—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. Nov. 23, 1974
18
Feed Grain Supply Down
Feed grain supplies for
1974-75 will be down more
than a fifth from last season.
Old crop carryover at 22
million short tons was lowest
since 1952 as a result of
heavy feed grain disap
pearance during the last 2
years. And 1974 corn
production estimated at 4.6
billion bushels, will be 18
percent below last year. The
grain sorghum crop is
forecast -at 609 million
bushels, down more than a
third from 1973. Con
sequently, feed grain sup
plies total around 187 million
tons, the least since 1957-58,
when U.S. inventories of
livestock were smaller and
foreign demand for U.S. feed
grains was less.
The 1974 crops of feed
grains (corn, grain sorghum
oats, and barley) were
estimated as of November 1
to total only 165 million
tons. Farmers had planted
more acres to com in 1974
than in any year since 1960,
encouraged by good price
prospects and no acreage
set-aside requirements.
Under normal weather
conditions this much
acreage would have
produced an all-time record
harvest. But weather was
abnormal. Earlier planted
corn and sorghum we:e
a
substantially damaged by a
severe drought in July.
Unusually wet weather In
much of the Eastern Com
Belt kept farmers out of their
fields during mid-May to
mid-June - the tail end of the
planting season. This led to
later than normal plantings
that were hard hit by earlier
than usual frosts in Sep
tember and October.
There likely will be a
modest increase in the
volumes of feed grains used
for food, industry, and seed
in 1974-75, but the limited
supply will drastically
reduce usage for domestic
feeding of livestock, poultry,
and dairy animals and for
exports. But even with lower
disappearance, carryover
stocks at the end of 1974-75
will still be cut to a minimal
level. This indicates sub
stantially higher feed grain
prices than in 1973-74.
Feed costs for livestock,
poultry, and dairy en
terprises are high in relation
to what producers have been
able to get for their products.
As a result, many producers
are reducing the size of their
operations, curtailing output
of grain-fed livestock and
poultry products. This will
show up at the retail level
first in poultry and pork. Fed
beef production is smaller
Parke Addresses
N. W. Feed Men
Donald W. Parke,
Executive Vice President,
Penn Ag Industries
Association, addressed
members of the Nor
thwestern Feed Dealers
Association Wednesday
evening in Greenville.
The PennAg executive
gave the feed dealers an
update on legislative issues
in Harrisburg and reviewed
potential legislation which
may be presented during the
1975 legislative year.
Parke reviewed what
PennAg Industries has
accomplished in its fight
against rail abandonment.
He warned that, “PennAg is
convinced that many
agricultural leaders do not
appreciate the consequences
of losing rail services.”
PennAg has spent a great
amount of time making
surveys and keeping its
than a year ago, but there
has been a sharp increase in
slaughter of cattle directly
off grass and total beef
production is larger than last
year. Such animals, which
typically would have gone
into feedlots for finishing,
are coming out of a record
large beef herd. In the first
half of 1975, productionof fed
beef will continue at a
reduced level because of
current low levels of placem
ents in feedlots, but
alaughter of cattle off grass
will be larger. Pork, poultry,
and milk production will be
smaller this winter and next
spring.
In the face of diminishing
world stock levels, foriegn
demand for U.S. feed grains
is strong. But the limited
U.S. supply has been called
to the attention of foreign
buyers and they have been
asked to limit their puchases
accordingly. Cooperation is
asked of U.S. exporters to
get advance approval from
USDA for foreign sales
above specified volumes.
USDA estimates that 1974-75
feed grain exports will be
down to 30-32 million short
tons from 44.4 million in 1973-
74.
members abreast of the
changing railroad aban
donment plans.
Because of changing rail
abandonment plans, Parke
stated that PennAg has
urged communities to
organize rail committees
and survey their rail needs
now, so that if abandonment
is threatened they are ready
for it. Details of proposed
rail plans will be released at
the end of February by the
U.S. Railway Association.
PennAg is a state-wide
association of agribusinesses
that buy from and sell to
fanners.
Milk Order
Comments
Extended
The time for commenting
on the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA)
recommendations to expand
the marketing area covered
by the Middle Atlantic
federal milk marketing
order, and make related
changes in pooling and
payment provisions has been
extended to Dec. 13. The
previous deadline was Nov.
13.
The recommended
changes are based on a joint
public hearing in January,
February, and March to
consider proposed changes
in the Middle Atlantic and
New York-New Jersey
federal milk orders. Based
on the hearing evidence, a
proposal to extend the New
York-New Jersey marketing
area to include 20 nor
theastern Pennsylvania
counties was denied.
USDA’s Agricultural
Marketing Service (AMS)
said additional time for
submitting comments was
requested by cooperative
associations and milk
dealers.
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Wenger’s Feed Mill Inc.
James High & Sms
Ph: 354-0301
Gordonville
West Willow Farmers Assn., Inc.
John J. Hess, 11, Ik.
Ph. 442-4632
Paradise
McCracken’s Feed Mill, Inc.
2 New Charlotte St., Manheim.
Ph. 717-665-2186
Ph: 367-1195
Rheems
John B. Kurtz
Ph: 354-9251
R.D.3, Ephrata
Ph: 464-3431
West Willow
Ira B. Landis
Ph: 665-3248
Box 276, Manheim BD3