The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-04-30
REMARKABLE
SHOWING MADE
U. S. Department Of Agriculture Call
Some Wartime Achievements
Remarkable and stnpendous.

|
Washington, D. c., April 25.-Amer-
lean dressed meat production, includ-
ing lard amounted in 1918 to 20, 129,-
100000 pounds, quantity never be-
fore approached in magnitude by the
live stock industry of this or any
other country. The corresponding
figures for 1917 was 16,317,3O 900
pounds.
Three-fourths of this enormous in
crease was in pork and one-fourth
was in beef.
The meat surplus in 1918 was so
great that extra export demands
made little impression on it, although
1918 export shipments of meat and
lard nearly doubled the 1917 figures
rising from slightly less than IL
rising fromslightly less than 1 "a
3 billion pounds and these ship
ments do not include shipments to
American military forces abroad.
The aggregate 1917 consumption
of dressed meat and lard in the Unit
ed States was Appropriated "a 10
billion pounds, but in 1918 it rose
to II IL billion pounds. This means,
after allowing increase in population,
an addition Of 23 pounds for every
man, woman and child in the coun-
try-despite the food conversation
campaign which in 1917 caused con-
sumption to decline considerably.
How Shortage Became Surplus.
while the people as a whole thru
their absistence averted the immed- !
late crisis, it was the farmer who was
the really big factor in the ultimate
situation" says the Bureau of Ami
NAL industry, United States Depart
ment of Agriculture, which is author
ty for the foregoing statement. "The
producer of course, was expected to
do his part, but he did it with such
powerful effect that in single year
the meat shortage was turned into
a pronounced surplus. Thus in 1918
there was not only meat enough to
supply all foreign demands compati-
BILE with the restricted shipping faeiR
tiles, but greatly enlarged quantf-
ty was available for the home con-
''To be sure, it cost the farmer
more, much more, to feed his ami,
mails and get them to market. Like
wise, all other steps from producer
to consumer became more costly,
hence the high prices. But the UNI
prosperity of the people
as whole enabled them to afford the
increased cost. In fact, labUring peo-
pie probably consumed more meat
during the past year than in prewar
times"
Quantity Increases Remarkable.
1.-The total number of cattle slaugh
tered in 1918 is estimated at Is, $50, 4
AGO." says the bureau, "as against
1928, 900 in 1917. The average
weights were practically the same
for both years, and the beef produc-
ed from them was $3.50, 900, 900
pounds In 1917 and 7,641, 900, 900
pounds in 1918. This was a remark
able achievement, as it hardly would
have been credited that beef grewers
could increase their production a bill
lion pounds in one year.
1.-THE hog natures quickly, there
fore a much more rapid increase
would be looked for than was the case
with cattle. Even so, the results for
1918 can be described only as stu
pendous. The hogs marketed in 1913
numbered 69,854,7O0 as against So, I
Asa, 800 in 1917 Furthermore, the
average weight was 8 10 pounds
more per hog in 1918. Thus when the
animals are turned into pork and
lard we have total production of
1925, 664, 900 pounds in 1918 as
against 8, 47S, 289,OO0 pounds in 1917
an increase of 2,747, S55, 900 pounds,
or 32.4 per cent, nearly one-third." !
Striking increases in exports are
also shown by the bureau. Beef