Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1915-04-09
THE HOG MARKET

The average farm price for hogs
at present is from $500 to $500,
over large part of the corn belt.
Average corn prices are around So
cents bushel. Over the southern
half of the corn belt, corn is quite
commonly 70 to rs cents a bushel
in localities where hogs are bringing
around $3.50 per hundredweight.
The average farmer can count on
10 pounds of park from bushel of
corn, fed to hogs over $50 pounds in
weight. A first class feeder, by
using using tankage or oil meal, can
do better; but many farmers do not
do as well. 1t is safe to say, there
fore, that the average man is not
making money when feeding 70-cent
corn to $3.50 hogs. This condition
means heavy run of hogs at the
great central markets. In fact, there
have been marketed at the great CEN
trail markets more hogs this winter
than at any time in recent years, with
the exception of 1912 and 1908.
| Volume OF market receipts during
the last month would indicate
proper hog price of around $3.50 on
the farm. When the packers are re-
preached with putting hog prices so
low, they say, I'VE don't control hog
prices. Price is determined solely by
supply and demand. There are lots
of hogs at present in the country, and
of course we can buy cheap"
By such reasoning, the packers
seek to deceive themselves and the
farmers. AS matter of fact, no one
knows just how many hogs are in the
country. More hogs are coming to
market than usual, but this means
only that low hog prices and high
corn always bring about such a situa-
ton. In January and February of
1912, there was heavy marketing of
corn. As result, hogs were scarce
late in 1912, and in 1918, and the
packers had to pay to 8 cents
pound. Corn was 10 to rs cents a
bushel lower than the-year before,
but hogs were from one to two cents
higher a pound.
The packers can not seem to real
ize that it is these things which dis
courage the farmer. One year the
packer disgusts the farmer by paying
$4.30 hundred for hogs fed on 60
cent corn, while two years later he
will pay $40 for hogs fed on 5O-cent
corn.
The packer thrusts the burden of
speculation on the farmer. He is
never hurt, even when he has to pay
$40 hundred; he simply sets up the
price of meat. The net result Is bad,
and 1t Is time the packers were get
ting over their little pin-headed ways.
What we need is a fairly uniform
price for hogs year in and year out.
This price should be about SO cents
hundred above the price of corn,
multiplied by 10. In the long run
the packer pays the farmer Just about
this price, and the man who stays
by hogs year after year makes fair
profits. But there are many farmers
who do not have the capital neces-
sary to enable them to stay in hogs
year after year, and 1t Is these fell
lows who generally market 70-cent
corn in Scent hogs, while when hogs
are high they have none.
1t is time the packers saw the
necessity of allowing a fair margin of
profit at all times on hogs. At pres
ent they are storing up vast quanti-
ties OF cheap hog products as result
or their low-priced campaign and
high corn. Next fall, or the follow
ing fall, hogs will in all probability,
go up, and the farmers who had the
nerve to stick by hogs will benefit.
The packers have the opportunity
of rendering a big service to the
farmers. 1t would be their gain and
the farmers gain If the violent
fluctuations we're taken out of the
hog market. Why shouldn't the pack
ers pay $3.50 to So a hundred now,
and mildly encourage the hog bust
ness? OF course such a course would
reduce the probability of 9-cent hogs
next fall and the following fall, but
no farmer has right to kick when
he is making fair profit.-Wallaces
Farmer.