The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1918-11-22
Hog PRICES FIXED
IN joint MEETING
Government And Packers
Agree On Plan To
! Regulate.


stock subcommittee of the Agri-
cultural Advisory Board, including
special members representing the
Swine Industry, and the Food Admin
istration. held on October. % to 90
has after consideration of the present
situation of the pork and hog market,
reached the following conclusions:
The entire marketing situation has
so changed since September joint
conference as to necessiate an entire
alteration in the plans of price stabil-
izattou. The current peace talk mas
alarmed the holders of corn, and
there has been a price decline of from
Is cents to 40 cents per bushel. The
fact that the accumulation of low
priced corn in the Argentine and
south Africa, would, upon the advent
of peace and liberated shipping, be-
come available to the European mar
ket. has created a great deal of ap-
prekeusion on the part of corn hold
ers. This decline has spread fear
among swine growers that similar
reduction in the prices of hogs would
naturally follow. Moreover. the low
er rauge of corn prices, would, If in
corporated in Is to 1 ratio, obvious
ly result In a continuously falling
price for live hogs. In view of this
changed condition many swine pro-
ducers anticipated lower prices and
as a result, rushed their hogs to the
marked in large numbers, and this
advertisement has added to and ag-
gravated the decline.
The information of the Department
OF Agriculture indicates that the sup
ply OF hogs has increased about s
per cent, while the highest unofficial
estimate does not exceed Is per cent
increased production over last year.
On the other hand, the arrival of hogs
during the last three weeks in the
seven great markets has been 81 per
cent more than last year, during the
corresponding period, demonstrating
The NEusually heavy marketing of the |
araasble supply. In the face of the |
excessive receipts, some packers have !
not maintained the price agreed last !
month. On the other hand, many of |
the packers have paid over the price |
differed them in an indeavor to !
maintain the agreed price. The re-
40 maintain the October price basis |
determined upon at the September !
conference and undertaken by the !
packers Another thing contributing |
10 The break in prices during the |
month has been the influenza epidem-
ic: IL has shortly curtailed consump-
TIM Of pork products and temporarily
decreased the labor staff of the pack
ers about 25 per cent.
The exports of 100000 pounds
or PORK products for October, COM
pared With about 100000 pounds in
Ocipssgr a year ago. and the export
orders placeable by the Food Ad-
niinstraiion for November. amount to
4TA,peo, 900 contrasted with the les
ser exports of $4,000 900 for Novem-
Der 1917. The increased demands
.af Ire Allies are continuing and are
In themselves proof of the necessity
for the large production for which
abe Food Administration asked. The
increase in export demands appears to
DE amply sufficient to take up the in
crease in hog production, but unfa
vorabIe market conditions existing in
OrtdBgr afford no fair index of the
aggregate supply and demand.
i mRst be evident that the enor-
mBRs shortage in fats in the Central
EruPj,Ss and neutral countries would
iHmIliately upon peace result in adj
ditGNlal demands for pork products
which. on top of the heavy shipments
10 the Allies, would tend materially
ia iufrease the American exports, in
gsMuch IS no considerable reservoir
al supplies exists outside of the
Tniisd States. II seems probable
ihE5 sue present prospective supplies
Nogid Dc inadequate to meet this
wur71 demand with the return to
s,ssre So far as il is possible to in :
ierprer this fact. it appears that there
0hnul6 be an even stronger demand l.
i0r por6 products after the war, and /
1hgrsfore any alarm of hog producers /
as Is .he effect of peace is unwarrant-
ed By Ehe outlook.
Ig5 khs. light of these circumstances,
II " Ite conclusion of the conference ,
fhaI attempts to hold the price of
.hnGs 60 the price of corn may work
Sui 10 the disadvantage of pork pro-
dnncfs II is the conclusion that any
interpretation of the formula should ,
he a sroad-gauged policy applied over
q EolS period. II Is the opinion of
fbe conference that in substitution of /
1he previous plans of sterilization, |
.iie Livestock Subcommittee of the
Agricultural Advisory Board. to-