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Show LIVESTOCK SITUATION Considerable interest is being evidenced evi-denced in the Capper-Hope bill extending ex-tending the scope of the present packers pack-ers and stockyards Act of 1921, which was designated to protect the interests inter-ests of all concerned in the production, produc-tion, distribution and marketing of livestock. Features of this bill seem to have considerable merit and if It accomplishes a further protection for producers of livestock it doubtless will receive hearty support. One purpose of the bill is to extend the same safeguards and regulations in effect at the open livestock markets, mark-ets, so that they may be more far reaching, placing them back into the country, so that activities at local trading points, railroad corrals, etc., may be properly supervised. It is difficult to see hoy any reasonable objection can be made to this unless through a desire to perpetuate unfair practices. This of course, will be brought out by whatever opposition may develop to this feature of the bill. It is to be conceded that Federal supervision, su-pervision, in a practical way, cannot be extended to the -trading at crossroads cross-roads or individual ranches but where-ever where-ever there is a gathering place where buying and selling is carried on it is practicable, but quite expensive, to establish es-tablish supervision. '.- A recent survey indicates that there are thiry-five million more people in the United States than twenty-five years ago, but in the face of this, there are about twenty-wo million fewer beef cattle, sheep and swine from which they may secure their meat supply. In the face of this decline de-cline in meat food animals the number num-ber of dairy cows on farms has increased in-creased about eight million and as most of these cows eventually ' find their way into beef channels, the net loss of mea producing animals is about fourteen million head. On the face of this a shortage would be indicated, but this conclusion conclus-ion must be tempered by the fact that through the adoption of more modern practices, a quicker turnover in meat food animals, particularly mutton and beef has resulted, so that a considerably consider-ably larger quantity of meat food may now be produced from a smaller number num-ber of animals. This is borne out by the constantly increasing tonnage of meat being utilized in the United States in the face of decreases in livestock held in the producing sections. sec-tions. . It was recently pointed out that market statistics may be likened to I a road may, which is a convenient thing to have when one is in strange ! territory, and even in familiar terri- j tory it may prove of value at times, as occasionally one finds that detours i are necessary, many of wnich are found along the market roads. The tendency on the part of producers produc-ers of all commodities is toward heeding heed-ing authentic information from which they may draw conclusions in their 1 production and marketing activities. This is a hihly desiragble situation as it places the producer in a stronger position in best guaging production to meet demand requirements and, of course, serve as a safeguard in assist ing him to avoid losses in country selling where the laws of supply ar.d demand do not function in an unhampered un-hampered manner, as is the case in the open central livestock markets.- |