Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-12-30
BY OVID MARTIN
APP NEWSFEATURES

rlculture turned In Its biggest
production job in 1852.
The combined output of food
and fiber crops and livestock and
livestock products was the largest
in history. 1t topped the previous
years production by 3 per cent.
Biggest gains were in meat ami
mails and food grains.
Reflecting heavy consumer
demand for more beef and favor
able prices, farmers expanded
cattle numbers to a record level.
Those numbers now stand at more
than 90 million head. This is an
increase of more than 13 million
head in four years.
A further expansion in cattle is
expected in 1853 year that
may see consumer supplies of
meat become the largest in any
peacetime year.
Farmers harvested the second
largest wheat crop and the
second largest corn crop in his
tory. These crops served to assure
ample supplies and reserves for
possible emergencies for at least
another Is months.
Produced also were larger
than average crops of oats, flax
seed, rice, hay, soybeans, tobac-
co, fruit and vegetables.
BUT FARM returns did not
match farm production. The agri-
culture department reported far
mers received a total net income
income left after paying pro-
duction costs-of 1920 million.
This is about Is percent less than
the record received in 1947, and
virtually the same as the amount
received in 1851.
Farmers actually received about
3 per cent more dollars for their
products in 1852 than in 1851.
But their production costs were
higher. Had farm prices kept pace
with increases in prices farmers
paid for production materials,
their income would, of course,
have topped 1851.
Farm receipts from livestock
products were down about 3 per
cent as lower average prices more
than offset a 3 per cent increase
in volume. Returns from crops in
creased about II per cent, mostly
because of a 8 per cent increase
in the volume of sales.
This years decline in livestock
receipts was largely in meat ami
mails, eggs and wool, Dairy re-
ceiptS were up nearly 5 per cent,
mainly because Of higher average
prices.
Farm economists say farmers
are not likely to receive more
from marketings in 1858 than they
received in 1852. The domestic de-
mand for farm products will pro-
badly be well maintained during
the coming year, but some re-
duction in demand for export
seems likely. AS a result, prices
received by farmers in 1853 may
average a little lower.
THE LEVEL of economic we'll
being was not uniform for the
various farming regions. Many
producers in Eastern Southeast
ern, South Central and Southwest
ern areas suffered heavy croI
losses from a severe early sum
mer drought. Those losses were
reflected in the production Of
cotton, livestock feed grains, hay
and pastures.
AS a consequence, many farm
ers were forced to sell off some
of their livestock because of in
adequate feed supplies. Others
were enabled to keep stocl
through government help in OBJ
tanning feed supplies from moro
plentiful areas.
The spectre of a severe drough
in 1853 hung over many of the
same areas adversely affected II
1852. Prospects were darkest III
the winter wheat producing are;
of the southern great plains
Little hope was held for bumper
food grain crop in the new year
But ample reserves will prevent
a shortage.
A major development on tht
national farm front in 1852 was {
congressional investigation o.
shortages of government-ownet
grain and other products stored
under price support programs. Ii
a number of cases, private stor.
age concerns converted these
commodities to their own use and
were unable to make good to the
government.
Critics of the Truman admins
tration blamed these losses =
estimated all the way from about
one million to 10 million dollars
on lax administration. Several
storage concerns were prosecuted.
The government frightened up its