Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-09-24
Farmers Beat Floods,
Cold and Drought to
Reap Record Crops

Americas farmers have done
it again!
Last year the skeptics said
they'd never meet their goals. So
the farmers upped food produc-
ton Is per cent over 1941, for a
record total of % per cent more
than the average for the five
years before the war!
Came Farm Mobilization day
in 1913 and the skeptics were
sure it couldn't possibly be done
that time. So the farmers de-
cided which of the most-needed
crops they could grow the best
and planted the greatest acre
age in II years! They brought
together the largest numbers of
livestock and poultry in history,
and pushed egg, meat and poul-
try production to new peak.
Today they are exhibiting a ma
tional food basket containing 4 per
cent more than the 1912 record pro-
duction, and 81 per cent more than
the yearly average for 1859!
Now those farmers face another
growing year-and doubtless anoth-
er crop of skeptics who haven't
learned, after seven consecutive
years of record food production, that
American farmers know what they
are doing. They attack the problem
of raising food for war with the
same spirit the American fighting
man displays on the field of battle.
And, like that fighting man, they get
results!
Estimated production figures for
1943 are significant. Despite a late
and rather unfavorable spring, de-
structive floods in the corn belt and
other hindrances such as labor and
machinery shortages, nearly 352
million acres are being harvested.
Total crop production is slightly less
than 1925 record harvest, but IS
per cent greater than the five-year
average of 1935-39.
Food crop acreage under cultiva-
tion in 1913 exceeds the 1912 acreage
by about per cent. The decrease
in crop production is largely attrib-
utable to smaller yields per acre on
certain crops, although some plant
ings were lost through the floods,
and others came to maturity but
could not be harvested for lack of
"hands" or machines, or both.
Livestock for food shows an esti-
mated per cent increase over the
1912 record, and % per cent over
the previous record set in 1941. An
increase of more than one-third, or
80 per cent, is estimated over the
average for 1859.
Lowered food crop figures are
more than offset by the livestock in
crease, to push total food production
in 1913 about per cent above the
1912 record, and 81 per cent over
the five-year period average of
1859.
Meat Output Tops Record.
Production of all meats for the
year is estimated at an all-time
high of more than % billion pounds,
an 8 per cent increase over 1912
and "A per cent more than the aver
age for the earlier five-year period.
Pork production will exceed that of
1912 by about 10 per cent, but it is
expected that beef and veal, and
lamb and mutton will show totals
Slightly below last year.
Both poultry and eggs will mark
a record production, if an antici-
pated four billion pounds of chicken
is reached and the hens lay their
expected five billion dozen eggs.
These results would push poultry fig
ures "a per cent above 1912 and 70
per cent above the 1859 average,
with eggs going Is per cent over
last years record and about 43 per
cent over the previous five-year
period.
Milk and milk products are ex-
pected to show considerable f1uctua-
ton. Maintaining of milk for hui
man consumption at an expected
level only about per cent less than
in 1921 record consumption-will
lower production of cheese and
evaporated milk about ID per cent
from last year. Government restric-
tons on the use of milk solids will
reduce ice cream production about
20 per cent, although butter produc-
ton is expected to be upped about
4 per cent over 1912.
Housewives will be encouraged by
estimates on production of edible fat
and oils, exclusive of butter, at
about 10 per cent higher than 1912.
The increase for lard is set at IS
per cent, for compounds and vege-
table cooking fats at IL per cent
and margarine at about 46 per cent.
Among the field crops mary rec
ords are anticipated this season. The
The total food supplies produced