Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-14
FOOD TRADE MAKES
PROGRESS RAPIDLY
New inventions Are Factor in
Promoting Marketing of
Products.

The food industry is on the brink
Of a real revolution, owing to startling
changes in methods of sales and to the
farm situation. which has menaced the
wheat, live stock. poultry, dairy and
vegetable producers.
The extent of this revolution depends
in part on the decision on the packers
consent decree. The hearing on the
decree will be held here in october
and food men the world over are
watching for the result. Under the pro-
posal asked by the meat packers, the,
decree would be so modified as to allow
them to engage in the retail sale and
distribution of food.
Change in Manufacturing.
In addition there has come about
a revolutionary change in the me-
chanical and manufacturing ends of
the food business. The packers now
have one machine, for example, which
is operated by only two men, and which
can cut $1,000 pounds of pork chops a
day. Similar machines cut and wrap
all kinds of meat cuts. Methods OF
hanging of meat in storage have been
modified and the quality and value
thereby increased Now the quarters
are disposed in the same position as
they occupy on the live animal and
consequently the flesh is not stretched.
Poultry, butter and other food prod
ucts also are refrigerated under the new
systems and the freezing of vegetables
has proved distinct success. The flavor
of the fresh vegetables and their food
value are entirely retained. This means
tremendous saving to the grower, the
distributor and the retailer, which
should in a short time be reflected in
lower prices to the consumer.
There has been a big drop in the
price of live stock on the hoof. This
has forced many animals onto the
market which the packers have had to
buy. The low wholesale prices have not
been fully reflected in lower retail
prices. This has brought sharp drop
in consumption and the coolers of the
packers are full of meat. The packers
feel that If they could control the out
let's for their meat products, which the
modification of the consent decree
would permit, low live stock prices would
be more quickly passed on to the con-
sumner. AS it is now consumers expert
ence any price rise Immediately, but
wait indefinitely for reductions.
Ready to Start Retailing.
The packers have equipment all ready
to install the moment the courts permit
them to enter the retail grocery field.
They have refrigerators with show
CdSc WIlcIc U1lS temperature ID dUOuL ~
degrees. so that customers can pick out
their own cuts.
The storage space is kept at zero or
below. The meat must be kept under
II degrees If held for more than three
days under the new refrigerating sys-
TENS.
While the stock growers are in an
unsatisfactory position, with feed high
and prices for animals low they have
one advantage-they are favored by the
style in pork. Light weight hogs are
selling at higher prices and are in far
better demand than the heavy, fully
finished animals. This means that the
| farmers do not have to feed their hogs
| longer than 120 days. The short fed
| stuff is likely to bring them better
return than fully fattened heavy stuff.
which has been drug on the market.
Heavy loins in the last month averaged
| only little more than half as much in
| price as the light loins. Foreign bust
ness in pork and pork products is nor
mally light at this season of the year,
but is showing improvement.
Copyright, 1902