SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 1958
HERALD AND NEWS, KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON
PAGE 9 D
OREGON Game Commission personnel are pictured instal
ling one of the new type plastic guzzlers for quail and dove
in some of the arid regions of Oregon. The pictured water
guzzler for the brush bound birds is in the Lake view area.
Game Commission Photo
r IVt r A rV - a
VYIiyi Ql III lll'W'Wlllw Id l I VuUdlO
On The Desert Of Recession
By GAYNOIt MADDOX being rebuilt following theibank
NEA Food Markets Editor
(Copyright 1958 by NEA Service)
NEW YORK " (NEA) After
years of depression most of to
day's farmers, like their livestock,
are in the clover. An NEA Serv
ice survey shows that despite the
current recession other areas of
our economy, farm income is up
seven per cent over last year. Re
tail prices for farm-raised foods
have jumped in some cases,
such as citrus, almost 100 per
cent.
-Good growing weather, a rec
ord supply of corn and feed grains
for livestock, and continuing con
sumer demand for a more expen
sive diet explain why beef, pork
fresh produce and citrus fruits are
the lucky tickets in the farmers'
food dollar sweepstakes.
Growers of these foods can now
buy a few luxuries and much
needed farm machinery. However,
milk and dairy products, wheat
and other cereals, are not draw
ing the top prizes.
The ill wind blowing against the
auto, housing, refrigerator, TV and
other expensive hard goods indus
tries isblowing good for the farm
er. .Money not being paid out to
meet installments on these items
is today clinking into supermarket
cash registers despite rising food
costs.
Historically, food is the last item
people cut back on. Furthermore,
consumer income is still very high
for the first four months of this
year about one per cent higher
than last. The recession is more
or less concentrated in certain
areas.
The farmer is eating hieher on
the hog since 1951 when the agri-
cuiiure downtrend started. U.S
Department of Agriculture econ
omists predict farm income for
1958 may be 10 per cent higher
man in 1957.
They admit that is an "iffy
prediction. Income will be higher
it there is no further downturn
in our overall national economy.
and if, because of their increased
economic literacy, farmers do not
rush to over-produce because of
high prices and thereby depress
tneir own market.
To get a grass roots report on
this economic breather for t he
long-harassed farmer, NEA Serv
ice queried leaders in important
farm areas.
From Iowa, E. Edward Hill,
president of Farm Bureau Feder
ation in Des Moines, admits things
are good but is keeping his fin
gers crossed.
"Iowa's two chief sources of ag
ricullural income are hogs and
cattle," Hill explained. "Hogs are
ai a lour-year high and cattle at
a seven-vear oeak. Disastrously
low prices of two years ago caused
nroduction to be drastically re
Qu'ed; also breeding herds are
drought.
He added that although egg and
dairy prices are only fair and feed
grains cheap, the present income
situation for Iowa livestock farm
ers is very good, helping to make
up for several poor years.
"We expect no further price in
creases and probably some de
cline, we nave the largest sur
pluses of feed grains in history,
also approximately one billion
bushels of wheat in government
storage good for little else but
livestock feed. These grains will
eventually be translated into live
stock and oversupply," he said.
Hill put this downbeat period
to his statement: "We anticipate
trouble for the hog farmer within
one or two years and tor the cat
tleman within two to four years.
In DeKalb, Texas, Norman Mo-
ser, president of the Texas and
Southwestern Cattle Raisers As
sociation, takes a more optimistic
long term view.
"Breaking of the drought has
given renewed vigor to the agri
cultural economy of our area. If
cattlemen are let alone and al
lowed to promote their product
with their own money, they can
produce all the beef the country
will consume, sell it at reason
able prices, and still make mon
ey," Moser said.
Barring a major business reces
sion, which he thinks is extreme
ly unlikely, Hill said cattlemen see
several good years ahead for their
business.
In Florida, this year's citrus
crop, despite severe freezes last
winter, is expected to result in
a record income to the industry.
according to Homer Hooks, gener
al manager of the Florida Citrus
Commission in Lakeland
"We believe that Florida citrus
will be in comparatively short sup
ply next year also," Hooks pre
dicted, '.'and that prices will hold
up at profitable levels for at least
another year.
In Arizona, "agriculture booms
in the Phoenix and Yuma districts
and farmers want Congress to help
them obtain more Mexican work
ers for the profitable crops. Un
employed auto workers are not
interested in farm work, they explain.
"Our farmers' net income from
vegetable and citrus fruit sales
has been almost doubled since last
year because of adverse weather
in other producing areas, said
Dean Stanley, one of the largest
growers and shippers of that area
"Despite the general business re
cession and lack of any farm pro
gram, cattle and cotton prices will
assure Arizona farmers at least
25 per cent greater income for
1958 than for any of the past eight
years
Stanley added this optimistic
postscript: "Arizona farmers,
Produce Data Is Reported
The following Northwest crop
information is available from the
extension department of Oregon
Slate College for the week ending
May 23.
WHEAT TRADE Trading in
Northwest wheat was generally
very moderate during the past
week. Domestic demand was lim
ited to fill-in lots of milling class
es.
BARLEY-OATS-CORN - Trad
ing in the feed grains was lim
ited Barley and oat prices re
mained unchanged, and corn
gained about $2 per ton. Dealer
bids for No. 2 Western Barley
ranged from $44 to $45 per ton,
coast delivered. The same grade
was offered by dealers for $47
to $47 li, bulk basis on track at
coast.
NEW ALFALFA Haying opera
tions were started in some parts
of the Pacific Northwest this
week. However, market prices
have not been established as yet.
Most important areas are not ex
pected to start harvesting for an
other three weeks or so. Old
crop No. 2 grade alfalfa was nom
inally priced at $13 a ton in the
bankers and other citizens have so
much confidence in the national
economy that vegetable and mel
on growers are investing more
tnan 25 million dollars this year
in new irrigation and land im
provements." -
In Kansas, more cautious in his
appraisal of the farmer's future
is Arthur D. Weber, dean of ag
riculture, Kansas State College at
Manhattan. Slating that the ap
parent improvement in the farm
economic situation in Kansas is
due to better production factors
(moisture, increased feed sunn ies
and grass) rather than to higher
prices, except possibly for beef
cattle, he said:
Meanwhile, the cost - price
squeeze continues with increased
net incomes unlikely owing to hinh
cost of equipment and supplies.
unless unusually lavorable c l r
cumslances prevail for production
and 'marketing of crops and live
stock, the farmer's net income in
1959 will not be as high as in
1958."
From California, supplier of
about 40" per cent of the nation's
perishable farm commodities,
comes another warning against ex
travagant optimism.
Current selling prices for let
tuce, celery and other farm per
ishables does not necessarily rep
resent an economic form pickup,"
said Kenneth R. Nutting of Salin
as, a dominant figure in Califor
nia agriculture. "Present high
prices for some perishables are due
entirely to operation of law of
supply and demand. Expect high
prices to decrease as soon as sup
plies from other districts mature.
Although milk production this
year is estimated at a billion
pounds more than last, the dairy
farmer is not economically happy.
A. L. McWilliams, general man
ager of the Pure Milk Association
in Chicago, speaking for dairy
farmers in the vast Chicago milk
shed, complained: "The income
for dairy farmers in our area is
lower today than it was a year
ago. We do not anticipate any in
creased sales despite recent high
ly publicized figures showing up
graded farm income."
No turtles have teeth, but the
jaws have horny edges that can
cut nard substances and some
turtles can make painful cuts.
Increase Noted
In Turkey Hatch
An estimated 171,000 heavy
breed turkey poults were hatched
in Oregon during the week ending
May 17, according to the Crop
and Livestock Reporting Service.
This was down nine per cent
from the previous week and 13 per
cent less than a year earlier.
Heavy breed set in Oregon, esti
mated at 230.000, was down 15 per
cent from the previous week and
eight per cent less than the same
period last year.
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Frecwater, Oregon area. Hermis
ton growers quoted $14 to $15 a
ton, and Madras farmers asked
$15 to $18.
SOIL BANK The USDA recent-
ly announced that farmers who
earned soil bank certificates for
reducing 1958 acreages of wheat
under the acreage reserve pro
gram can redeem them for cash
or for grain. These certificates
may be exchanged for wheat, bar
ley, rye,- oats or grain sorghums
but not for corn or rice.
FEED DEADLINE The USDA
announces that the final date for
filing applications to take part in
the feed wheat program for 1958
has been extended. The new date
is June 6, or 15 days prior to the
final dale for adjusting excess
planted acreage to the farm wheat
acreage allotment, whichever if
the later.
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