Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1918-11-22
STEhD|ER HOG MARKETS PLANNED
Hon Producers and Packers Confer With Repre-
sentatives of the Food Administration and
Agricultural Department and Adopt
New Plan Of Regulation.

In accordance with the policy Of tn
ton to consult representative men In
of Importance to special branches Of
convened in Washington a meeting Of
Agricultural Advisory Board and the
industry to consider the situation In tn
The conference lasted for three d
executive committee Of the fifty packil
for pork products and with the membe
foreign pork purchases.
The conclusions of the conference
The entire marketing situation has
so changed since the September JOINT
conference as to nccessitate an entire
alteration in the plans of price stabi-
llzation. The current peace taik mas
alarmed the holders of corn, ana there
has been a price decline OF from 20
cents to 40 cents per buShel. The 1act
that the Accommodations OF low priced
corn in the Argentine and South AIT
en- would, upon the advent or peace
and liberated shipping, become aNalla-
Bile to the European market has Gre
ated a great deal vi apprehension OH
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, If incorporated in II l3-to-l IA
ito, obviously result in a continuous!
falling price for live hogs. in view
of these changed conditions many
swine producers anticipated
prices and as a result rushed thelr
hogs to market in large numbers, and
this overshipment has added to and
aggravated the decline.
The information of the Department
Of Agriculture indicates that the sup
ply of hoes has Increased about s per
cent. while the highest unofficial est
mate does not exceed 10 per cent. In
creased production owe last year. Or
the other hand, the arrival or hogs
during the last three weeks In the
seven great markets has been - pei
cent. more than last year, during the
corresponding period, demonstrating
the unusually heavy marketing OF tht
available supply. In the face or tht
excessive receipts some packers nave
not maintained the price agreed las
month. On the other. hand, many
of the packers have paid over TN
price offered to them 10 an endeavol
to maintain the agreed price. n re
suit in any event has been u failure
TO maintain the October price basis
determined upon at the September con
terence and undertaken by the pack
ers. Another factor contributing Il
the break in prices during the m0nti
has been the influenza epidemic; i
has sharply curtailed consumption o
pork products and temporarily dc
creased the labor staff of the packers
about % per cent.
The exports of l3O,OOO,OOO pounds
of pork products for October com
pared with about 52,0OO,OOO pounds
in October a year ago, and thu
EXPORT orders placeable by the Foo,
Administration for November, amoun'
to 17O,O00,0OO pounds as contrast
ed with the lesser exports o.
9S, ZOO, 900 for November, 1917. TIT
increased demands Of the allies are
continuing, and are in themselye:
proof of the necessity for the large
production for which the Food Admin
istration asked. The increase In eX
port demands appears TO be ainpl!
sufficient to take up the increase III
hog product, III, but unfavorable mar
ket conditions existing in Octoher az
ford no fair index Of the aggregate
supply and demand.
It must be evident that the emo
nous shortage in fats in the Contra
Empires and neutral countries woult
Immediately upon peace result In al
dltioral demands for pork products
which,, on top of the heavy shipments
TO the Allies. would tend MATERIAL!
to increase the American exports. In
asmuch as no considerable reservoir OF
supplies exists outside of the United
STATES. 1t seems probable that the
present prospective supplies would bt
Inadequate to meet this world demand
with the return to peace. So far as II
is possible to interpret this fact, 1t ap'
pears that there should he even q
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 circumstance
II Is the conclusion of the conference
that attempts to hold the price Of hogs
TO the price of corn may work out to
the disadvantage Of pork producers.
1t Is the conclusion that any interpre-
tation Of the formula should be a
broad gagged policy applied over a
long period. 1t is the opinion Of the
conference that In substitution Of the
previous plans OF stabilization the
Live Stock Subcommittee OF the Agri-
cultural Advisory Board. together with