I found this here: https://www.facebook.com/IowaHempforVictory
If the print is too small for you to read, this is what it says:
Mason City (Iowa) Globe Gazette / January 12, 1943:
To the Farmers of Cerro Gordo and other north central Iowa counties
HEMP is a war crop for Iowa. If you’ll raise a few acres of HEMP in 1943, it will make you money and you will help save the lives of our boys in the armed services.
You know…the production of war crops is as essential a contribution to the national war effort as the production of planes and tanks. Much has been asked of the Iowa farmer, and he has responded willingly to the call. Acreage adjustments have been called for, along with increases in the livestock population. Now the farmers of this area, comprising 15 or so north-central counties, have been asked, in addition, to grow at least 60,000 acres of a wholly new crop, HEMP.
PLANTINGS HAVE BEEN MADE
The production of HEMP in the United States has become a war necessity. There is an urgent need for large quantities of HEMP for the manufacture of rope and other types of cordage for the Army, Navy, Merchant Marine and essential civilian uses. The source of abaca, the hard fiber ordinarily used in making rope, has been cut off, due to the war, and HEMP is the best known substitute. HEMP fiber is extremely strong and not only makes satisfactory rope but also is in great demand for the preparation of special threads and twines.
SOILS FOR GROWING HEMP
Although Hemp is known to grow on a wide variety of soils, the dark, fertile prairie soils, such as we have here, are considered best for the production of high yields of good grade fiber. The climate here is also ideal for HEMP raising.
WILL PURCHASE HEMP STRAW
Commodity Credit agrees to purchase all HEMP straw delivered to the local mill by the grower at the following prices:
$50 per ton for class 1 straw
$40 per ton for class 2 straw
$35 per ton for class 3 straw
$30 per ton for class 4 straw
Grading of straw is to be done by persons approved by Commodity Credit in accordance with classes and regulations to be established. Commodity Credit agrees to stack the HEMP straw at the local mill.
COMPLETE CHANGE IN FACTORIES
Many entire factories, located throughout the United States, have had to cease the production of peacetime goods, and are now making articles of war. A complete change of production. But, farmers of this community have not been asked to shift their entire crops. Your government is asking you to raise HEMP on less than 2 per cent of your crop land, or less than 4 per cent of your corn ground, and to use less than 10 per cent of your land for all war crops. To do this may be considered a sacrifice. If so, it is a very small one compared to the many sacrifices our boys are making on the various battle fronts.
MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE
The farmers of Cerro Gordo and other north-central Iowa counties may want more information about HEMP raising. You may want to know about seedbed preparation, date of seeding, kind of seed and how obtained, harvesting, yields, income per acre, and so forth. Such information and more, too, can be had. Just see your Township AAA committeeman, or go the County office. In Mason City the County AAA office is at 222 Second Street Northeast – one-half block west of the post office.
TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPENING
A global war is waging. Terrible things are happening all over the world. Men are dying. Women and children are starving. Why? Because there are evil people in the world, men who call themselves the Axis. And it’s our job to make them stop – to see that they never trouble the world again. That’s what this war is all about.
To do our job we’ve go to knock out the Axis. And a lot of us men would like to do it with our fists…or our own guns. We can’t all do that. There’s other work that Uncle Sam wants us to do. So let’s help knock out the Axis with that work. Farmers…you can help do it by raising ten or so acres of HEMP in1943. Every acre is a nail in Hitler’s coffin. Every acre of HEMP will help blow the Jap off this earth. And by raising HEMP you are not only patriotic, but you can raise it at a good profit to yourself.
AS ABOUT HEMP RAISING
Now, see your Township AAA committeeman or go to your County AAA office right away. Ask about HEMP raising…and be sure to grow a few acres in 1943.
