The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-10-10
Packers Give Warning
Note
Scarcity Of Beef Cattle and treat
Decrease in Raising Of Animals
Will Cause Conditions to
Grow More Serious.

The responsibility of aveNing a
future meat famine was put up to
small farmers September 22 at the
eighth annual convention OF the
American Meat Packers association.
All agreed that if the decrease in
meat production of the last ten
years is hot stopped, the question
of the meat supply for the people
Of the United states will be most
serious.
Among the remedies suggested
by the speakers were:
Every small farmer should raise
at least two beef steers year to
Offset the decreased production Of
the great ranches of the West.
The remaining ranges should be
cut up in farms to put all farmers
on an equal footing.
Development of the hills of New
ENGLAND with her bountiful springs
and prevailing shade as beef pro-
ducing country.
Substitution of corn for cotton
in the Southern States and the c3n-
seqEent development of the hog
and cattle production.
The report of the executive COM
mittee sounded the first note Of the
danger ola famine.
The America n meat packing
house situation and that Of cons,sm
ers Of meat food products il this
country are both in condition
more precarious than at any other
time in our history" the report
stated.
We are facing conditions in the
production of meat TODD products
which would have been thought i'm
possible ten years ago. The short
age of livestock, which has been i'm
pressed upon US as packing house
producers for several years. has
been intensified during the last
year. Our population is growing
at its normal rate. We have pass
ed the point where demand exceeds
the supply of meat foods to such an
extent that we have abnormally
high prices for meat food products.
''The farmers are not furnishing
nearly a sufficient number OF ami
mails to keep the packing houses in
operation anything like full time
and this results in heavy losses. ow-
ing to the lack of volume of busi-
ness. And there seems to be no
prospect of relief. Despite the
higher prices for live stock OF ali
kinds statistics show that the farm
ers not only are not increasing their
production of meat food animals.
but that such production is decreas-
ing at an appalling rate.
Among other causes for the
shortage of meat, the report point
ed out, were the loss of meat food
animals through preventable diseas-
es and the unthinking slaughter OF
calves. and especially heifer calves.
The committee appointed to con-
fer with government officials re-
garding pure food laws. in it's re-
ports, challenged the wisdom OF the
federal government debating what
ingredients shall be used in meat
products.
To stimulate cattle raising IN or
der to avert the meat famine they
say is imminent. the American Meat
Packers association voted to raise
$500. 900 with which to conduct 9
campaign Of education among tne
farmers and cattle raisers.
The plan outlined by President
Bischoff. which Was adopted - z
resolution By the association, Pro.
vides for raising 800 600 = yeal
for i've years, to be spent ii ad.es-
tising and instructinl TIE a. ~
lraisers. The farmera are a
taught the sdvnntanes @ 81 i i!
raising and bow . ears fof este