Show STEADIER HOG MARKETS PLANNED Hog Producers and Packers Confer With Representatives Representatives 1 of the Food Administration and Agricultural Department and Adopt I Ne New 1 Plan of Regulation I I In with the policy polley of the Food Administration since its to consult representative men In ln the agricultural Industry on occasions of ot importance to special branches brunches of r tj the tho industry on October 2 24 there thaw convened in Washington a n meeting of the Live Kt Stock a v Subcommittee ot of f the AgrIcUltural Advisory Board and the special members r representing reSentIng the swine industry to consider the tile situation in the hog market markot The conference lasted for three days s 's and during fhi this ti time I met with executive committee of the fifty packing firms tile the for pork products and with the members of the tto participating participating- In foreign orders Food d foreign pork purchases directing nh The conclusions it of nf thc tho conference wor were as ns ii The entire marketing situation has hasso hasso so o changed since the September Joint conference as to necessitate an au entire alteration in th the plans of price The current peace talk has alarmed the holders of ot corn and there has been a price decline of or from 25 cents to 40 cents per bushel The fact that the accumulations of low 10 priced corn In the Argentine antI and South Africa ca would upon the advent of peace and liberated shipping become available available avail uvall- able to the European market has created cre- cre a great Ireat deal of apprehension on the part of corn hol holders ers This decline has spread fear among swine growers glowers that a similar reduction in the prices of ot hogs would naturally follow Moreover Moreover More More- Moreover over the lower range of ot corn prices would if Incorporated In a 13 to ratio ratio ra ra- ra- ra tb tio obviously result in a n continuously falling price for live hogs bogs In view of ot these changed change conditions man many swine producers anticipated lower prices and as a result rushed rushe their hogs to market In large numbers and this has added to andl I aggravated the decline The Information of the Department of ot Agriculture Indicates that the supply supply sup sup- ply of ot hogs has Increased about 8 per percent cent while the highest unofficial estimate estimate esti esti- estimate S mate does not exceed 15 per cent In Increased in in- increased creased production over last year On the other hand the arrival of ot hogs during the last three weeks in the seven great markets has been 27 per percent cent more than last year ear during the S. S corresponding period demonstrating the unusually hea heavy marketing of the available supply In the face of ot the excessive receipts some packers have not maintained the price ri agreed rec In last t month On the other hand man many of ot the packers have ve paid over the price offered to them in n an endeavor td maintain the agreed price The result re rc re- re sult suit in any event has been a u failure to maintain the October price basis upon at at the September con conference ference and undertaken by bJ the pack pack- ers era Another factor contributing to the break in prices during the month has been the Influenza epidemic It has sharply curtailed consumption of ot pork products and temporarily decreased decreased de do- creased the labor staff of or the packers about 25 per cent The exports of ot pounds of ot pork porI products for October compared com corn compared pared with about pounds in October a year ago and the export port orders by the Food Administration for tor November amount to pounds as contrasted contrast contrast- ed with the lesser exports of for tor November 1017 1917 The Tue increased demands of the allies ullIes are continuing and are In themselves proof of the necessity for the large production for tor which the Food Administration Administration Admin Admin- asked The Tue Increase In ex ex- export export port demands appears to be amply sufficient to take mite up the Increase In Lu hog production but unfavorable market market market mar mar- ket conditions existing in October afford afford afford af af- af- af ford no fair Index of ot the aggregate supply and anti demand It must be evident that the enormous enormous enor enor- pIOUS shortage In fats In the Central Empires and neutral countrIes countries would Immediately upon peace result In additional additional ad ad- demands for pork k products which on top of the heavy heay shipments to the Allies would tend materially to Increase the American exports Inasmuch inasmuch In in- as no considerable reservoir reser of supplies exists outside of ot the United I States It seems probable that the present prospective supplies would be e Inadequate to meet this world demand with the return to peace So for far far-as as It ItIs ItIs itis Is possible to Interpret this fact It appears appears ap ap- ap pears that there should be he even oven a stronger demand for tor pork products after the war and therefore any an alarm of bog hog producers as to the effect of peace is unwarranted by the outlook In the light of these circumstances it Is 15 the conclusion of the conference that attempts to hold the price of hogs to the price of corn may work out to h hd of pork nork producers I U It Is the conclusion that any Interpretation Interpretation interpretation tation of th the formula should be a abroad abroad broad gauged policy applied over a along along along long period It Is 18 the opinion of the conference conferee that In substitution of the plans of ot stabilization the previoUS pre Live hive Stock Subcommittee of ot the Agricultural Agricultural Agri Agri- Agricultural cultural Advisory Board together with the hl speciallY invited swine representatives should accept the Invitation of tives Administration to Join with the Food Administration and the Ule packers in inthe the determining the prices at which controlled con- con trolled export orders are to be placed This Ibis W wilt be regularly done The In In- of these orders will be directed maintenance of ot the common ob- ob rt the tile to pct the stabilization of or the tIle rice of ot live hogs so 50 as US to secure as far price U AI It t. t J IZ r to the producer and the Insurance of an ado ado- future SUpply These foreIgn orders ordem are placed L Upon the basis of cost ot of hogs to the packers b e As 1 the tM this result body f ot of 1 long K ne negotiations and the Packers Packers' Committee Se representing the 45 to GO 50 5 Packers fn Ackers participating tn In foreign orders or or- ders together r with tile the e Allied buyers buyer nil all under Food the Ve ChairmanshIp of ot the AdminIstration the fOllowing un ers era tins has been given by the pack In vIew of the undertakings on the part of the Food Administration with legard to the co purchases ot of pork products covered In the at Inched It Is agreed that the packers participating In these orders will un not to purchase than hogs for tor less I the following agreed minimums for the month of November that is Js s a L dully minimum of 1760 1750 per hundred I pounds on average of f packers packers' d droves excluding throw 5 Throw outs to b be defined as M pigs under ISO pounds stags boars thin sews and skips Further that no hogs of any kInd shall shaJI be bou hr r. r uv outs oute at less than 1060 1050 per hundred pounds The average overage of ot packers' packers droves to be construed as the average of the total sales In the market of all hogs for n a given day lay All the above to be based on Chicago We agree that a committee shall be appointed by the Food Administration to check the dally daily operations In the various markets with a view to super super- supervision vision and demonstration of ot the carryIng carry carry- Ing lug out of the above Tho The ability T f the packers to carry out this arrangement will depend on there being a n normal marketing of ot hogs based upon the proportionate in In In- Increase crease creaso the e rec receipts receipt of last year The Increase n in in production appears to be a maximum of about 15 IB per cent and we can handle such an Increase If the producers of ot hogs should as they have In the past few weeks prematurely prematurely prematurely pre pre- maturely market hogs hoga In such ing numbers over fh tho H ft fr e An S beyond the ability b of t th the packers pack pack- n k kers ers to maintain these mInimums and therefore we must have the cooperation opera co tion Uon of the Ule producer himself to main main- tam tain these results It Is a physical Impossibility for the capacity of the packing houses to handle a similar over flood of hogs and to find a market for the tIle output The rhe packers are ore Ious bus to operate co with the producers In En maintaining a stabilization of ot price and to see that producers receive a fair price for their products Signed THOS TUbS B. B WILSON Chairman Packers Packers' Committee The plan embodied above was adopted adopt adopt- ed by the conference The Food Administrator has appointed appoint appoInt- ed a committee comprising Mr Thomas E. E Wilson chairman of the Packers Packers' Packers Packers' Pack Pack- ers ers' Committee Mr Everett Brown president of ot the tile Chicago Livestock Exchange Exchange Ex Ex- change Major Roy of the Food Ad Ad- ministration Mr L Louis uIs D. D Hall HaJJ of nf Mm thc v v Bureau of Markets to undertake the supervision of ot the execution of ot the plan In the tue various markets Commission Commis sion slon men mn are asked to operate co in carrying out the plan embodied In the packers packers' a agreement It must be eIdent evident evi I dent that offers by commission men to sell seH hogs below the minimum established established above Is not fair either to the lie producer or the thc participating packers Mr Brown Drown has undertaken on behalf of the commission men In fn the United States that they will lo loyally all support the plan It Is believed by the conference that this tills new plan based as It Is upon a positive minimum basis will bring better better bet het- ter results to the producer than average average aver aver- average age prices for tor the month It does not limit top prices and should narrow the necessary to country buyers buyers buy buy- ers In more variable markets It Is 13 believed ed that the I plan Ian should work fork ork out close to 18 average Swine producers pi of the country will contribute to their own Interest by not flooding the market for It mU must 1 be lie evident that If an excessive over percentage per of ot hogs Is marketed In Anyone any anyone one month r stabilization Ion nn tn n cannot succeed and find It Is certain celain that producers can contribute contribute contribute contri contri- bute materially to tho the efforts ts of tho ho c conferences If they will do their mark mark- eting In as normal a wa way as possible The Tue whole situation as existing at nt present demands a frank and explicit assurance from the conferees represented seated namely namely that every possible effort will be bo made to maintain a live hog price commensurate with swine production costs and reasonable sellIn sell sell- In Ing values alues In execution of ot the declared I policy of or the lie Food Administration to use every agency In Its control to secure Justice to the farmer The stabilization methods a adopted opted for tor November represent the best beat efforts ef efforts ef- ef forts of ot the tue conference concurred et In by tile tie Food Administration and th the tho Livestock Subcommittee of thin the ho Agricultural Agricultural Agricultural Agri Agri- cultural Advisory Ad Board together with special lne 8 members ancl the of the packers to improve im- im pro prove the tho present unsatisfactory situ situ- t atlon sUon which has unfortunately r resulted result ed became of the Injection of uncontrollable factors We Ve ask the tho producer to operate co-operate with us In a n most difficult task The members of the Conference were re Producers Producers H. H. H C. C Stuart Elk Garden Garden Gar Oar den Va a. a Chairman Agricultural Ad- Ad Board Hoard W. W M. M I. I McFadden Chicago Chi cago Ill A. A Sykes Ida Grove la Ta John M M. 1 Evvard Ames Ins la J. J IL Mercer Mercer Mer Mer- er eer Live Stock Commission for Kansas Kan sas ens J. J G. G Brown Monon Ind lad E. E C. C Brown President Chicago Livestock Exchange e N. N II TI Gentry Mo John Grattan Broomfield Colo Eugene Eugene Eu Eu- gene geue Funk BloomIngton III Isaac Lincoln Aberdeen S. S D. D C. C W. W Hunt Logan la Ta C. C E. E Yancey W. W R. R Dodson Dod Dod- son eon s Food Administration Herbert Administration Herbert Hoo Hoc Hoover ver vel F. F S. S Snyder Major E. E L. L Roy O. O l II Powell Depa Deportment Department of Loal Agriculture ture D. D Hall hail I F Ic R. R Marshall r The packers present and others t. t sharing In foreign orders were represented represented seated 1 by hy the elected packers' packers commit commit- tee Those r represented were I I. I Packers Packers Armour Armour A Co Chicago I III Cudahy Co Chicago m. m Morris Co Chicago flu HI Swift Co Chicago Ill HI Wilson Co Chicago Chica Chica- go Ill John Agar Co Chicago Ill III Armstrong Packing Co Dallas Tex Boyd O d Dunham Co Chicago Ill Brennan Drennan Packing Co Chicago Ill Cincinnati Abattoir Co Cincinnati S 0 O Cleveland Provisions Co Cleveland Cleveland Cleve Cleve- land 0 O. Bros Co Cudahy Wis J. J Dold Packing Co Buffalo N. N 1 Y Dunlevy Dunlev Packing Co Pa In 1 7 E. E Decker Deker Sons Mason Iason City Ia la Evansville Packing Co Evans Evana- yule Ind md East Eust Side Packing Co East St St. Louis III Hammond Standish A Co Detroit Mich G. G A. A Hormel Co Ce A Austin Minn Home Packing Ice Co Terre Jerre erre Haute Tad Independent ent Packing Co Chicago IlL III i Indianapolis Indianapolis Indianapolis Indian Indian- apolis Abattoir Co Indianapolis Ind md International Provision Co Brooklyn N. N Y Interstate Packing Co Winona Minn Iowa Packing Co Des Moines Ia la Powers Begg Co Jacksonville ill Kingan Co Indianapolis Ind md t Krey Packing Co St. St Louis Mo ro Lake Inke Erie Provision Co Cleveland O. O Layton Layton Lay Lay- ton Co Milwaukee Wis Oscar Mayer ft fl Bro Sedgwick 1 and R Streets Chicago Ill J. J T. T McMillan l Co St. St Paul Minn Miller Hart Chicago Ill J J. J Morrell C Co Ottumwa wa Wll la ra Nuckolls Packing Co Pueblo Colo Cob O Ogden den Packing and Provision Pro Co Ogden Utah Ohio Provision Co Cleveland Cle 0 O. Park Parker r Webb Co Detroit De De- D troit Mich Ich Pittsburg Packing and Provision Co Pittsburg Pa Rath Packing Co Waterloo la Is Roberts Roberta A Oake Chicago lit III Robe noho Bros New NewYork ew York City W. W 0 O. Routh Co Logansport Logans- Logans ft port Ind md St Louis Louts Ind lad Packing Co St. St Louis Mo Sinclair C Co T. T M M. L Cedar Rapids la Iu Co Detroit Detroit De Do- troit Mich Theurer Provision Co Cleveland 0 O. Wilson Provision Co Peoria Ill Iii Western Packing and ProvIsion Provision Co tCo Chicago IlL Ill 1 Charle Wolff Packing n Co S Topeka Kai L I |