STATEMENT OF MR. DONALD KANE, COUNSEL, THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE MILK PRODUCERS' FEDERATION Mr. KANE. Yes, sir. I will do so, and with your permission will make the opening statement. The National Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation is composed of 55 farmers' cooperative associations engaged in handling milk and other dairy products for more than 360,000 farmers. We have member and submember organizations in 42 States and our member associations market milk, butter, cheese, evaporated milk, and other dairy products in every State in the Union. We are very much interested in the appropriation measure which your committee is now considering insofar as it relates to appropriations for the next fiscal year for the continuation of disease-control work and for the continuation of the purchase of dairy products for relief distribution. It is our understanding that at the end of the present fiscal year there will be available approximately $32,000,000 for disease-control work and for surplus relief purchases out of previous appropriations granted under the Jones-Connally Act and the Agricultural Adjustment amendments of last year. In addition, there is available $30,000,000 authorized to be appropriated by Congress for these purposes under the A. A. A. amendments which has not to date been appropriated. We believe that a minimum appropriation of $48,150,000 is absolutely essential for the carrying out of disease-control work and purchases of dairy products for relief purposes during the coming fiscal year. Dairy farmers have asked very little assistance from the present administration. While marketing agreements and licenses have been used in some fluid-milk markets and for evaporated milk, the results have not been successful because of lack of enforcement. On the other hand, the disease control program now being conducted by the Federal Government and purchases of dairy products for distribution to relief have been highly successful and popular among the dairy farmers of this country. Our studies and the past experience of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration and the Department of Agriculture indicate that if the disease-control work is to be carried on successfully and aggressively during the coming year, we will need appropriations of 261⁄2 million dollars for Bang's disease; 11⁄2 million dollars for bovine tuberculosis; $5,000,000 for mastitis and $150,000 for experimental work in connection with bovine diseases. This makes a total of $33,150,000. In addition, past experience indicates that we will need approximately $15,000,000 for purchases of dairy products for distribution in relief channels, making a total appropriation necessary for the coming fiscal year of $48,150,000. We feel that such a request on the part of the dairy farmers of this country is very reasonable and should receive every consideration at the hands of Congress. May I call your attention to the fact that during the period in which the Agricultural Adjustment Act has been operating, benefit payments to farmers, including the estimated amount now due, totaled $1,321,199,000.27. Dairy farmers did not ask nor did they receive any part of these benefits. In the light of the fact that dairying represents from 20 to 25 percent of the total farm income of this country and is the principal source of livelihood on over 3%1⁄2 million farms, we feel that our request for an appropriation for the coming year of $48,150,000 is fully justified, first, and fundamentally from the standpoint that it is essential and needed to carry out diseasecontrol work and surplus relief operations and secondly, from the standpoint of the Administration's policies to give whatever assistance is possible to agriculture. We have brought to Washington to testify before your subcommittee three men who are qualified to discuss fully the disease contro! program and the necessity for an appropriation during the coming year of $33,150,000. On the question of purchases of dairy products for relief, I simply desire to call the committee's attention to the fact that during the period from August 1933 to April 1934 purchases by the A. Ă. A. of dairy products for distribution in relief channels amounted to $11,000,000. During the next 2 years because of drought conditions, purchases were not made on such an extensive scale. However, it is anticipated that there will be a normal production of dairy products this year and that the Administration will, no doubt, desire to purchase dairy products on a scale comparable to that followed by them during the period, August 1933 to April 1934. If such a program is followed and we feel that it would be wise to do so in the interest of obtaining adequate diet of dairy products for persons on relief with a consequent strengthening effect on our dairy markets, the program for 1 year would cost $15,000,000. As a matter of fact. if the program were followed out exactly as in 1933-34 when we had s normal production of dairy products, it is likely that the cost would be more nearly $18,000,000 than it would near $15,000,000. This is true because during the period, 1933-34, the purchases by the Federal Government were made on the basis of 25 cents butter while present markets are much higher than this level and we are hopeful that butter prices will not fall below 30 cents per pound during the coming year. Accordingly, the cost of the purchases to the Federal Government during the coming year would be approximately 20 percent higher than they were during the 1933-34 period and accordingly an additional $3,000,000 might have to be provided for over and above the $15,000,000 which we have asked for. On behalf of the dairy farmers represented by our organization and on behalf of the unorganized dairy farmers of this country, who I am sure are wholeheartedly behind the disease control and surplus purchase program of the Administration, we respectfully request that your committee recommend and appropriation of not less than $33,150,000 for disease control and not less than $15,000,000 for surplus purchases. Mr. CANNON. We are appropriating $17,500,000 for elimination of diseased cattle, under which we have expended large sums in the last year and in the current year. Do you consider that appropriation adequate? Mr. KANE. No. I consider it totally inadequate, Mr. Chairman. We are spending on Bang's disease 11⁄2 million dollars a month. which makes 18 million dollars a year just for Bang's disease, if we go along at the present rate. From the time that this program was started-we started at $50,000 a month-we have got up to the point where the farmers have become educated, the personnel has become trained, and we are now using a million and a half dollars a month for the eradication of Bang's disease. Mr. Chairman, at this time I will introduce Dr. M. F. Barnes. STATEMENT OF DR. M. F. BARNES, Mr. BARNES. Mr. Chairman and members of Agriculture Subcommittee on Appropriations, my statements will not require much of your time. Bang's disease as well as all other communicable diseases of animals should be considered from two important standpoints: (1) Relationship to human health; (2) relationship to animal health from the economic standpoint. HUMAN HEALTH My personal experiences with Bang's have been confined mainly to its occurrence in animals, considered from the economic standpoint and from the standpoint of its prevention, control and elimination. However, I have known of a number of human cases and based on observation and available information, I am of the opinion that from the public-health standpoint, the importance of Bang's disease in cattle has been very much underestimated. In emphasizing this aspect of the disease, we are confronted with the danger of reducing milk consumption and, as we all know, milk is an essential food of mankind. When properly produced from healthy animals it is both safe and one of the most wholesome foods; indispensable to the diet of children, invalids, and convalescents. It is highly desirable that milk be produced from healthy animals or, at least, animals which are free from diseases communicable to human beings so that people need have no fear of drinking it in large quantities. Those physicians and public health officials who have devoted some time to a study of undulant fever are gravely concerned about the relationship of Bang's disease to human health. Just recently, Dr. Richard A. Kern, professor of medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, in discussing this subject showed in surveys made by him that in 1927 he found 30 cases has been reported up to that time and that up to 1935 a total of 9,965 cases had been reported in the United States. He conveyed the thought that possibly many times this number have been unrecognized or confused with other diseases, stating that of 100,000 physicians in the United States, 3 physicians had reported 303 of the above cases; that the disease occurs in all parts of the United States, mostly in the rural districts; that 10 percent of all these cases occurred in New York State where dairying is an important industry, goats are few, swine breeding is less important and the percentage of Burcella infections in swine is negligible; that infections in humans take place in about equal proportion either by ingestion of infected milk or by contact through the skin; that the symptoms vary and can readily be confused with those of a number of other diseases; that the duration of the disease may vary from a few weeks or months to 6 years or more. represents from 20 to 25 percent of the total farm income of th country and is the principal source of livelihood on over 3 milli farms, we feel that our request for an appropriation for the comin year of $48,150,000 is fully justified, first, and fundamentally fr the standpoint that it is essential and needed to carry out disess control work and surplus relief operations and secondly, from t standpoint of the Administration's policies to give whatever assistan is possible to agriculture. We have brought to Washington to testify before your subcomm tee three men who are qualified to discuss fully the disease contr program and the necessity for an appropriation during the coming year of $33,150,000. On the question of purchases of dairy products for relief, I sim desire to call the committee's attention to the fact that during thperiod from August 1933 to April 1934 purchases by the A. À. A of dairy products for distribution in relief channels amounted ** $11,000,000. During the next 2 years because of drought conditions, purcha were not made on such an extensive scale. However, it is anticipated that there will be a normal production dairy products this year and that the Administration will, no do desire to purchase dairy products on a scale comparable to that fo lowed by them during the period, August 1933 to April 1934. If st a program is followed and we feel that it would be wise to do so int interest of obtaining adequate diet of dairy products for persons: relief with a consequent strengthening effect on our dairy marke the program for 1 year would cost $15,000,000. As a matter of s if the program were followed out exactly as in 1933-34 when we ha normal production of dairy products, it is likely that the cost would more nearly $18,000,000 than it would near $15,000,000. This is tr because during the period, 1933-34, the purchases by the Fecer Government were made on the basis of 25 cents butter while preser markets are much higher than this level and we are hopeful that but prices will not fall below 30 cents per pound during the coming year Accordingly, the cost of the purchases to the Federal Govern during the coming year would be approximately 20 percent higher th they were during the 1933-34 period and accordingly an additives $3,000,000 might have to be provided for over and above the $15.00 000 which we have asked for. On behalf of the dairy farmers represented by our organization on behalf of the unorganized dairy farmers of this country, who I g sure are wholeheartedly behind the disease control and surr purchase program of the Administration, we respectfully request t your committee recommend and appropriation of not less th $33,150,000 for disease control and not less than $15,000,000 for s plus purchases. Mr. CANNON. We are appropriating $17,500,000 for elimins of diseased cattle, under which we have expended large sums in last year and in the current year. Do you consider that appropria adequate? Mr. KANE. No. I consider it totally inadequate, Mr. Chairs” We are spending on Bang's disease 11⁄2 million dollars a m which makes 18 million dollars a year just for Bang's disease, 1 go along at the present rate. From the time that this program tarted-we started at $50,000 a month-we have got up to the point here the farmers have become educated, the personnel has become rained, and we are now using a million and a half dollars a month for he eradication of Bang's disease. Mr. Chairman, at this time I will introduce Dr. M. F. Barnes. TATEMENT OF DR. M. F. BARNES, CHIEF LABORATORY DIVISION, PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY, HARRISBURG, PA. Mr. BARNES. Mr. Chairman and members of Agriculture Submmittee on Appropriations, my statements will not require much your time. Bang's disease as well as all other communicable diseases of animals ould be considered from two important standpoints: (1) Relationip to human health; (2) relationship to animal health from the onomic standpoint. HUMAN HEALTH My personal experiences with Bang's have been confined mainly to occurrence in animals, considered from the economic standpoint d from the standpoint of its prevention, control and elimination. Owever, I have known of a number of human cases and based on servation and available information, I am of the opinion that from e public-health standpoint, the importance of Bang's disease in tle has been very much underestimated. In emphasizing this pect of the disease, we are confronted with the danger of reducing Ik consumption and, as we all know, milk is an essential food of nkind. When properly produced from healthy animals it is both e and one of the most wholesome foods; indispensable to the diet of ldren, invalids, and convalescents. It is highly desirable that milk produced from healthy animals or, at least, animals which are free m diseases communicable to human beings so that people need have fear of drinking it in large quantities. Those physicians and public health officials who have devoted some e to a study of undulant fever are gravely concerned about the ationship of Bang's disease to human health. Just recently, Dr. hard A. Kern, professor of medicine of the University of Pennvania, in discussing this subject showed in surveys made by him t in 1927 he found 30 cases has been reported up to that time and t up to 1935 a total of 9,965 cases had been reported in the United tes. He conveyed the thought that possibly many times this aber have been unrecognized or confused with other diseases, ing that of 100,000 physicians in the United States, 3 physicians reported 303 of the above cases; that the disease occurs in all ts of the United States, mostly in the rural districts; that 10 cent of all these cases occurred in New York State where dairying n important industry, goats are few, swine breeding is less imtant and the percentage of Burcella infections in swine is negle; that infections in humans take place in about equal proportion er by ingestion of infected milk or by contact through the skin; the symptoms vary and can readily be confused with those of mber of other diseases; that the duration of the disease may vary a few weeks or months to 6 years or more. |