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Show Utah Farm Price Situation During the past year there has been on an average a decline of 24 per cent in prices paid producers for farm products pro-ducts in Utah, prices having now reached approximately the low level of 1921. The price Index for September of this year, for all Utah farm com-modoties, com-modoties, was 112, which is but 12 per cent above the pre-war level. A farm price index of 112 compared to U. S. Retail Price Index of 155 for oommol dities bought by farmers for same month gives ' a purchasing power to the Utah farm dollar of 75 certs. During the past year, livestock prices pri-ces have declined 29 per cent, while the prices paid for crops have dropped drop-ped but 17 per cent The United States Farm prices, on the average, have declined at about the same rate as have prices in Utah. However, retail prices of commodities purchased by farmers have declined but 4 per cent since last year. This unbalancing of price relationships is the principal cause of the distressing situation which now exists in agriculture. The trend of farm prices has been upward since 1921. The farmers had begun to think that farm prices would soon again be commensurate with prices pri-ces of commodities purchased, and that the depression in agriculture which has been experienced since 1921, would soon be over. However, to the disappointment disap-pointment of agricultural industry, prices have again dropped to approximately approxi-mately pre-war level. Of the individual farm commodities, sheep have dropped further than any other. In September, 1929, the sheep index for Utah was 171, while in September Sep-tember of this year it was 93, a decline of 46 per cent, thus giving a purchasing purchas-ing power to the sheep of 02 cents. The price of wheat shows a similar marked decline to that of sheep, a price drop of 30 per cent having taken place, giving a purchasing power to the wheat dollar of CO . cents. The contracted con-tracted crops, such as sugar beets, tomatoes, to-matoes, and canning peas are practically practic-ally the only Utah commodities showing show-ing no decrease over a year ago. The least decline is shown in dairy products, pro-ducts, eggs, hogs, and apples. The only commodity showing a purchasing power pow-er above a dollar Is canning peas. Undoubtedly the Industrial depression depres-sion which has been experienced in most countries for the past year Is the principal cause of the sudden drop in agricultural prices. This depression depres-sion reduced consumption, at a time when there was a surplus in agricultural agricul-tural ' products, and since agriculture has not developed any method for protecting pro-tecting itself from such a condition, the result has been a suddeu decline in price. |