent by the CPI. The New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau voted in favor of this proposition, but in the discussion of a resolutions committee and on the floor of our house of delegates we determined that in case the Secretary of Agriculture was to have charge of this program we didn't want any part of it and we would vigorously oppose it.

The Secretary of Agriculture is about the most unpopular fellow in New Mexico that I know. He is even more unpopular than the Secretary of Labor was a couple of years ago.

Senator MONTOYA. Well, that is a matter of opinion, because I happened to talk to a lot of farmers myself and I disagree with you, but that is neither here nor there. But the point that I want to make,

Mr. Chairman, if I can get this position, Mr. Merrell, is this. It is true that the Farm Bureau Federation in New Mexico did approve in principle this idea of research?

Mr. MERRELL. The idea of research.

Senator MONTOYA. And the only objection that you have is the administration by the Secretary of Agriculture?

Mr. MERRELL. Yes, sir.

Senator MONTOYA. But you do approve of the idea basically?
Mr. MERRELL. Of the checkoff?

Senator MONTOYA. Yes.

Mr. MERRELL. Yes, sir.

Mr. SHUMAN. You are opposed to this particular bill as I understand it.

Mr. MERRELL. Yes, sir.

Mr. SHUMAN. This is the statement that I made previously, that there were two State farm bureaus that had filed exceptions to our position, New Mexico and Georgia, but later the president of the New Mexico Farm Bureau advised me that they were opposed to this particular bill.

(Off the record.)

Senator MONTOYA. That is all, Mr. Chairman; thank you.

Senator HOLLAND. Are there further questions from anyone else? Mr. SHUMAN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to call for just very brief capsule statements from several of our State farm bureau presidents and other State officers who are here.

Senator HOLLAND. Are they listed here?

Mr. SHUMAN. Yes; there is a supplemental list someplace. I would also like to enter in the record, if it is agreeable, a telegram from Mr. B. C. Mangum, the president of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, in which he says the North Carolina Farm Bureau Board of Directors, by resolution, are unanimously opposed to H.R. 12322.

Senator HOLLAND. Is there objection? This will be admitted to the record and if Senator Jordan when he comes back wishes to go back to this matter, why we will permit him to do so.

(The telegram referred to follows:)

JACK LYNN,

American Farm Bureau,

Washington, D.C.:

RALEIGH, N.C., April 22, 1966.

North Carolina Farm Bureau Board of Directors by resolution unanimously opposed to H.R. 12322.

B. C. MANGUM, President.

Mr. SHUMAN. The first gentleman I have with me is Mr. Walter L. Randolph, the vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. If it would be agreeable I would like Walter to say a few words.

Senator HOLLAND. He is shown as the next witness on the list prepared by the staff here, so we were expecting him to testify. All right. STATEMENT OF WALTER L. RANDOLPH, VICE PRESIDENT, AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION, MONTGOMERY, ALA.

Mr. RANDOLPH. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the comimttee, my name is Walter L. Randolph, and I live at Montgomery, Alabama, and "I am vice president of the American Farm Bureau.

Since there are a number of State farm bureau presidents here, I am going to be very brief. However, I would ask permission to have inserted in the record of this hearing this statement by Congressman Abernethy, of Mississippi, about this particular bill, and on which there are a number of tables showing the size of the cotton farms and the amount of production in the various States, and then I want to make a brief statement about it.

Senator HOLLAND. Is there objection to the insertion of the statement by Congressman Abernethy? Hearing none it will be inserted. (The statement by Congressman Abernethy follows:)

COTTON CHECKOFF BILL

(Extension of remarks of Hon. Thomas G. Abernethy, of Mississippi, in the House of Representatives, Wednesday, March 23, 1966)

Mr. ABERNETHY. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues will recall that on March 3 during the deliberation on H.R. 12322, more particularly known as the cotton checkoff bill, I offered certain amendments. The purpose of one particular amendment was to strike from the bill a provision which would enable a few large cotton producers to literally overwhelm thousands of small producers in the referendum to determine whether or not a checkoff program would be put into effect.

Since that time I have had numerous inquiries as to the number of farms by States and the volume of cotton produced by size of farm. After considerable research this information is now available. I am taking this opportunity to provide this detailed information for the particular benefit of my colleagues and the cotton farmers of the 14 cotton-producing States. It is set forth in the following tables:

Distribution of cotton production by number of bales produced, 1959 Census of Agriculture, totals for 14 States

In 1959: 8 large farms in California produced 191,111 bales; 43,719 small farms (less than 10 bales) in Alabama produced 184,856 bales; 26,879 small farms in Georgia produced only 123,951 bales; 45,228 small farms in North Carolina produced 174,920 bales; and 33,270 small farms in South Carolina produced 139,409 bales. The 18 largest farms in California produced 254,489 bales, or more than the 248,937 bales produced by 36,194 19-bale-or-less producers in Georgia.

Thirteen percent of the total number of cotton-producing farms accounted for over 69 percent of total cotton production.

Alabama-Distribution of cotton production by number of bales produced, 1959 Census of Agriculture

In round numbers, 32 percent of the farms accounted for 73 percent of Alabama's cotton production. The 18 largest cotton farms in California produced 254,489 bales, or 69,633 bales more than the 43,719, smallest cotton farms in Alabama.

Arizona-Distribution of cotton production by number of bales produced, 1959 Census of Agriculture

In round numbers, 15 percent of the farms accounted for 60 percent of Arizona's cotton production. The 18 largest cotton farms in California produced 254,489 bales, or 147,320 bales more than the 1,553 smallest cotton farms in Arizona.

Arkansas-Distribution of cotton production by number of bales produced, 1959 Census of Agriculture

In round numbers, 19 percent of the farms accounted for 71 percent of Arkansas' cotton production. The 18 largest cotton farms in California produced 254,489 bales, or 76,610 bales more than the 19,545 smallest cotton farms in Arkansas.

California-Distribution of cotton production by number of bales produced, 1959 Census of Agriculture

In round numbers, 23 percent of the farms accounted for 79 percent of California's cotton production. The 52 largest cotton farms in California produced more cotton (66,630 bales) than the entire State of North Carolina.

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