Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-06-13
THE WORLD AMAZED BY
AMERICAN MEAT.

American dressed meat production
including lard, amounted last year to
20,l29 100000 pounds-a quantity
never before approached in magni-
tude by the livestock industry of
this or any other country. The cor
responding figures for 1917 were &c.
3l7,300,0O0 pounds, according to sta
tistlcs prepared for the Department
of Agriculture by John Roberts.
Three-fourths of this enormous in
crease was in pork and one-fourth
was in beef.
The surplus in 1918 was so great
that the extra demands for export
made little impression on it. There
was nevertheless, very great in
crease in the overseas shipments as
compared with 1917. The total ship
ments of meat and lard in 1917
amounted in round figures to slightly
under l,750, 100000 pounds; in 1918
they were slightly over 5000 coo, 900
pounds, or very nearly doubled 1t
should be borne in mind. too, that
these shipments do not include pro-
ducts sent in United States vessels
to our forces abroad.
The aggregate of dressed meat and
lard consumed in the United States in
1917 was approximately lI,500 900
ponds, while in 1918 il had risen to
1850, 100000 pounds. After allow
ing for the increase in the population
this means an addition of 23 pounds,
for every man, woman and child in
the country.
The foregoing figures regarding
consumption may appear Incredible
to those who doubtless thing that
the food-conservation campaign of
year should have brought about a
different result. A consideration of
few high lights bearing on the sit
uation, however, may show that there
Is nothing unreasonable in it after
all. To begin with. meat production
in 1917 was lower than il had been
for many years. In addition it was
borne in upon our people that three
years of war; and U-boat atrocities
had brought about dire need for
meats on the part of the European
Allies which called for drastic and
Immediate measures of relief. The
American consumer responded to the
call ut once; there was Il real tight
enin% of belts, and in consequence
much meat was saved during the
year, and consumption fell to a low
point.
While the people as Il whole
through their abstince avertcd the
immediate crisis, it was the farmer
who was the really big factor in the
ultimate situation. The producer, of
course, was expected to do his part,
but he did it with such powerful Of
fect that III a single gear the meat
shortage was turned into pro-
nouced surplus. Thus in 1918 there
was not only meat enough to supply
all foreign demands compatible with
, the restricted shipping facilities, but
, greatly enlarged quantity was
available for the home consumption
besides
To be sure. it cost the farmer more
much more, to feed his animals and
get them to market; likewise all
other steps from producer to con
sumner became more costly; hence
the high prices. But the unpreccdent-
ed prosperity of the people as a whole
enabled them to afford the increased
cost. In fact, the laboring class prob.
~, c"'s"'"ci II. re I..ea. during III.
last year than in pre-war times.
The total number of cattle saught.
cred in 1918 is estimated to be 15.-
100000. as against ID, 723.9GO IN
1917. The average weights of The
animals were practically the same
for both years, and the beef produc-
ed from them was 6,6SG, O0D. 900
pounds in 1917 and 7,64l ,000,0O in
1918. This was remarkable achieve.
mcnt, as it would hardly have been
credited that beef growers could in
crease their production billion
pounds in one year.
Exports of beef products increased
"a per cent in 1918 as compared with
1917. The chief items of beef ex-
ports last year were $4,000, 900
pounds of fresh beef and al 900. 600
pounds of canned beef. These figures
compare with 2l5,000.0OO ami Co.
100000, respectively, in 1917.
The hog natures quickly. there
fore much more rapid increase
would be looked for than was the
case with cattle. Even so. the results
for 1918 were stupendous. The hogs
marketed in 1918 numbered 69.S54.-
700 as against 7,43S 900 IN 1917.
Furthermore, the average weight
was 9 ID pounds mere per hog than
in 1918. Thus, when the animals were
turned into pork and lard, there was
a total production of l1,225.6l4 .Oou
pounds in 1918, as against S,47S .289.-
900 pounds in 1917, an increase of
2,747 ,355, 900 pounds. or 32.4 per
cent, nearly one-third.
The exports of pork products in
1918 were the greatest in the history
of the trade and present some strik-
ing figures. The total exports of
pork and lord amounted to 2,279.27S,-
O3O pounds, which was 95l, S96 800
pounds, or III per cent. greattr
than the quantity sent abroad in
1917. The principal items exported in