Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-05-22
Cost Facts Help
in Making Plans
Different Ways Pointed Out
for Measuring Efficiency
and Net Returns.


prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.)
How farmers can use detailed cost
# production figures to improve their
practices and methods and make the
most profitable combinations OF crops
and live stock on their farms, is
shown by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture and the Univer-
sity Of Minnesota in a study recently
completed of operations during 1920,
1921 and 1922 on "a farms in Cotton
wood and Jackson counties, Minnesota.
Representatives of the department
Visited these farms regularly, obtain
ing day-to-day records on labor used,
crops grown, live stock raised and
Dther phases of the farm work. With
this information at hand, different
ways were pointed out in which or
ganization of crops and live stock on
these farms could be measured for
the greatest efficiency and the largest
net returns.
While the results obtained apply
fully only to the particular farms
studied, they can be used by other
farmers operating elsewhere under
similar conditions Similar material
gathered in previous studies is on file
In the department, and II like projects
are under way in different parts OF the
country They are expected to be
helpful not only in enabling individual
farmers to plan their operations eff
GENTLY, but in facilitating a more
rapid adjustment between agricultural
production as a whole and production
n other lines.
Advance Plans Great Help.
Detailed information on farm pro-
auction factors, says the department,
makes 1t possible to project operations
1T least year in advance with fair
accuracy. 1t gives basis for estimat-
Ing probable returns from the various
organization plans of which the farm
er has a choice. Working out farm
policies before definite steps are taken
serves as a check on what has been
accomplished, and helps farmers to
make q wise selection of enterprises.
Farmers are accordingly advised to
make diligent use Of all available data
N choosing between different farm
production plans. Study of unit re-
auirement" data can be Of special
| benefit, it is declared, in speeding the
readjustment of production TO chang
ing market conditions. Changes from
Dne enterprise to another are often
not made until the relative advantages
Of the enterprises are beginning to be
reversed so that the farmer is hardly
launched on the new path before the
need arises of changing back. Study
Of production costs and price trends
would make this error less common.
In their studies in Cottonwood and
Jackson counties, Minnesota, the in
vestigatcrs found that there are con-
siderable quantities of feeds of a nom
salable character produced in the area.
These together with nontillable pas
ture can be marketed only through
live stock. There are also times when
man and horse labor are idle. How to
utilize these resources to the best adj
vantage was part Of the problem. On
some farms the solution was appar-
emily greater attention to live stock
| enterprises. On others more COM
.plete utilization of the available labor
and material resources seemed obtain
able by reimbursement Of crops. In
general the farmers were urged to
work toward a well-rounded organiza
ton that would give the greatest net
return from all the factors of pro-
duction by providing for more uni
farm seasonal distribution of labor
ana a more complete utilization of all
of che farm resources
Lack of Live Stock Noted.
Labor, horses, and machinery, 1t is
pointed out, are usually employed
mere economically in system of di-
vepsified farming than in single crop
system, even if the crop needing at
tention at one time in diversified
system gives a lower return than that
needing attention at another time.
Farms consisting of corn, small grain,
and cattle enterprises are numerous in
Cottonwood and Jackson counties.
But the departments investigators
found that some farms well organized
for crop production were not market
inc their crops efficiently through live
stock On one farm only 125 pounds
of butterfat were being produced per
cow, and beef production was low in
proportion to the feed consumed.
One, of the better organized farms
sn the area picked out for illustrative
purposes had no definite rotation Of
crops including legumes for hay and
maintenance of soil fertility. It's small
grain acreage was considered out of
proportion to it's corn acreage, and
opportunities were pointed out for in
creasing the acreage of corn and tame
hay without hiring additional labor or
decreasing the number OF work stock.
The amount of pork produced was low
In proportion to the amount of skim
milk and other feeds available.
The material coming out of this
study shows the wide variations in the
quantities of labor and feed used in
production from farm to farm. From
the figures shown on the standard
amounts Of feed and labor used in pro-
duction it is possible for other pro-
ducers to determine the relative eff
cheney of what they are doing on their
own farm. There are set forth by the
department the principles underlying