10—Lancaster Farming. Saturday. Nov. 23.1974
Farm Commentary
U.S. Milk Output Dips
1 Percent From 1973
Milk output may total about 114'/;
billion pounds this year, around 1
percent below 1973. The decline in
milk cow numbers has slowed during
1974 partly because of lower
slaughter cow prices and the lack of
viable alternatives for dairymen.
Output per cow should average
higher this year, following the
unusual drop in 1973 for the first
time in almost 30 years.
September's milk production was
up almost 3 percent from a year ago
the sharpest year-to-year increase
in almost a decade. Reduced herd
culling, increased availability of corn
silage, and generally favorable fall
pastures in several important dairy
States contributed to the increase.
However, this kind of gain seems
temporary. High feed costs in coming
months will likely cause dairy farmers
to cut back on grain and concentrate
feeding, thus limiting output per cow
during the current barn feeding
season. In fact, lower milk production
appears m prospect this winter,
although low slaughter cow prices
may prevent sharp increases in dairy
herd culling. Production later next
year will depend in part on 1975 crop
developments and subsequent feed
prices, on milk prices, and on the
market for cull dairy cows. Although
milk production could be increasing
in the second half of next year, total
1975 output may slightly trail this
year’s level.
Farm milk prices are now rising
seasonally, following sharper than
normal declines this spring and
summer. In October, farmers
averaged $8.21 per 100 pounds for
milk, up 64 cents from July, but about
11 cents under last October’s price.
Manufacturing milk prices were
about 26 cents over the $6.57 sup
port level in October. Farm milk
prices are likely to be rising
seasonally during the rest of 1974
and continue rising early next year.
Gams in cash receipts from
dairying slowed appreciably in the
third quarter, while feed and other
production costs continued to gain by
about a fifth from a year ago. For all of
1974, dairy cash receipts should total
close to $9 1 / 2 billion, up from $B.l
billion last year.
Wholesale butter and cheese prices
have strengthened since midyear
However, nonfat dry milk prices still
remain at CCC’s support purchase
price, where they have been since
June.
September retail dairy prices took
a slight upturn after dropping this
summer for the first month-to-month
declines in almost 2 years Fluid milk
prices continued to drop, but retail
butter prices rose in September.
Retail prices will likely be rising
seasonally during the rest of 1974,
but the gams are not likely to match
those of last fall and winter.
More milk has moved into
manufacturing uses this year
because of lower fluid milk sales
Larger third quarter milk marketings
tunneled more milk into butter and
nonfat dry milk production with
butter output up a fourth from a year
earlier and nonfat dry milk running
about 40 percent more.
Commercial disappearance of milk
in all dairy products was down
slightly in January-September.
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However, brisk butter sales and some
recovery in fluid milk usage pulled
third quarter disappearance slightly
above year-earlier levels. Commercial
use may remain close to year-earlier
levels in coming months. Demand for
dairy products could be weakened by
strong inflationary pressures,
declining real consumer purchasing
power, and higher unemployment
rates. However, dairy prices probably
will be rising more slowly than last
winter and more slowly than food
prices generally. Gains in butter sales
and further strength expected in fluid
milk sales help brighten the sales
picture, but sales of nonfat dry milk
continue to lag.
Home delivery sales of fluid milk
products in Federal order markets
had dropped to 10 percent of total
sales in late 1973. Plastic containers
have been increasing rapidly at the
expense of both glass bottles and
paper packages. Use of gallon size
containers has increased sub
stantially to the point where it about
equals sales made in half-gallon
containers.
Although now declining seasonally,
commercial dairy product stocks
were equivalent to 7.2 billion pounds
of milk on October 1, up 60 percent
from a year ago, and a record high for
the date. Government stocks of
butter and American cheese are at
relatively low levels. However, CCC
nonfat dry milk stocks reached about
135 million pounds by the end of
October: a year ago, CCC had no
stocks.
USDA has purchased no butter and
only moderate quantities of American
cheese under the price support
program since early August, but
nonfat dry milk removals continue at
sizable levels.
January-September dairy product
imports were equivalent to 2.3 billion
pounds of milk, up from 1.3 billion
pounds a year earlier. Almost all the
increase occurred during the first
quarter of the year, when an increase
in the import quota for Cheddar
cheese was authorized. Since then,
dairy product imports have slackened
to more normal levels. All of the
temporary increases in import quotas
had expired by midyear.
USDA Crop Report Highlights
The USDA’s November crop report
shows decreases in all major crops
except for peanuts, tobacco and
oranges. Corn is forecast 18 percent
below last year's production, while all
feed grains are expected to be some
20 percent under the previous year
The breakdown by crops was:
CORN Production is forecast at
4,621 million bushels, 2 percent (96
million bushels) below October 1 and
18 percent below 1973.
SORGHUM GRAIN Production is
forecast at 609 million bushels, down
4 percent from last month and 35
percent below the 1973 crop. The
1974 crop will be the smallest in a
decade.
FEED GRAINS Production of
corn, sorghum, oats and barley
combined is forecast at 165 million
tons, 2 percent below the October 1
forecast and 20 percent below 1973.
SOYBEANS Production is
forecast at 1,244 million bushels (the
3rd largest of record,) but 18 million
bushels (1 percent) below last
month's forecast and 323 million
bushels below last year.
SULKING PROPHET
Umi for N*re»b«r 24, IM4
Backgronnd Scripture:
Jonah 1 through 4.
Devotional Reading: Acts
17:24-31.
There are few more in
teresting nor more misun
derstood stories in the Bible
than the saga of Jonah.
Most people know his
name and associate him with
a rather incredible “fish
story." Unfortunately, many
never realize that there is a
great deal more to Jonah and
his story: a message that is
relevant to us today.
People think of Jonah as a
reluctant prophet. They
remember that when God
called him to go and
prophesy to Nineveh, he
sought to run away from this
challenge. Jonah learned,
however, that no matter
where we run to hide, God
can and does find us there.
At last, Jonah agreed to stop
running and do what God
wanted him to do.
“But it displeased Jonah..”
But when Jonah agreed to
be God’s prophet, that
wasn’t the end of the story.
He had learned that one
cannot escape God; now he
was to learn a lesson about
his fellow man.
The facts were these:
...At last, Jonah went and
preached to Nineveh.
...Surprisingly, the people
of Nineveh responded to
Jonah’s prophecy be
repenting of their evil and
being saved.
One would think that
Jonah would be overjoyed
with his success. But Jonah’s
reaction was anything but
joy: “But it displeased
Jonah exceedingly, and he
was angry” (Jonah 4:1).
What displeased Jonah
was that the people had
repented and been saved. He
had not wanted them to be
saved. He felt they deserved
to be punished. One of the
reasons he had tried to
escape from this respon
sibility is that he had been
afraid that the people of
Nineveh would repent and be
spared.
The reason for this
negative attitude was an
overwhelming prejudice
against the people of Nine
veh. Jonah clearly despised
these people and he wished
for them only the very worst
God could offer.
Jonah is so angry that the
people of Nineveh are going
to be saved rather than
condemned that he wants to
die: “Therefore now, 0
Lord, take my life from me, I
beseech thee, for it is better
for me to die than to live”
(4:3).
What he’s sayingshould be
fairly familiar to all of us: If
I can’t have it my way, I
don’t want to play! With this
Jonah strides out of the city
and finding a place to sit and
watch the city of Nineveh, he
waits to see if God will
change his mind.
When God took away the
shady plant from him, Jonah
sulked even more until God
points out to him that the
people of Nineveh are worth
far more than one little
plant.
It seems such an easy
lesson to grasp. Yet how
“Do you do well
to be angry?”
I
NOW IS
THE TIME...
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 3M-4551
To Prevent Winter
Injury in Strawberries
Winter injury in
strawberries has been rather
widespread throughout
Pennsylvania and other
states during the past few
years. Crown Injury can be
reduced this year by
checking your beds for the
following:
Inadequate mulch cover -
settled mulch should be 3 to 4
inches thick, and loose
enough so that it will not mat
(or pack) and smother
plants. Add more mulch if
necessary.
Exposed areas - any
exposed plants should be re
covered with mulch; wind
breaks or snow fences should
be erected where wind ex
posure is especially severe.
Crown injury can be ex
pected where plantings have
been improperly mulched
and exposed to wind, or were
over-supplied with nitrogen
and moisture after mid-
September.
To Take Soil Samples
Fall months are an ideal
time to take soil samples to
determine next year’s needs
for lime, phosphorus and
potash. Poorly planned lime
and fertilizer programs often
can be blamed on the rush of
spring work when plowing
and planting suddenly
become urgent. If soil
samples are taken now,
there will be plenty of time to
order the proper fertilizers
and take advantage of early
order discounts.
Lime, phosphorus and
potash can be applied during
the fall months. At this time
of year the ground is firm
and suffers less from heavy
spreading equipment. Since
plant nutrient levels in the
soil are always low at the end
of the crop season, fall is
ideal for taking a lime and
plant food inventory of next
year’s crop needs.
To Use Camping Gear
In Winter Emergencies
How can a camp stove and
an old suitcase help you out
this winter? According to
Joseph R. Cardenuto, Penn
State Extension recreation
Farm
Calendar
Saturday, November 23
Chester County Farm-City
Week Open House Tours.
Sunday, November 24
Chester and Lebanon
Counties Farm - City
Week Open House Tours.
many people fail to respond
to their fellow man with
compassion and like Jonah,
the sulking prophet, would
rather pronounce doom
rather than pardon?
(Based on outlines
copyrighted by the Division
of Christian Education,
National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the
U.S.A. Released by Com
munity Press Service.)
specialist, camping gear
such as this may come in
handy during a winter
emergency. For instance - if
a windstorm, an ice storm,
or a blizzard knocks out your
electricity, a camp stove or a
gasoline lantern could be
convenient to have. But they
should be in good working
order and stored where you
can easily reach them. Fuel
for such equipment should be
stored in a safe metal con
tainer - never left in the
equipment. And, it’s a good
idea to keep an extra supply
of canned foods on hand so
you can prepare meals
easily during a winter
emergency. What do you do
with tiie old suitcase? If it’s
packed with warm clothing
and stored in the trunk of
your car, it may come in
handy if you’re stranded on
the highway. So remember -
when you’re putting away
those cots, sleeping bags, air
mattresses, and other
camping gear, think how
useful they might be in a
winter emergency. Store
them where they’re readily
accessible and hope you
don’t have to use them until
next summer’s camping
trip.
To Trap Muskrats
During the past several
years muskrats have in
creased their numbers to the
point where they are
bothersome and destructive
to farm ponds. Part of this
build-up in the muskrat
population can be attributed
to high productivity, good
habitat, and to a lack of
trapping. Fur prices are
improved so there may be
more incentive to the
trapper for harvesting
surplus muskrats this year.
Pond owners would do well
to trap at their ponds or
encourage others to do so.
Trappers looking for a
choice spot should check
with local pond owners for
permission to trap at ponds
or streams on their property.
Check the game law for
season dates and other
regulations relating to
trapping.
Monday, November 25
Red Rose DHIA Quarterly
Meeting in the Con
ference Room at the
Farm and Home Center
8:00 p.m.
Pennsylvania Forage and
Seed Conference at the
Hershey Motor Lodge
and Convention Center.
Tuesday, November 26
Pennsylvania Forage and
Seed Conference in the
Hershey Motor Lodge
and Convention Center.
Cedar Crest Young Farmers
Corn Silage and Haylage
Contest at Cedar Crest
High School Vo-Ag Shop. -
7:30 pjn.
Saturday, November 30
Beginning of National 4-H
Congress in Chicago.