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Show Farmers Advised On How To Increase Meat j J. Vern Hopkin, chairman of the Utah PMA Committee, again urged urg-ed farmers to increase the Nation's Na-tion's future meat supply by holding hold-ing back, rather than selling, enough bred, sows and gilts now on hand to increase the fall pig crop by at least 10 per cent. Mr. Hopkins stated that he strongly believes farmers can now make plans for expanding materially mater-ially the number of sows they keep for farrowing this fall with increased in-creased confidence based on the following:' (1) the excellent prospects pro-spects for 1948 feed crop production, produc-tion, (2) the strong demand for meats probable for next year, and (3) the assurance of continued price support. The agricultural Act of 1948 provides that, until January 1, 1950, hog prices are to be supported at 90 per cent of the parity prices. This is the same level that has been in effect the past several years. Although the announced support level for the hog marketing year fluctuates seasonally, the present annual support sup-port level is $16.85 per 100 pounds, Chicago basis. Hog prices the past two years have been considerably above the announced support levels and it is expected that they will be above the support the remainder of 1948 ahd in" 1949. Meat supplies per capita in 1948, for the year as a whole, will be a-bout a-bout 145 pounds, compared with' the record high level of 155 pounds last year and the prewar 1935-39 average of 126 pounds. Unless there is a substantial increase in the number of pigs raised this fall, our supply next year of red meat will be less. The pig crop report issued in June by the Department showed that farmers planned to keep about the same number of sows for this fall's farrowing as in 1947. The 1948 pig production goal issued in April called for an increase in-crease of at least 10 per cent. |