Current Topics and Events

Abstract

THE agricultural Tribunal of Investigation appointed by the Government to inquire into the present position of the farming industry and to suggest methods for its improvement has issued an interim report. Its recommendations are being actively discussed in the daily press, mainly from the political aspect. At present the majority of farmers are undoubtedly in an unsound economic condition, and especial interest therefore centres in these sections of the report dealing with agricultural organisation and education. The Tribunal is impressed by the extent of co-operative measures both in Europe and in America, and in urging that British farmers should form similar organisations, suggests that the study of the economic organisation of the industry should have fuller recognition in the farm institutes and agricultural colleges. The Tribunal pays a tribute to the work carried out by the research staffs of these institutions and considers that the departments dealing with the economic problem should be further developed. New systems of farm management, in particular the maintenance of livestock on arable land,-the soiling system,-are suggested as urgent problems to be investigated from this point of view. It is pointed out that in the United States 50 per cent. of the research grants are devoted to farm economics as against 10 per cent. in this country. In this connexion, however, it should be remembered that the term “farm economics “has a much wider interpretation in America than would be admitted here, due in part to the absence, until recently, of the settled rural population that marks the older countries. Making due allowance, however, for this and for the characteristic American tendency towards over-organisation, the comment of the Tribunal still remains true in substance. It is to be hoped that this essential bridge between the research workers and the farmers will be strengthened as a result of the Tribunal's recommendations.