The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1923-06-08
MEAT RAISING IN GEORGIA
Light Thrown On The Existing Situation; Are
Stock Growers To Continue At Mercy
Of Western Packers?


see at glance that every one Of
these plants Is in cattle and hog pro
ducing belts, and knows that the ter
ritory tributary to these plants Is
easily capable OF furnishing almost all
oi the year pasturage, and can and
will produce feed for cattle and hogs
such as corn, peanuts, chufas, velvet
beans, soy beans, COW peas, ETC., in
great abundance, and because Of cli-
matte conditions can be "hogged down."
that Is to say, harvested by the cattle
and hogs themselves without serious
deterioration, from maturity to planting
again.
Shipments from all Of the South
eastern plants to deep water at Savan-
nah can be made in from four (D to
twelve Q2) hours, which means only
one ~ icing, and that, at the plant OF
initiation of shipment. Whereas, from
the large Western markets shipments
to deep water on the Atlantic Coast
would take from three (3) to seven (O
days, which means an icing at the plant
CT origin Of shipment and an average
Of one (1) icing a day, for each day
en- route.
Consideration of these advantages OF
the Southeast, as against the West:
First: Cost Of transportation, includ-
ing freight rates and icing.
Second: Natural advantages sur
rounding the breeding, raising and fat
tening for market.
Third: Distance from world mar
kets.
With three (3) or four (4) excep-
lions these plants have not been sue
ceesful; yet, Southeastern farmer
can raise cattle and hogs from a cent
10 three co cents per pound cheaper.
than farmers of any Of the Northern
or Weston States.
In 1914, about the beginning Of pack
ing house construction in the South
east, Georgia, was tenth Q0th) Of the
States of the Union in hog produc-
ton. It continuously rose to ninth
(9th), eighth (Sth) and then to sew
enth (7th) place in 1919. and since
tken, has fallen to the ninth (9th)
place. II seems significant that Geor-
gia's pork products seem to be affect
ed by the operation of the plants Of
the Southeast.
The writer does not entertain the
opinion that the percentage Of failure
amongst the packing houses of the
Southeast is so high, because Of the
purchase and shutting down OF these
plants by the big packers in their eff
forts to retain their market for sec
onds and scrubs, or due to their In
ability to compete with the big pack
ers and Western growers, but their
whole marketing and selling scheme
was based on domestic consumption
and that they could not avail them
selves Of the opportunities Of export and
the worlds markets for the reason that
they lacked at deep water great con-
centrating clearing house, with ample
cold storage facIlities-in a word,
JH0TS WAS u nldlG5 ia IhSl1 cNAOAhS Va
raising, packing and marketing meat
products, which can only be filled by
publicly owned and operated compre-
hensive storage and marketing facilities
at deep water.
A steady cash market twelve (12)
months in the year, and the knowl-
edge that he is going to get all that
his live stock Is worth, is all that ia
necessary to make the Georgia farmer
increase in harvest, quality and guam
tity, his cattle and hogs.
This means the markets North OF
Cape Hatteras, and East Of the Ap-
palachian Mountains, the markets OF
Western Europe, Cuba and Central
America; this in turn, means ocean
transportation, all OF which are pres
entity impossible and must so continue,
until there be established a deep
water, on the Georgia Coast, what is
place. 1t seems significant that Geor-
gia as State Port, or IN more readily
understood words, State owned, State
controlled, State managed plant
warehousing, Geld storage, market
and shipping Georgia products.