Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-05-04

fat from the hog; there is nothing else in it. 1t
represents definite portion of the edible meat In
the animal.
If it is not disposed of at price which is in
keeping with the total cost to produce pork products
the price of the lean pork certainly will have to bear
greater portion of the production costs and, in all
probability, the price which the farmer receives for
his live animal will be proportionatey reduced
That situation should be of particular interest
just at this time when there is not only large
cast unusually large production of fat hogs. 1t is
entirely probable to expect farmers to feed their
livestock much greater quantities of corn and other
grains than they previously had fed. The price of
corn has reached "a very low level relatively and
many livestock men are convinced that they will find
better market for their corn if it is carried the
back of their livestock fat and meat, than if they
sold it cereal. Naturally that will have a great
demand for lard, however, can be stimulated that
it will resume it's normal place in the households of
the United States and of the world the' available
quantities of lard would not be too great for the
average demand. -.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED is THIS
During the war large quantities, Of lard were
in the volume of lard exports the price of lard
naturally rose, did the cost of the live animal
and the cost of produce lard. In addition to the
use of lard edible by product, lard oil
used, for inedble purposes, large quantities
being diverted into that channel
The amount of lard available to fill that demand
was sadly insignificant and of course, the price rose
to unexpected heights 1t was at that time that
into the breach and they seized the opportunity to-
urge their products upon the public. Many millions Of
dollars were spent in advertising those substitutes
for lard and the campaign went on until it
virtually became ant-ard crusade. Manufacturers
even other than those engaged in the refining bust
ness, seeing the rich harvest that was being reaped
by makers of vegetable shortcomings, entered the
held and the competition among them for the basic
vegetable oils began to reflect the strength of that
demand until they to the point paraIleing the
price of lard oil.
When the war the vast quantities of
oils and fats that being used for technical or
inedible purposes were longer in demand; they
began to backup and to attempt to flow into COM
mercial channels as edible products. The market
for oils and fats became top-heavy and dropped
rapidly to Unexpectedly low levels LarG became
cheaper than the former price of some of ~
most prominently branded shortcomings that y .
made from vegetable oils. But still there was not the
demand for lard for domestic consumption d / had
existed before the war.
That demand must be strengthened if live
price OF hogs is to maintain a satisfactory asis.
The relative cheapness of lard which is afte, an
the superior shortening and frying fat shou'' be
the assurance that the demand for it viii each
proper economic proportions in the futu = but
IN the meantime, il is something for the d. tic as
well as the livestock man and the packer 10 think
about ~
corah, Iowa.