Thwarted Farmer

Agriculture Secretary Ezra Taft Benson thinks that trade, not aid, is best for the U.S. farmer. But Benson has been thwarted, temporarily at least, by the situation he inherited from his predecessors. He decided, for example, that it would be unfair to yank Government aid, in the form of price supports, from butter until the industry had a chance to work out its own salvation (TIME, March 9 et seq.).

Last week Ezra Benson was thwarted again by his inheritance: in the face of continuing dairy surpluses, he slapped an embargo on all imports of dried milk, buttermilk and cream (butter is already embargoed).

No sooner was the news out than the expected howls began. Ezra Benson agreed with his critics. Said he: "It is a serious thing for the Secretary of Agriculture to sign an embargo on dairy products when the Administration is trying to promote international trade." Benson explained that he was forced to take the action under law. The Defense Production Act stipulates that imports must be restricted whenever they prove burdensome to price-support programs. In the case of dairy products, said Benson, high price supports have acted as a magnet for the produce of the rest of the world--and the more that was imported, the more of the domestic produce the U.S. Government had to buy up. Total purchases to date: 127 million lbs. of butter, 185 million Ibs. of dried milk, 61 million Ibs. of Cheddar cheese. Cost: $140 million.

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