Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1921-08-31
CROP ESTImAT[ E
IS CHALLENGED
Figures of Reserve Bank Not Based on
Facts. General Liquidation is Impos-
sible, Says Farm Bureau and State
Department.

SldI ClOp Ill l11C ICANESCs Iu1S year,
and consequent liquidation Of farmers
obligations on large scale, made last
week by the Ninth Federal Reserve
Bank, are ''unwarranted" and .'colored
by a desire for settlement of outstand-
ing debts" the state department of agri-
culture, the Minnesota Farm Bureau
federation, and p f. Trowbridge, di-
rector of the experiment. station Of the
North Dakota college of agriculture,
declared in a formal statement issued
last week.
General liquidation from the agri-
cultural districts this fall is utterly i'm
possible" the joint statement said. Ere
ports on threshing show that the Aug
ust estimates Of the United States De
pertinent Of Agriculture were too high,
rather than too low. The time has
come for the northwest to face the sit
uation squarely, and to realize that
further extension of credit, not general
liquidation, is the only possible course.
If an attempt is made to force general
liquidation, the agriculture Of the
Northwest will be seriously crippled"
II have no desire to be anything but
optimistic" N. ]. Holmberg, state COM
missioner of agriculture, said in COM
menting on the joint statesmen, sbut
/ believe that the public is entitled to
the facts as they have been gathered
by the state department. of agriculture
and by the county farm bureaus"
The statement summarized crop con-
ditions as follows: r
Spring wheat-One half crop, with
the quality so low in many districts
that the farmer will receive a small re-
turn, due to the low grades.
Oats-One- half crop, low quality.
Sarly POtatoes-AlmOst total fail
ure, the yield running from 10 to Is
bushels per acre.
Late potatoes prospects point to a
good crop, but this is almost entirely
dependent on moisture and climatic
conditions.
Corn Excellent crop, but with pros
poets for a market price that will not
pay the cost of production.
Rye-Normal. 90
Barley to good crop.
: minnesota crop conditions, as indi-
Gated by the reports to Mr.. Holmberg,
hold true for the greater part of North
Dakota Mr.. Trowbridge said. :s ss5 s52
The joint statement after summarize
ing general crop conditions, quoted re-
ports received from leading farmers in
various parts of Minneapolis in re-
Spouse to inquiries.
In Cass county, North Dakota, ac-
cording to Mr., Trowbridge, wheat
threshing shows: a yield of. Z to s bu-
shells an acre. ., ~
''The yield does not begin to tell the
story Of actual conditions Mr.. Trow-
bridge said, in the section of the state
ment dealing with North Dakota. 1--WE
do not know how low the wheat grade.
Threshing on the college of agriculture
tract shows the wheat there will weigh
only 81 pounds bushe1. The milling
value may be high, but the farmer gets
price based on grades.
I'm the southwestern part of the
state, we know the farmers will not get
even their seed wheat back. Oats is
running only about half what it did
last year-around 20 bushels an acre.
1t is evident to us at the experiment
station that the oats raised In North
Dakota this year will net the farmer
loss of S. to 81 an acre. 4
Prospects for the late. potato crop,
are good, but the yield depends on rain !;
the early potatoes will hardly pay the
cost of producing them. Corn is good
in North Dakota In fact, the hay crop
and the corn crop are the brightest
spots in North Dakota. Most of the
farmers have livestock to which they
can feed their corn' @S
Dairy farmers in both Minnesota and
no11 80 + -
the statement said. Even in dry sec
tions Of North Dakota, where farmers
"have lost everything else" their dairy
income will enable them to spull
through" it said.
{ The only liquidat ton of any cOnse-
quence that can be expected from the
farmers Of the northwest" the state
ment concluded, twill not come until
spring when those who feed livestock
in the winter bring their stock to mar
ket. There is no possibility Of general
agricultural liquidati lion this fall as a
result Of the 1921 harvest. If the farm
ers of the northwest are to be put on
their feet, they must have more credit
SO that they can buy and feed livestock
this winter; if they cannot feed the
cheap grain and hay they have raised,
they can do nothing with It. It's hard
~ worth hauling to market, with the
present high freight rates.
Predictions Of general liquidation
are unwarranted and colOred by a de-.
sire for payment Of the farmers debts.
1t will take three or four years for the.
farmer to pay his old debts. He is bet
ter off this year for just one reason he.