Catalogue description Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Home Grown Cereals Division and Cereals Division: Registered Files, Cereals Deficiency Payments, General (CDG Series)

The Home Grown Cereals Deficiency Payments Scheme was designed to implement the Agriculture Act 1947, with regard to guaranteed prices and assured markets for cereal crops, and operated from 1954 to 1971. It came into force when the average market price realised by growers for a cereal crop fell below the standard price guaranteed by the government. The Scheme was introduced for the 1954 harvest under the auspices of the Ministry of Food. Provisions were made by an order under the Agriculture Act 1947 s4 for the period 1955-1956, and subsequently extended annually by order jointly of the three ministers concerned: the Minister of Agriculture, the Secretary of State for Scotland, and the Home Secretary (for the operation of the Scheme in Northern Ireland). The Cereals Deficiency Payments Unit administered deficiency payments to growers of wheat, rye, barley, oats and mixed corn during the life of the Home Grown Cereals Deficiency Payments Scheme