Show 0 On Sanpete Sanpete County turkey producers producers producers pro pro- think that Thanksgiving and Christmas treats were on them This month they finished processing processing processing pro pro- this years year's crop 1764 1764 birds making Sanpete one of the top turkey producing counties in the nation and most of them expect to lose money We are all hurting from below below below be be- low cost ost of production prices Howard Ephraim grower said That seems to be true not merely of Sanpete County but also of Utah and the nation gen gen- Ralph Blackham general manager of Moroni Feed Co a cooperative in which almost all Sanpete growers have membership membership membership member member- ship explained that pro over overproduction overproduction overproduction has depressed prices Dr Donald Dobson director of Snow Field Station a turkey research center located in Ephraim Ephraim Ephraim Eph Eph- raim said some growers can lose as much as SI S1 a bird Of course the loss will vary greatly he said depending upon mortality rates and grades received at the processing plant but I think growers who manage manage manage man man- age to break even will consider themselves fortunate From a small beginning in the Sanpete's turkey industry has experienced steady growth Today it is one of the county's chief income producers This years year's pound crop is the biggest ever Most of it is marketed outside the state Last year most local producers ers made fairly substantial profits although there was an abrupt price decline in December December December Decem Decem- ber that hurt growers who had late birds This year growers planned to go to market earlier in an attempt to avoid another late season decline But they also increased production both locally and nationally and as a consequence prices have not recovered recovered recovered re re- re- re covered much from last years year's lows However turkey men have had this experience before and andare andare andare are comparing 1967 with 1961 likewise a poor year By 1962 the turkey business was looking up again The outlook for 1968 is still very cloudy Mr Blackham said We expect a reduction inthe in inthe inthe the number of birds next year and therefore better prices We dont don't expect this years year's losses to force any of our members out of the business Most have large investments in coops and other equipment and have learned to accept the ups and downs |