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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 12, 1979)
The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday April 12, 1979 FIFTEEN Oregon Cattlemen's chief blasts threatened beef import hike by Carter "During the first quarter of 979 the beef price index lowed a little over 6 per cent crease in a survey of ;ricultural economists from ound the country. It appears here could be a 3-5 per cent irther increase for the re minder of 1979. However, what is significant concerning beef prices, which seems to be the main topic of conversation by consumers, legislators, and the media, is that if beef prices had kept pace with the cost of all goods and services, plus inflation, since 1970, the cost of beef today would average about two and a half times more than the consumer is now paying." These re marks were made by Donald Ostensoe, Executive Vice President of the Oregon Cat tlemens Association, speaking at a luncheon meeting of the Portland Rotary Club. "What the general public should understand is that cattle and retail beef prices have risen for one simple reason. Beef supplies are now down because producers lost money heavily during the past four years. The majority of producers and feeders during the years 1974-77 lost between $50-100 dollars per beef ani mal. Thus, the signals were clear to our industry an over supply situation. The basic cow herd must be reduced. In 1973 the total cattle inventory in the United States was 132 million head. As of January, 1979, the cattle inventory was 110 million, a reduction of 22 million head of beef animals. Thus, the situation now is one where we are approxi mately 12 per cent below consumer demand for our product." Ostensoe continued, "earlier this week, Alfred Kahn, President Carter's in flation fighter, said that 'an increase in beef imports is worth considering.' Our indus try takes exception with such comments, because this type of action would result in more harm than good over the long 0) m DEL MONTE U1T COCKTAIL TASTY MIX OF DELICIOUS FRUITS, 17-OZ. SIZE WESTERN FAMILY PETITE PEAS FAMILY SIZE, 20-OZ. BAG X"tl,V t NALLEY'S AY0WWAI CHICKEN OF THE SEA CHUNI ( LIGHT TU WHOLE EGG 48-OZ. SIZE it'll Mi HMr u ftCr' ; " J- " OIL OR WATER PACK 6.5 OZ. SIZE FOLLOW THE EASTER BUNNY TO THRIFTWAY FOR ALL YOUR EASTER NEEDS. .EGG DECORATING KITS AND PLENTY OF EGGS! PLUS EASTER CARDS, CANDIES AND PLANTS TOO! r WESTERN FAMILY LARG - h E PITTED LIVES 111 'A "l '11 1 J "TIB 14, Til Ll m f 1 1 il f 11 r wumldmmir Tiifflilbiilili f 3 SHURFRESH BROWN & SERVE ROLLS OIL DIET MOUNTAIN PEPSI DEW 2 LITER WESTERN FAMILY PINEAPPLE IN JUICEZS&SS. ... KRAFT MINIATURE MARSHMALLOWS C & H POWDERED OR BROWN SUGAR Gold.Bro 2 Lb SiIS MJB COFFEE Regular, Automatic-Drip or Electric Perk, 3-Lb. Size BISQUICK BAKING MIX, s - DIAMOND STANDARD FOIL 12-inch Smooth, 25-Foot Roll , 53 3 FOR 1 79 6.89 $1.49 39 WHITE. WHEAT OR BUTTERFLAKE, PKG. OF 12 SHURFRESH, 2-IN. DO NUTS li ' PLAIN, POWDERED OR CRUNCH PKG. OF 12 SHURFRESH BUNS HOT DOG, OR REG. OR SESAME HAMBURGER PKG.OF8 : , ' ' ' ' ' MINUTE MAID ORANGE JUICE 100 PURE ORANGE JUICE 12-OZ. SIZE WESTERN FAMILY WHIPPED TOPPING., 49p WESTERN FAMILY WHITE BREAD DOUGH. 1-Lb. Loaves ... I I J . . .. st-v-n lir r-r r UKtAlvl Jn ol riHVVDtnn i a mirror mir v Sara Lee, To 18-Oi. . 1.69 BIRDSEYE BROCCOLI or CAULIFLOWER IN CHEESE SAUCE I CT I O 10-OZ. PACKAGE C ff AT" m ..mm- -auk- m 1 A. . in J AJ J 1 rmrmmOTra 1' X t r 5 ym. tL WASHINGTON GROWN pSk n pi , mimk 11 uiy uirA HIGH IN FLAVOR, SERVE WITH BUTTER OR A CHEESE SAUCE if' ' RED RIPE STRAWBERRIES TASTY AND LUSCIOUS, FAVORITE OF MILLIONS, SERVE SOME TONIGHT CRBSP GREEN CE LOW IN CALORIES ADDS FLAVOR TO SALADS, SOUPS, ETC. U.S. NO. 1 YAMS 3,b, $1 NAVEL ORANGES,, st. Sweet N Juicy Lb. BLACK HAAS AVOCADOS u 39 DRESSING Lite House, Blue Cheese. French. Swiss. $ 1000 Island or Ranch. 16-0;. Size lm.& CHOOSE FROM OUR LOVELY SELECTION OF EASTER FLOWERS AND PLANTS... COMPETITIVELY PRICED! LERY ' ynHHIHWAY (TT) run for both the consumers and the cattle industry. For one thing, the amount of available beef in foreign countries is very small too small to make any important difference in our national food picture. Increasing beef imports at this time, to lower prices for domestic beef supplies, would put a big dent in the economic health of ranchers who are now going all out to increase their herds. Thus, if the administration opens our borders to an excessive amount of beef imports, they are definitely sending cattlemen a discour aging price signal, and the government would simply bring about a halt to rebuild ing cattle herds, thus, an additional period of low beef supplies." The cattle executive con cluded by saying, "there is even talk by the Carter Administration of wage and price controls. This would not only be devastating to the cattle industry, but to all of agriculture. It seems ironic that the cattle industry, which asks so little from the federal government, even when times are rough, seems to get slapped in the face when things improve and ranchers have a chance to at least break even or make a little money." Another point which both the consumers and the Carter Administration should consid er. In comparison with con sumers in other lands, U.S. meat buyers really haven't much to complain about. According to reports by U.S. Agricultural attaches at vari ous embassies, a German customer must work twice as long to buy a pound of chuck roast if he lives in Bonn, West Germany, and a Brazilian, six times as long in Brasilia, to earn the cost of a pound ot pork chops. And a Japanese worker works seven and a half times as long as his American counterpart to earn the price of a pound of sirloin. Packwood adds to funding for reforestation The Senate Budget Commit tee this week approved a motion by Senator Bob Pack wood (R-Ore), a member of the Committee, to increase the amount in the Federal budget for 1980 by $100 million for "conservation and land man agement," the broad category which includes spending for the Forest Service. The Com mittee's action endorsed Sen ator Packwood's appeal that this money was needed to beef up the lagging reforestation efforts on National Forest lands. "The Senate Budget Com mittee acknowledged the Ad ministration did not ask for enough funds for reforesta tion," said Packwood, "and the Committee has rectified that error by adopting my amendment." "This vote," Packwood con tinued, "is tremendous recog nition by the Senate's budget writers that funds should be invested in 100 per cent reforestation. It's a smart, dollar-conscious move and it will clear the way for the Congress to authorize the Forest Service to aggressively reforest. With this money, the Forest Service can go ahead next year in its efforts to meet the reforestation goals the Congress established." The Budget Committee action guarantees that funds will be available in the budget resolution that goes to the Senate on April 15. printing The Gazette-Times 676-9228
