Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-01-07
u s. FARM PRODUCTS
WORTH 10 BILLIONS
Record Not Expected TO Lower
Cost of Living.
QUANTITY SHOWS BIG LOSS
Only middIeman Benefits BY Greater
Output, Department of AgrieuI-
ture at Washington Says
in Report.


Washington, Dec. 31.-Ten billion
dollars worth of products. $1,000 .O00,-
600 of cash income-a bumper year in
spite OF droughts and other setbacks-
is the 1919 record OF 100000 Ameri-
can farms.
The value of the 1913 crops is twice
as great as that Of 1893; more than
81 900. 600. 900 in excess of 1903 and
substantially greater than in 1912. al
though the quantity Of production has
fallen. Fourteen principal crops aver
aye about 202 per cent higher in
price than a year ago. and 40 per
cent higher than two years ago. Their
total values average about S-S per
cent. higher than year ago, and &c
per cent higher than in 1911.
o. all the crops. it is estimated
that So per cent will remain on farms
where they were produced, and that
20 per cent. OF the animal production
will remain On that basis the cash
income is estimated by the depart
menl OF agriculture at s5,847 100000,
IN a discussion of the subject made
public
But despite record year OF crop
values and the fact that the number
of farms has increased II per cent.
since 1910. the department does not
believe a lower cost of living viii fol
low as consequence.
However desirable increased pro
duetion on farms may appear to be
from the consumers stan Ipoint." the
report says. ut does not follow that
such increased production would re.
suit in any increase in the cash in
come per farm or per capita OF farm
population or that prices paid by CON
sumers would be any lower" says the
report Retail prices are promptly
raised on a prospect OF underproduc-
ton, but are very slow 10 decline 81
there Is overproduction.
The high prices paid by consum-
ers. ranging from to nearly 500 per
cent. more than the farmer receives.
indicate that there is plenty of room
TOR lowering the cost of farm products
&c consumers and at the same time
largely increasing the cash income
per farm without increasing farm pro
duccion.
This condition is undoubtedly a
marketing problem which will have to
be solyed by better organizations OF
farmers and improved methods OF
marketing.
The common phenomenon OF rec
ord yield and crop value below the
record. and of record crop value with
low production, is presented by more
than half a dozen OF the crops of 1913.
II the farmer gets a high price. per-
haps very high price In case of n
crop Of low production. on the other
hand he usually gets but low prices
for the crops which he produces In
abundance.
III seems to be overlooked" the re-
port continues. that the farmers are
producing enormous SURPRISES for ex-
port 10 foreign countries. Prices are
Sigh IN other countries as well as in
this one. The value OF the agricul-
tnral exports 81 domestic production
in the fiscal year 1913 was Sl.t23.091,-
400. ph amount which has not before
been aeualed.
The largest average cash income
per farm and per capita is shown in
the north centraT west division in
Guiding Minnesota. Iowa. Missouri.
North and South Dakota. Kansas and
Nebraska. while the smallest was OBJ
tanned In Kentucky. Tennessee, Ala.
hama. Mississippi Louisiana, Texes,
Oklahoma and Arkansas. where the
labor of relatively large number of
adults and children is required to
produce the crop.