The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-11-07
WHEAT GRADE EVILS
ADMITTEDLY BARNES
Relative Prices on Low Grade
Wheat Raised by Grain
Corporation
DR.. lADD WINS IN FIGHT
Adjustment viii Mean $25,ooo, 900 It
$4o,ooo,o0o to Raisers Of Light
Weight and Damaged Wheat
High Grades Too Low Now.

St. Paul, Minn.-orders issued
by the United States Grain cor
poration, suspendin9 in part the
operation Of the federal grades on
low-grade wheat, are great VIC
tory for the advocates Of grading
according to milling value.
The new rulings set limits be-
low which relative prices may not
90 for this wheat. Experts estl.
mate the savings to the farmers
from the order at from $25.o0o, 900
to $40,000,0C0.
Offsettine this, however, is the
fact that great market interests
are endeavoring to bring the price
Of first-ciass wheat down to the
guaranteed price. With prices
warranted by market conditions
tor the better wheat. the new rui-
Ings would raise the low-grade
wheat to still higher point.
The New Rulings.
Agents have been instructed by Di.
rector Barnes to pay 3 cents less for
No. 2 than for No. J.: cents less for
No. 3 than for No. /; 10 cents less for
No. than for No. l; and II cents
less for No. than for No. |.
Where wheat falls down in test
weight special rulings are made
Wheat in No. ) grade or better is to
be locked ; cents for each pound
below the required test weight. The
limit for this price reduction is set ut
20 cents below No. for 41.pound
wheat which grades No. 5 or better.
Smutty wheat is to be reduced 2
cents bushel for slightly snutty
condition and larger discounts will be
made according to the degree Of smut
Mixed wheat will be discounted at
from 2 to $ cents bushel Wheat
mixed with rye is to be discounted not
less than 5 cents Il bushel. and the
rye is to be paid Tor at the rate OF 70
cents a bushe.
Light Wheat Good.
These order; W.,~n issued following
Z conference In wi '>h Doctor r. r.
Ladd of the N"lIh Dakota Agricul-
turai college a::u tie three NOnparti-
san league CO:.yrrSSn,en from that
state were prolni cent. In 1916. when
the wheat Gro? re:rllL.cu tAr present
one in many RESPECTS. Doctor Ladd
startled the Northwest by showing
that on milling value tests Il spread of
Ouly 3 cents was warranted between
No. | and No =, instead of II or more
cents which tho elevators set, and that
the special E":''' al Feed d." which
the milling combine set on light
weight wheat contrary to law, WAS in
reality not used for feed at all but
made very good flour.
Politicians "Converted."
These revelations did much to pro-
mote active farmer organization in the
Northwest. and the fear of the grow.
ing Independence Of the organized
farmers has now led to important con-
cessions in the direction OF paying for
wheat according to its value for the
purpose for which it is raised and
bought
Attending the conference with Mr..
Rarnes also were several officials from
Minnesota who We're decidedly Op-
posed to Doctor Ludd's findings three
years ago and who have since been
shown the light by the way the farm.
ers have rallied to the Nonpartisan
league. The Minnesota warehouse
commission, for instance. not only has
been converted but has an exhibit at
tho state fair showing how easy it is
to clean low-grade wheat and what
good bread it makes.
Spread Still Too Great.
The new relative prices announced
by the grain corporation director are
still unfair to wheat which grades low
under the federal grades. Other dock
age than rye is of great value to the
elevators and mills and should be paid
for in other states as it is now paid
for in North Dakota under state law.
But the maximum spread of ~ cents
allowed on No. ) 45-pOund wheat COM
pares we'll with differences amounting
to r. to 80 cents a bushel which the
grain buyers have heen offering In
general. the new orders should mean
an increase Of from a few cents to
over 40 cents ON the bulk OF the crop
to be marketed from the Northwest.
and practically all Of il should move
at S. or better at the terminal mar
ket.