Farm Labor Program for Wheat and Small Grain Harvest in Great Plains States with Special Reference to Utilization of Migratory Workers In 1945

Excerpt: The wheat and small grain harvest program was designed to cover major producing areas in the States of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The approximate acreage of wheat in this area to be harvested was 43,500,000 acres. The acreage of small grain, principally oats and barley, with some rye and flax, was approximately 21,500,000 acres. The harvesting of this vast acreage of grain in nine States during the period of approximately May 25 to September 10 was a tremendous undertaking, with the shortage of manpower and machinery. Yet the job was done, and one of the biggest harvests in the history of the Western Plains States was accomplished without the loss of grain because of inadequate supply of labor or machinery.