Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-11-22

Agricultural Advisory Board and the
iliustry to consider The situation In Il
The conference lasted for three 4
executive committee " the nfty pack
for pork products and with the msmbs
foreign pork purchases.
The conclusions Ut the conference
The entire marketing situation has
~ changed since the September joint
conference 10 to necessitats Az entire
alteration IN the plans Of price stab
lization. The current peace talk has
alarmed the holders Of corn, and there
has been 4 price decline OF from 70
cents to ~ cents per bushsl. The fscr
that the sccum ulstiOns Of low priced
corn IN the Argentine and South Afri'
ca would, upon the advent OF peace
and liberated shipping, b<cone avail
able to the Europesn market has Gro
sted q great deal VI apprehension on
the part Vt corn holders. This decline
has spread fear among swine growers
that 4 similar reduction IN the prices
Of hogs would naturally follow. More,
over, the lower range Of corn prices
would, II Incorporated IN 4 lS.to-l rs'
Ito, obviously result IN 4 continuously
falling price for i've hogs. In view
Of these changed conditions many
swine producers Anticipated lower
prices and a. 4 result rushed their
hogs to market In large numbers, and
this oversllpment has added to and
aggravated the decline.
The Information Of the Department
Of Agriculture Indicates that the sup
ply Of hogs has Increased about j per
cent, while the highest unoricisl estl,
mate does not exceed 10 per cent. In
creased production over last year On
the other hand, the arrival Of hogs
during the last three weeks IN the
seven great markets has been q per
cent. more than last year, during the
corresponding period. demonstrating
the unusually heavy marketing Of the
available supply. ln the face Of the
excessive receipts some packers have
not maintained the price sgreed last
month. On the other hand. many
VI the packers have paid over the
price offered 10 them 10 an endeavor
~ maintain the agreed price The re-
suit ia any event has been q failure
TO maintain the October price basis
determined upon at the September con-
ference aud undertaken by the pack
ere. Another factor contributing TO
the break 10 prices during the month
has been the Influenza epidemic; II
has sharply curtaIed consumption or
pork products aud temporarily de-
creased the labor sian Of the packer
about 70 per cent.
The exports OF iSOOO0,0O0 pounds
Of pork products for October COM
pared with about o2.0OOOUO pounds
10 October 4 year ago, aud the
export orders plsceabls by the Food
Administered on for November. amount
to iTO,O00,O0O pounds a. contrast
ed with the lesser exports OF
50, 900 900 for November. 1917. The
increased demands Of the allies are
continuing. and are In themselves
proof Of the necessity for the large
production for which the Food Admin
istrstion asked. The increase In ex'
port demands appears to be amply
sufiicient to take up the increase IN
hog production. but unfsvOrabe mar
ket conditions existing In October sf-
ford no fair index Of the aggregate
supply and demand.
1t must be evident that the enOr.
nous shortage Ia fats 10 the Central
Empires and neutral countries would
Immediately upon peace result in sd-
dltional demands for pork products
which, on top Of the heavy shipments
TO the ALLIES, would tend materially
to increase the American exports. In
ssmuch Is no considerable reservoir OF
supplies exists outside OF the United
States II seems probable that the
present prospective supplies would be
Inadequate TO meet this world demand
with the return to peace. So far 81 II
Is possible 10 Interpret this fact, II sp.
pears that there should be even Il
stronger demand for pork products
after the war, and therefore any alarm
of hog producers as ~ the effect Of
peace IL unwarranled by the outlook
In the light Of these circumstances
IL 10 the conclusion VI the Conference
that attempts TO hold the price " hogs
10 the price Of corn may work OUT 10
the disadvantage Of pork producers
Ii 10 the conclusion that any iuterprs
tstion Of the formula should be a
broad gagged policy sphl over u
long period. 1t 10 the Vhillon or the
conference that IN substitution Of the
prsylous plans of STERILIZATION the
live Stock Subcommittee Of the Agri.
cultural Advisory Board, together with
the specially invited swine representa-
tyes, should accept the Invitation OF