The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-29
Bureau Of Agricultural Eco
Monies Says Consumer Buy
ing Power Is High
By GUY A CALDWELL
General Agricultural Agent
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co,

According to the bureau of agri-
cultural economics, U. S. depart
ment of agriculture, farmers of the
United States begin a new year
and a new decade-with improved
prospects for prices and income.
Consumer buying power continues
relatively high and the average of
prices of farm products is the high
est in more than two years. The
poorest spot in the picture is the
low price of hogs due to a production
of almost record proportions in 1889.
The government index of prices
of all farm products combined starts
the new year at about 100. But
prices farmers pay for commodities
used in production and for family
living are 20 to rs per cent higher
than the pre-World war average.
And the exchange value of farm
products, for other commodities is
Dollar wheat has become a real
ity, principally on prospects of an
unusually small winter wheat crop
next summer.
Cotton has been topping II cents
a ~pound-the highest price in more
than two years. Factors in the ad-
vance include the greatly increased
domestic consumption following the
outbreak of the European war, i'm
provement in domestic business con-
ditions, the large sales of American
cotton for export, increased cotton
consumption in a number of impor-
tant foreign countries, and a some
what higher government loan on
the 1899 crop than in 1888.
The total supply of feed this sea;
son is the largest on record, but the
amount per head of livestock on
farms is slightly below the record
supply of 1888. More cattle are be-
ing fed this season than last, with
the result that marketings of grain
fed cattle will be larger this winter
and next spring. More lambs are be-
ing fed, and the 1889 production of
pigs has been estimated at "a mil.
lion-the largest crop in II years
VI 1cCOld. ecu pllCCo llaNO oufd1lS-
ed so that it is costing more to pro-
duct livestock and livestock prod
ucts.
Milk production probably will set
a new high record for the season
this winter. There are more COW
on farms, and prices of dairy prod
ucts recently have been the highest
in nearly two years. Milk produc-
ton totaled more than Ill billion
pounds in 1899. This was the largest
annual output on record. Farmers
have been rebuilding dairy herds,
and the basis has been laid for in
creased production of milk and
dairy products in the next few
years.
The supply of fats and oils cur
rently is the largest on record. Pro
duction of these products from do
nestle materials totaled about 8.4
billion pounds in 1889, compared
with 8 billions in 1888. Increased
production of lard, pork greases,
beef tallow, soybean oil and linseed
oil more than offset the reduced
output of cottonseed, peanut, and
whale oils.
Egg production has become less
profitable to producers. Prices of
eggs have declined as prices of feed
advanced. Farm laying flocks are
larger than at this time last year.
Supplies of poultry in early 1910
will be larger than at the same time
in 1889.
Consumer demand for fresh fruits
has improved. but the combined pro-
duction of 10 fruits is the second
largest on record and exports have
been curtailed by the European war.
This has forced a larger proportion
of the supply of apples. pears, and
citrus fruits on the domestic mar.
ket.
Market prices of vegetables av.
erage somewhat higher this winter
than last. Consumer buying power
is better and some winter vege.
tables are in smaller supply this
season. Stocks of most canned vege-
tables are much smaller than the
large carry-over stocks in 1881
sharp increase in production of
most truck crops for canning or