Charlevoix county herald., 1918-11-15


The conclusions of the conference
The entire marketing situation mas
70 changed since the September joint
conference as to necessitate an entire
\alteration In the plans Of price staDi-
uzation. The current peace talk mas
alarmed the holders Of corn, and there
has been a price decline OF from Zo
cents to 40 cents per bushel. The fac'
that the accumulations of low priced
corn in the Argentine and South Arr
ca would, upon the advent OF peace
and liberated shipping, become avaha'
BILE to the European market has Gre
ated a great deal Of apprehension on
the part of corn holders. This decline
has spread fear among swine growers
that a similar reduction In the prices
Of hogs would naturally follow. More
over, the lower range of corn prices
would, II Incorporated In 13-to-1 ra'
to, obviously result in a continuously
falling price for live hogs. In view
Of these changed conditions many
swine producers anticipated lower
prices and as a result rushed their
hogs to market In large numbers, ano
this overshipment has added to and
aggravated the decline.
The information of the Department
Of Agriculture indicates that the sup
ply of hogs has increased about per
cent, while the highest unofficial esti-
mate does not exceed Is 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 u per
cent. more than last year, during the
corresponding period, demonstrating
the unusually heavy marketing or the
available supply. In the face OF the
excessive receipts some packers have
not maintained the price agreed last
mont On the other hand, many
Of IT, packers have paid over the
price offered to them 10 an endeavor
to maintain the agreed price. The re-
suit In any event has been failure
to maintain the October price basis
determined upon at the September con-
terence and undertaken by the pack.
ers. Another factor contributing to
the break In prices during the month
has been the influenza epidemic; II
has sharply curtailed consumption OF
pork products and temporarily de-
creased the labor staff of the packers
about Is per cent.
The exports of 100000 pounds
Of pork products for October com
pared with about 100000 pounds
In October year ago, and the
export orders placeable by the Food
Administration for November, amount
20 17O,OOO,OOO pounds as contrast.
ed with the lesser exports Oh
e8, 1900. 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
istration asked. The increase In ex.
port demands appears to be amply
sufficient to take up the Increase ID
hog production, but unfavorable mar
ket conditions existing In October az
ford no fair index Of the aggregate
supply and demand.
If must be evident that the enor
mons shortage In fats In the Central
Empires and neutral countries woulc
Immediately upon peace result In ad
ditional demands for pork products
which, on top of the heavy shipments
to the Allies, would tend materially
To Increase the American exports In
asmuch as 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 as Il
IN possible to interpret this fact, 1t ap
pears that there should be even
stronger demand for pork products
after the war, and therefore any alarm
of hog producers as to the effect OF
peace is unwarranted by the outlook.
In the light Of these circumstances
ft Is the conclusion OF the conference
that attempts to hold the price of hogs
To the price Of corn may work out Il
the disadvantage Of pork producers
II Is the conclusion that any interpre
tation of the formula should be
broad gagged policy applied over
long period. II is the opinion OF th'
conference that In substitution of the
previous plans Of sterilization tho
Live Stock Subcommittee OF the Agri
cultural Advisory Board, together Will
the specially invited swine representa-
lives, should accept the invitation o.
the Food Administration to join Will
the Administration and the packers II
determining the prices at which con
trolled export orders are to be placed
This will be regularly done. The In
fuence of these orders will be directed
to the maintenance of the common OBJ
ject-namely, the sterilization of Tho
price of live hogs so as to secure as fal
AZ II is possible fair returns to thu