Show benson replies to resolutions for livestock reports A telegram was recently sent b by v secretary benson to 23 leading organizations in the livestock and meat industry asking for their comments on resolutions adopted oct 10 by the house committee on agriculture the resolution called for increased purchases of beet beef to support the low grade cattle market and urged a price support program on choice grade cattle the telegram to these organizations quoted wire secretary benson sent to congressman clifford R hope chairman of the house committee on agriculture in this wire he said in regard to the first resolution calling for increased purchase of the lower grades of cattle we are increasing the purchase of canned beef and gravy and hamburger for school lunch programs at every opportunity last week contracted for million pounds the equivalent of about cattle this week we will award contracts for million pounds total beef contracts to date are million pounds or the equivalent of more than half a million head the full impact of this purchase program on the cattle market is yet to be felt since a total of milion pounds contracted tr only about 44 million pounds have been delivered we have accepted delivery of an equivalent qui valent of about cattle about head of cattle must be purchased at the market prior to dec 15 to meet present unfilled contracts in addition our contracts yet to be made will mean thousands of additional cattle taken off the market this program is geared to support cattle prices during the normally heavy marketing period immediately ahead |