| Show nation s food producers achieve 1943 goals elevate sights to meet next year s demands Far farmers beat floods cold and drought to keap rea p record crops americas farmers have done it again last year the skeptics said never meet their goals so the farmers upped food production 13 per cent over 1941 for a record total of 28 per cent more than the average for the five years before the war came farm mobilization day in 1943 and the skeptics were sure it possibly be done that time so the farmers decided which of the most needed crops they could grow the best and planted the greatest acreage in 11 years they brought together the largest numbers of livestock and poultry in history and pushed egg meat and poultry production to a new peak today they are exhibiting a national food basket containing 4 per cent more than the 1942 record production and 31 per cent more than the yearly average for 1935 39 now those farmers face another growing year and doubtless another crop cro p of skeptics who learned after seven consecutive years of record food production that american farmers know what they are doing they attack the problem of raising food for war with the same spirit the american Americ arX fighting man displays on the field of battle and like that fighting man they get results result sl estimated production figures for 1943 are significant despite a late and rather unfavorable spring destructive tive floods in the corn belt and other hindrances such as labor and machinery shortages nearly million acres are being harvested total crop production is slightly less than record harvest but 15 per cent greater than the five year average of 1935 39 food crop acreage under cultivation in 1943 exceeds the 1942 acreage by about 3 per cent the decrease in crop production is largely attributable to smaller yields per acre on certain crops although some plantings were lost through the floods and others came to maturity but could not be harvested for lack of hands or machines or both livestock for food shows an estimated 8 per cent increase over the 1942 record and 22 p per er cent over the previous record set in 1941 an increase of more than one third or 38 33 per cent is estimated over the average for 1935 39 lowered food crop figures are more than offset by the livestock increase to push total food production in 1943 about 4 per cent above the 1942 record and 31 per cent over the five year period average of 1935 39 meat output tops record production of of all meats for the year is estimated at an all time high of more than 23 billion pounds an 8 per cent increase over 1942 and 44 per cent more than the average 46 for the earlier five year period pork production will exceed that of 1942 by about 18 per cent but it is expected that beef and veal and lamb and mutton win will show totals slightly below last year both poultry and eggs will mark a record production if an anticipated four billion pounds of chicken is reached and the hens lay their expected five billion dozen eggs these results would push poultry figures 34 per cent above 1942 and 72 per cent above the 1935 39 average with eggs going 13 per cent over last years record and about 43 per cent over the previous five year period milk and milk products are expected to show considerable fluctuation maintaining of milk for human consumption at an expected level only about I 1 per cent less than in 1942 a record consumption wu will lower production of cheese and evaporated milk about 13 per cent from last year government restrictions on the use of milk solids will reduce ice cream production about 20 per cent although butter production is expected to be upped about 4 per cent over 1942 housewives will be encouraged by estimates on production of edible fat and oils exclusive of butter at about 10 per cent higher than 1942 the increase tor for lard is set at 15 per cent for compounds and vegetable cooking tats fats at 12 per cent and margarine at about 46 per cent among thi the field crops many records are anticipated this idason season the peanut harvest is expected to set an all time high with a total of pounds 35 per cent more than the 1942 record and almost aa times the average for the ten year period from 1932 through 1941 dry bean growers will harvest a record crop from a record acreage 23 million bags of pounds each or an increase of 17 per cent over last years peak and 59 per cent over the 10 year average another record will be set when estimates of 10 million bags for the dry pea crop are realized last years crop was seven million bags potatoes dug this year will total some bushels another record and a sizable increase over fruits will be consumed in larger per capita quantities than last year but will not match the 1941 record among the meats civilians will get a larger per capita supply of pork during the current year but less of the other meats such as beef and veal lamb and mutton nearly two thirds of the prospective 1943 44 supply of all meats combined has been allocated to civilian use 63 pounds out of every this amounts to 66 pounds out of every of beef 80 pounds of veal 59 pounds of pork and 65 out of pounds of mutton the large amount of pork available despite the apparently patently ly small allocation per pounds is due to the unusually large |
