The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-09-08
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National Topics Interpreted "a fFYTFFTYT9
BY William Bruckart @Ep-9fITF
National Topics Interpreted
by William Bruckar

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TooManyPigs an old SOW or two
to Market to m arket n a :
caused so many
pigs to go to market that the distin-
guished secretary has had to issue a
warning against shipping so many of
them at this time. The markets were
nearly glutted in the first days of OPP
Grafton of the program under which
the government is buying pigs and
sows, soon to farrow, at premium
prices. Secretary Wallace certainly
demonstrated that he is the nations
champion hog caller, especially when
the inducement was cash in hand.
AS soon as the. Department of Agri-
culture decided that reduction in the
potential marketing of hogs during
the coming year was advisable and
made known that the government
would buy pigs weighing between %
and 100 pounds and sows, soon to far
row, there was a rush for market.
Despite the fact that the government
is prepared to buy 100000 pigs and
100000 sows, at the premium prices,
approximately 10000 pigs and 1000
sows reached the main markets on the
first day. Mr.. Wallace watched the
pigs go to market for few days more
and then tried to shoe them back a
bit, explaining that the farmers would
have until around October / in which
to ship their pigs and obtain the
premium prices.
By the end of September, it is fig
ured by the experts, the potential mar
keting of hogs during the coming year
will have been reduced by about 2,0OO,-
100000 pounds. In this manner, 1t is
claimed by Mr.. Wallace and those who
sponsored the idea, the first step will
have been taken in establishing and
maintaining balance between the
production and consumption of hog
products. 1t is their belief also that
this course will establish prices around
the level that prevailed between 1910
and 1914.
While the potential marketing is ex-
pected to be reduced by about 2,00O,-
100000 pounds, the actual live tonnage
of the pigs and sows for which the
government will pay premium during
the emergency period is expected to
approximate 65OOOO.O00 pounds. The
government has not bound itself to
buy more than 100000 pigs and
100000 sows, and so Secretary Wal
lace has suggested that farmers who
plan to shop should get in touch with
their county agent or some other au-
thority and learn whether they can
sell their stock before the little pigs
are sent to market.
It might be we'll to supply here the
premium prices which are to be paid
for those pigs and sows which will be
purchased. The secretary used the
Chicago market as base and the
prices which he fixed for that market.
therefore, generally will run somewhat
higher than the farmer will receive at
interior points, just as they would I'M
der normal marketing conditions. The
scale of prices per hundredweight, for
pigs is as follows: $3.50 pounds, $3.50;
31-35 pounds, 1925; 1910 pounds, 50;
41-45 pounds, $S.75; 1850 pounds,
$3.50; 51-55 pounds, 1925; $500
pounds, So; Gigs pounds, $7.75; 66-70
pounds, $3.50; 71-75 pounds, S7.25;
1880 pounds, ST; s1-s5 pounds, s6.75;
$500 pounds, $3.50; 91-95 pounds,
S625; and 96-1O0 pounds, Sc.
For the sows that are soon to farrow
and the requirements are that this
fact shall be unmistakable-the gov
eminent will pay premium of four
dollars per head, but it will buy only
those sows weighing 275 pounds or
more The farmers, therefore, will get
the market price for packing sows on
the day the shipment is received in
the market, plus the premium Of four
dollars for each SOW sold.
The government is trying, as we
said above, to reduce the potential
marketing of hogs
Raise in Price during the forth
So p..,,ye coming marketing
season and it be-
lieves that in so doing several i'm
portant benefits will accrue to the
growers Of hogs, and they will accrue
Immediately. The extent to which pur-
chases are scheduled to be made will
mean reduction of from ~ to 16 per
cent in the marketings that are likely
to take place otherwise in the 1888
1884 marketing seasan, according to
the calculation. The experts who fig
ured out what the reduction will mean
also are authority for the calculation
that the action will result in an in
crease in prices of hogs during the
forthcoming season ranging from 25
to 35 per cent. That is the claim, any
way!
So 1t is seen that the Department of
Agriculture expects to accomplish an
increase in hog prices by 81 or $3.50
over the present base price of about
$3.50 per hundred. The first portion
of the benefits to come from the plan
is in the form of the premium which
we have discussed, and the second is
in the form of higher prices for the