Ogden Daily Standard | 1918-11-26 | Page 10 | Blame Farmers for High Butter and Egg Prices

BLAME FARMERS CHICAGO, Nov. 26 Investigations Into tho reasons back of tho present unprecedented high cost of butter and eggs have brought forth assertions from produce dealers in Chicago that the farmer is receiving SO per cent of the abnormal increase. The remainder remain-der was said to be divided nmong manufacturer, jobber, wholesaler and retailer. The best quality of butter in Chicago is selling at 73 xh cents a pound with strictly fresh eggs retailing retail-ing at 78 cents a dozon. Figures were submitted to investigators, investi-gators, showing that on butter the farmer is receiving 59 1-2 cents a pound or a profit of about 4 1-2 cents a pound. Shrinkage and the labor in packing cost 11-2 cents a pound. The jobber is said to get 1c a pound, tho wholesaler lc a pound and the retailor six cents a pound profit. In the matter of strictly fresh eggs the farmer, it is said, receives 58 and 60 cents a dozen for his product. The country dealer who pays the freight of shipping is allowed a margin of 7 cents. There is a loss in candling of four cents and the cost of cartons amounts to one cent a dozen. The retailor's re-tailor's profit i3 given as six cents a dozen. J. W. Lowe, president of the Chicago butler and egg board, in a statement today said tho present high prices were tho result of market conditions and denied a charge of profiteering by either the producer or dealers.