-Unra^«rFTrm^^taaayrbecBififer^;%^3 28 Food Producing Ability Long-Term Price Lever Food producing ability in agriculture will be a long-term price lever during the next few years, according to Dr. George E. Brandow, professor of agricultural economics at The Pennsylvania State University. At the same time, he’s confident that enough food can be produced to give all Americans fully nutritious diets The possible difficulty ahead, he says, is that agriculture will not be able to produce all the meat, especially beef, that consumers will want to buy with higher incomes while, at the same time, providing all the feed grains, soybeans, and other farm products that foreign countries may want to buy from us. Dr. Brandow described several factors expected to influence prices until about 1980, in a special foods issue of “Science in Agriculture,” the quarterly magazine of the Agricultural Experiment Station at "Penn State. Brandow’s comments are summarized below LANCASTER SILO CO., INC. 2436 Creek Hill Rd, or 2008 Horse Shoe Rd. Lancaster, Pa. BEFORE YOU BUY Of f ANY SIL OR SILO EQUIPMf ASK FO' OUR SPECIAL NOV.-DB EARLY ORDER DISCOU CALL OR CONTAC Larry Hiestan^ Sales Representative Phone 717-392-9062 (Home) 717-273-7394 Free Plans For Feed Lot Systems Starline Unioaders Conveyor & Bunk Feeding Systems ROLLER MILLS Water Bowl and Livestock Waterers (Electric & Gas) Round Hay Racks Food buying to Increase Population probably will rise about one per cent per year. Purchasing power of consumers is almost sure to increase and to cause more spending on meat and poultry. Much more land is required to feed consumers with such products, especially beef, than would be needed if food grains and vegetable proteins were consumed instead. Syn thetic foods, meat substitutes, and other new products may somewhat modify requirements for farm resources. Export Demands Up Several of the more advanced nations are reaching the stage of affluence where demand for meat and poultry products is rising strongly. This may mean substantial purchases of such products from the U.S., but it is more likely to mean large im ports of our feed grains and ' soybeans with which to produce their own livestock products. Devaluation of the dollar has increased other countries’ buying ■4>ower in our markets. Cropland Available In 1973, with most government acreage restrictions removed, farmers planted 321 million acres to principal crops. Perhaps this will be increased by 15 million) acres with all restrictions off in 1974. Many more acres of generally poorer land could be cropped. Such poorer land can be expected to be put to use slowly, however, and only if prices are persistently high. Return of large acreages of formerly abandoned farm land to production does not seem likely to happen. Yields trending upward Yields of most crops have been trending upward because of improved varieties, heavier fertilization, more effective disease and insect control, and still other reasons. The trends should continue if research goes forward, if supplies from in- dustry are available, and if few restraints are placed on farming methods. One possibility is that concern about the environment and food safety will lead to suf ficient restriction on use of agricultural chemicals to reduce crop yields or at least to slow down the rate of increase. 1973 not typical The extremely tight situation of 1973 reflected some temporary conditions on both the demand and the supply sides of world markets. The 1973 situation, therefore, is unlikely to be typical of the next 5 or 10 years. At the other extreme, it is unlikely that the United States will ever again keep as much land out of production as it did in 1972. The best guess seems to be that full use of land now readily available for production will about statisfy demand at crop prices above those of early 1972 but well below the peaks of 1973. Some years of shortages and other years of surpluses-probably can be expected. Instability is likely to replace chronic sur pluses as the principal farm problem. Inflation to continue Continued inflation in more or less degree is likely in the United States. It will increase farm costs and will also tend to raise farm prices. Price-cost relationships will be more favorable to farmers than they were prior to 1972 if, as expected, chronic surpluses do not reappear. Nevertheless, the year 1973 may set the highwater mark for net farm income for American farmers for years to come. The unusual-markets of 1972 and 1973 were much more favorable to crop producers than to dairymen or poultry men. Relationships between prices received and feed costs should be more favorable for dairy and poultry producers in the next few years than in the recent past. ' The 'Special foods issue of “Science in Agriculture” deals , with- severalaspects of food production. Single copies are available free from the Agricultural Mailing Room, 112 IS “When a chicken alights on a rope, the rope doesn’t get any rest and the chicken doesn’t get any rest,” African Proverb DRAFT HORSE AND MULE SALE WEDKSMr, UN. 2,1974 at 12:00 Noon PAUL Z. MARTIN’S 2 Miles East of Intercourse, Pa., along Route 340. 75 Head Kentucky Work Horses and Mules Following is a description of Horses and Mules: Pair of 3 year old Sorrel Mare Mules, broke and tops; Pair of 2 year old Sorrel Jack Mules, green broke, real pair; Bay and Sorrel Mare Mules, full sisters and broke best; 7 Head of Sorrel Mare and Horse Mules, 2 and 3 years old, all from same farm; Pair of Sorrel Mare and Jack Mules, 3 years old, thin and broke; Pair of Red Sorrel Jack Mules, 5 and 6 years old, real; Pair of Brown Mare and Jack Mules, 6 years old; Pair of Dapple Gray and Sorrel Mules, 7 years old, worked together; Black Mule, rear white legs; Pair Brown Mules, 7 years old, broke, leader. DRAFTHORSES Sorrel Mare, 6x7, real chunk, 1600-lbs.; Roan Mare, 1400- lbs.; Pair of Chbstnut Mares, 4 and 5 years old, 2800-lbs., broke; Pair of Chestnut and Bay Mares, worked together, 9 years old; Sorrel Gelding, 6 years old, best Horse ever ship ped; Pair of Sorrel Mare and Gelding, tops; Pair of Gray Mare and Gelding, 3500-lbs., tops, 1 single line; Big Bay Gelding, Brown Gelding, Yellow Gelding, Sorrel Mare, 9 years old, 1700- lbs.; Gray Mare 6x7 years; Pair of Gray Coach Type, 3 and 4 years old; Blue Roan Gelding, 3 years old, 1600-lbs., broke; Chestnut Mare, 7 yrs. old; Brown Mare, 6 years old. The following Driving and Harness Type: Black Mare, 5 years old; Sorrel Gelding, 15.3, 3 years old; Sorrel Roan Mare, 7 years old; Bay Mare; Black Brown Gelding. NOTICE: 15 more Head not listed from Kentucky. Jonas Fisher will have 3 or 4 Pair of Mules, acclimated and broke for Bill Warner. ALSO LOCAL CONSIGNED HORSES. ATTENTION! I have been buying these Horses and Mules for three months and I don’t know how many more I will have like this Good Stock for future sales. HORSES HITCHED at 10:00 A.M. NOTICE: SALE LIMITED TO 100 HEAD. HORSES SELL AT 12:00 NOON PAUL Z. MARTIN BLUE BALL, PENNA. 17506 Residence (717) 354-6671 Business (717) 768-8108 MARTIN AUCTIONEERS, INC. First Farm Equipment Sale for 1974 - Wed., Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. Ag; Adm. Bldg. .tftiveWiityPbrkv Pa. 16802. This ,fbod issue features 14 articles dealing with various phases of food produc tion.