White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-03-01
(By County Ageut E. c.. DurdleJ

The material given below is a
brief digest of the agricultural out
look for 1929. Misc. publication No.
a., U. S. D. A. The fact that weather
has such an influence on crop prod
uction and often offsets very seri-
ously, any crop production, is one
serious handicap to information on
agricultural outlook. We believe now
ever, that they are worthy of careful
consideration and we have tried to
give the main factors which we felt
to be of interest to farmers of the
county.
The outlook for the far west re-
ports somewhat improved wheat price
situation in 1929 continued high
beef and lamb prices at profitable
level even if not up to peaks of re-
cent years good demand for alfalfa
! hay and dairy products. Sections
depending upon specialized fruit and
vegetable products face continued
keen competition with expansion and
low prices in many cases. Develop
ments in these sections and in other
competing areas and the probabih-
ties as to over production, should be
more carefully considered before any
commitments are made on specialized
products"
lin making longtime plans, west
ern producers should consider the pos
sible future down-turns in the beet
and sheep cycles and continued heavy
foreign competition in wheat. general
stability and growing demands for
dairy products, and the tendency for
demand for fruits and vegetables to
increase somewhat faster than popu-
lation."
HOGS
The hog outlook for 1929 and 1880
are expected to average higher than
in 1928. Just what the market will
be in the west is more or less ques-
tionable as prices during the past
season has made it rather difficult.
DAIRY
The gradually increased demand for
milk and milk products will probably
continue. Dairy farmers have been
in probably as good situation as any
group. Farmers have an opportunity
to dispose of old or Gull cows at a
good price thus enabling them to de-
velop better dairy herds without too
heavy loss on cows sold. This
situation will probably continue
for another two or three years. The
total number of dairy COWS has in
creased very little since 1921, census
showing only about four hundred
thousand increase with total of over
twenty one and a half million. Pro-
duction in the Pacific states has not
been keeping pace with the increased
consumption and therefore our dairy
project should be one of the best to
follow.
SHEEP
Supplies Of lambs for marketing in
the first half of 1929 will be slightly
greater than the year earlier and in
dications point to a larger proportion
of western-fed lambs to be marketed
after March 1st than last year. Sheep
numbers continued to increase during
1928. Wool production in the U. S.
and in important foreign producing
countries during 1928 and 1929 will
apparently be about per cent larg-
err than for 1927 and 1928. This sea
sons larger world wool supplies and
the decline in tendency in foreign
prices have not however, been
reflected by a decline in prices OF
wool in this country. Although in
creased numbers of sheep in the coun-
~!
ed the markets, caution should be
used in production plans since present
lamb prices can not be maintained
after expansion is continued toe
rapidly.