Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-30
WHEAT FARMERS
WILL CUT ACREAGE
Sellers Strike in Kansas
Also Used as Weapon
to Raise Prices.
BY w. A. COCHEL.
,ariaI niSpatch IN The Star

Special Dispatch to The Star.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-. July 30.-A
canvass made by the Weekly Kansas
City Star in 20 of the bigger wheat
counties of Kansas shows there will be
reduction of Is to 20 per cent in acreage
in next years crop. There is posi-
bility of a still greater reduction II
there Is no recovery Of prices before
seeding time.
The same canvass showed IS t. 10
per cent of the present crop is being
held on farms or placed in storage.
A large number of growers have sold
Their wheat for cash and bought flu
lures, believing wheat is selling 50 low
that a recovery in the market will be
recorded before settlements are made.
Only one county reported no acreage
reduction. That was Greeley, which
raised 975,0 900 bushels this year and Is
holding back 40 per cent of that crop.
No county reported an increase in
acreage
This year Kansas raised 0896. 900
bushels Of wheat, according to the July
report of the State Department of Ag-
Iiculture. That was 100000 bushels
more than the State ever before pro-
duce1 and was en- total CT 1880, 600
acres.
The Kansas crop in 1880 was 1885,
185, 900 bushels en- 11,735,000 acres.
start Sellers Strike.
The wheat growers nave started a
sellers strike. With the greatest crop
ever produced in the Southwest, receipts
are dwindling on the central markets.
The movement has not been retarded by
rain, lack CT freight cars, cong asticn at
terminals nor absence OF m7rket faclll-
fipS EVorVth fnn nr1np Is
set for rapid and expeditions movement.
Millers' stocks are low, bakeries are
operating on a hand-Cc-.nouth basis,
foreign countries are en- war bread
basis
The wheat grower is disguised when
he is compelled to accept 25 cents
buShel at country points, after paying
cents bushel for delivery. He thinks
seriously when he discovers how little
he can get in exchange for his crop
He feels certain that the exchange value
CT wheat will be increased materially
before another crop is harvested.
The wheat farmer Is expressing his
feeling in several effective ways. He
refuses to sell his product except that
portion required to meet most pressing
obligations. He has decided to reduce
his acreage from Is to 20 per cent this
year, to convert as much as possible
41lOO 1IlAh, POuAGAy
products and to reduce c-sts of produc-
ton on the rem aiming acres.
Additional Cuts Possible.
Several county agents indicated that
the acreage reduction might be mate
rally greater than present intentions of
growers An absence CT rain between
now and seeding time would add to the
idle acres. If the new crops in the
e stern counties are burned out by hot
winds. soil conditions w-uld be ideal for
seeding This might result in a slight
increase IN such communities over pres
ent intentions In some of the South
western counties it is indicated that
breaking out SGD may overcome reduc-
tons in Older cultivated areas.
A decided modification IN methods of
SOL preparation is very evident. The
proTen practice CT turning under stub
bic in July is being set aside. The
stubble is burned and Will be followed
by dsking the lind just before seeding.
Tbs is an effort to eliminate cost OF
blowing taking a chance on possible re-
auctions in yield through failure to ccn-
serve moisture.
This effort to cut down production
and to reduce cost CT production is sup
plemented by a determination to make
extensive use of wheat for feeding pur-
poses.
It is a voluntary movement from the
grass roots to eliminate the wheat sur
plus. 1t is not the result Of any effort
from outside sources to influence farm
practices. 1t represents the combined
judgment of wheat growers to help
themselves.
Copyright, 1881. by North American News
paper Alliance, Inc)