Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1918-11-14

The conclusions Of the conference
The entire marketing situation has
no changed since the September joint
conference az TO necessitate All entire
alteration In the plans Of price stabi
lizntlOn. The current peace talk has
alarmed the holders of corn, and there
has been price decline OF from III
cents to 40 cents per bushel. The fact
that the accumulntions OF low priced
corn IN the Argentine and South Afri
IN would, upon the advent Of peace
and liberated shipping. become avail.
able to the European market has cre-
ated 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 l3-to-l ra-
Ito, obviously result In continuously
falling price for live hogs In view
Of these changed conditions many
swine producers anticipated lower
prices and az y result rushed their
hogs 10 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 hogs has increased about 8 per
cent, while the highest unofficial esti-
mate does not exceed Is per cent. In
creased production over last year. On
The ether 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. In the face Of the
excessive receipts some packers have
not maintained the price agreed last
month. On the other hand. many
IT the packers have paid over the
price offered to them In nm 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
ference 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 % per cent.
The exports Of l3O,OOO,OoO pounds
Ut pork products Cor October COM
pared with about ho,0O0 600 pounds
In October year age. and the
export orders plnceable by the Food
Administration for November, amount
TO 17O.OoO,O0O pounds ms contrast
I'd with the lesser exports Of
9S,OOO,OOO 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.
tstration asked. The Increase In ex-
port demands appears to be amply
sufficient to take up the increase In
hog production. but unfavorable mar
ket conditions existing In October at
ford no fair index Of the aggregate
supply and demand
II must he evident that the enor-
nous shortage In fats In the Central
Empires and neutral countries would
immediately upon peace result In ad-
litional demands for pork products
which. on top Of the heavy shipments
TO the Allies, would tend materially
ia 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 tU peace. So far As It
Is possible TO interpret this fact, II ar-
pears that there should b. even
stronger demand for pork products
after the war. and therefore any alarm
OF hog producers a. to the effect Of
peace Is unwarranted by the outlook.
In the light Of these circumstances
1t IL the conclusion Of the conference
that attempts to hold the price ar hogs
to the price Of corn may work out to
the disadvantage Of pork producers,
II n the conclusion that any interpre-
taticn of the formula should be
broad gagged policy applied over
Tong period. It IL the opinion Of the
conference that In substitution Of the
previous plans Of sterilization the
Live Stock Subcommittee Of the Agri.
cultural Advisory Board. together with
the specially invited swine representa-
tives, should accept the invitation Of
the Food Administration to Join with
the Administration and the packers In
determining the prices at which con-
trolled export orders are to be placed
This win be regularly done, Tho In
iuence Of these orders will be directed
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