The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-11-18
mo REDUCTION
IN MEAT PRICES
Iowa Agricultural Director Sees
No Hope for Decrease

Council Bluffs. Ia, Nov. 1S-The
high cost of living so tar as roast beef,
bee fsteak, veal. etc, are concerned,
probably never will be cut and the
| price of those meats will even go
higher is the gloomy view taken by
Prof w. ]. Kennedy. director of agri-
! cultural extension at the Iowa STATE
college.
1T really is amusing To listen 20
ana read Of the many reasons ad-
vauced for the present hign prices Of
beef and other meat products said
Professor Kennedy recently. "Soma
! people place all the blame on the
farmer. others blame the packer, AMI
still others the retail butcher. \ care.
ful study Of existing conditions win
! reveal the fact no one of tho much
accused and ofteRtimrs bitterly abus
cd above mentioned parties really is
responsible for the present prices Of
heefstcaks. 1t is governed by the law
OF supply ana demand
Near Famine in Beef.
For the first time in tn" history pf
modern civilization our people are fac
ING what appears to De- "A near famine
in beef, 1t has been generally facing
us ever since 1907. Between January
/, 1907 and January !, 1913. our sup
ply of beef cattle fell off some 1870
600 head. or about - per cent, while
our population increased about 10
mn
such q serious matter from the con-
sumrr's point of view if 4 applied JUS;
to The United states \ careful study
Cf the beef cattle situation in all beef
producing countries clearly indicates
there IS a world-Wid" shortage. In
only two countries-Australa and
Frnuco--has beef production kept pace
with increase IN population since 1891
"BetWccn 1906 and 1912 our exports
in live cattle fell off about 30 per cent.
our exports in fresh beef fell off -
Per cent. and our imports of live cat
tie Increased from 2G,000 head in 1905
to $4,000 i'm 1912.
Points Depletion of OF Reserve.
IN December 1908. the reserve
country amounted To 1G5.500.00U
rounds; in 1910 it had diminished to
1St,OOo,0oO pounds. and in 1912 it was
estimated To he only some 35,oOOO9G
pounds.
There is much speculation as To
what effect the new tariff law, which
has placed meats on the free list. will
LaN, nm th. cost aud ,,tnpI,. ,,r h..f ip
this country. II may serve temporal
Iy To somewhat reduce the cost of
beef, but it will not have permanent
influence on the industry. This is due
to the fact that Europe is meat hun
cry and thus will bid against our
people for the surplus of the Argen-
tine, Australia, and other exporting
countries.
Even the most optimistic believers
in free meats figure that at the out
side not more than 1000 head of cat
tie per week. or 100000 pounds Of
beef can be expected. This amount
barely would furnish enough beef for
our annual increase i'm population. The
lowest estimate ON our annual per
capita beef consumption place the
amount at 56 pounds per person.
In my Judgment, the days of cheap
beer for the American consumer are
past Beef cattle were grown I'm for !
mer wears ON free land or low land |
in value in comparison To present day |
land values. The present price of !
land feed, and labor make it absolute |
~ impossible to produce cheap beef |
The farmer is not to blame for this |
as he cannot afford to aud he is not |
going tu produce beef fol prices below |
what his corn and other crops arc
worth m the open market.
LEGISLATION for the purpose of pre-
serving the calves and young stock is |
not practical and I'm my judgment will |
wholesale slaughter of hclrcr culvcs
and COWS is bound to come and will
not work
No Blame for Dealers
Neither the packer nor the retail
butcher is TO blame for conditions.
Look at the price of beef on the hoor
at amy stocliyards in the country and |
then note the selling price of dressed
beef To the butcher AS for the retail
butcher, h" finds the great majority
Of his customers call for stcaks and
roasts ana only few of them want
the less desirable portions
The hest way to reduce the cost Of
living from the beef standpoint is tn
| urch1sc some OF the less desirable
portions at reasonable prices and have
them prepared and served i'm vala
table manner. Thus i'm the last an
alysis. the secret Of reducing the cost
of living So far as beef is concerned
must in large measure rest with
the housewife"
New Zealand in tn" second quarter