Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1930-01-30
FARMERSH0ULD
BE The JUDGE
Agricultural Department
Advises This to Stabilize
Price Situation.
Should Build 1890 Farm
Program Around Live
stock Production.

| prepared by the Division of Farm Man.
agement and Agricultural Economics.
University Farm. st. Paul. Mimi
| Farmers are facing a serious prob
| lem. Collectively, they must avoid
expansion of the major lines on pen
| atty of forcing lower prices. Individ-
ally, they must force production to
the utmost to meet family needs and
| to cover expense of farm operation.
| The lower prices go the more they
must have to sell. This conflict be-
tween the interests of farmers COL
| lectively and farmers as individual
operators is one of the chief reasons
for the long delay in settling the
farm problem. There can be only one
choice in the matter The individual
farm business must be so planned
and so conducted as to yield the larg-
est possible net income to the oper-
ator The operator himself must be
the sole judge as to whether or not
he should increase his production
even at the expense of lower prices.
On the whole, livestock still holds
favorable position in relation to
feed crops and grain. The Minnesota
farm program for 1880 therefore
should be built so far as possible.
around the livestock enterprises.
While there are indications of surplus
production of some commodities and
caution should be exercised about fur
Their expansion, the indications are
that present levels of production can
be maintained without seriously
breaking the market. Close attention
to economy of production is emphati-
cally demanded.
The Dairy.
For the first time in several years,
there appears to be a temporary sur
plus of dairy products. Prices are
accordingly shrinking to some extent
Warnings have been sounded against
expansion of the dairy business and
there is already under way curtail-
ment in production. This curtailment
is expressed in the form of more
rigid culling of the dairy herds, in
the vealing of more calves, i'm a light
ening of the grain feed ration, and
in saving labor on the care of dairy
COWS. At the same time the lower
prices for milk, cream and butter are
stimulating the use of greater quaint
ties of these commodities by consum-
ers. Fortunately, the favorable prices
for beef cattle are encouraging the
culling of cows and tend also to draw
cows on the border line between milk
and beef over into beef classes. The
depression is likely to lessen the de-
mand for dairy COWS and it is doubt
full policy to raise more dairy heifers
than are needed to maintain the pro-
ductive herds now in existence. The
custom should be freely practiced of
converting dairy calves into veal as
rapidly as possible. The present stu
alton in dairying will likely right
itself soon unless the situation is
complicated by the addition OF large
number of new cows growing into the
herds.
Beef Cattle.
Producers Of beef cattle made fair
profits in 1929. Conditions appear
" NC IdNoI dDlt IOI ii Oi
Of profitable beef-making through the
coming year. There seems to have
been no general expansion of beef
herds during the past year or two
i'm spite Of the favorable prices.
Where an abundance Of good pasture
can be provided and where roughage
can be supplied in ample quantities
making cheap beef Present prices
of feed grain are also favorable to
beef production. Under the circum-
stances there is no reason for hold
ing back on putting cattle either in
the pasture or in the feed lots. II is
a good time To be cautious about un-
due expansion but 1t is probable that
beef production for another year or
two. In areas of the state where
cheap gains can easily be made the
beef cattle industry may well be ex-
banded.
Hogs.
favorable year for the producers of
hogs. 1t is thought that the 1890 sup
ply of hogs will be somewhat less than
in 1929. 1t is estimated that the
number OF sows to farrow next spring
In the corn belt states will not be
greatly different than the number
narrowing last spring. 1t Is too early
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