The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1918-11-14
.sTEADlER HOG MARK ETS AIMED

s
Agricultural Depal
New Plan ol
In accordance with the policy Of the
ton to consult represent alive men In
Of Importance to special branches OF
convened In Washington q meeting OF
Agricultural Advisory Board and the 81
industry to consider the situation in tn
The conference lasted for three da
executive committee OF the fifty packin
/ for pork products and with the member
foreign pork purchases.
The conclusions of the conference
The entire marketing situation has
80 changed since the September joint
conference as to necessitate an entire
alteration in the plans Of price staDl-
lization. The current peace talk mas
alarmed the holders Of corn, and there
has been a price decline of from 20
cents to 40 cents per bushel. The fact
that the accommodations Of low priced
! corn in the Argentine and South Afrl-
ca would, upon the advent Of peace
and liberated shipping, become avalla-
Bile to the European market has ere
ated great deal Of apprehension on On
the part of corn holders This decline
has spread fear among swine growers
that similar reduction in the prices
Of hogs would naturally follow. More
over, the lower range of corn prices
would, If Incorporated in a 13-to-l ra-
ito, obviously result in a continuously
falling price for live hogs. In view
Of these changed conditions many
swine producers anticipated lower
| prices and as result rushed their
| hogs to market in large numbers, and
this overshipment has added to ana
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 n 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
: Of the packers have paid over the
price offered, to them In on endeavo'
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 t
the break in prices during the montl
!, has been the influenza epidemic; !
has sharply curtailed consumption Q
!, pork products and temporarily de
:, creased the labor staff of the packer
4
about 25 per cent
The exports Of 130,00O,000 pound
> of pork products for October con
pared with about 100000 pound
t in October a year ago, and tn
f exnort orders placeable by the Foo
9 Administration for November, amour noun
> to 17O,OOO,OOO pounds as contras
) ed with the lesser exports
= p8,OOO.O 900 for November, 1917. IN
u increased demands of the allies al
IS continuing, and are In themselVe
r, proof of the necessity for the lare
IS production for which the Food Adml1
r. istration asked. The increase In e:
= mort demands appears to be amp
sufficient to take UP the increase
=. hog producti ,n, but unfavorable ma
ket conditions existing IN Octoper .
ford no fair index OF the agsresa
y supply and demand.
"a It must be evident that the enc
I'd NOUS shortage in fats In the Cent?
1e Emn,res and neutral countries Wou
RI Immediately upon peace result IN
- ditional demands for pork produc
which. on top Of the heavy sh1pmen
to the Allies, would tend material l1ll
- to increase the American exports,
It aamnch as no considerable reservoir
n- supplies exists outside Of the Unit
States. It seems probable that :
r. present prospective supplies Would
VS. Inadequate to meet this world demal
- with the return to peace So far as
- IS possible to interpret this fact, It
- pears that there should be even
d stronger demand for pork produt
Nv after the war, and therefore. any ala'
tic Of hog producers as to the effect
en- peace IL unwarranted by the OUTLOOK
le- In the light Of these circum q nc
Of It is the conclusion OF the conferen
Of that attempts to hold the price OF no
to the price Of corn may work out
- the disadvantage Of pork produce
~ It is the conclusion that any interpl
q tation Of the formula should be
ke broad gagged policy applied over
II lnno nnriOd IT ia the opinion OF