10—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Dec. 14, 1974
Farm Commentary
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World Red Meat of higher production in the major
Consumption Drops importing countries, but not to levels
Per capita red meat consumption that would be expected under a "free
declined in most of the developed market", because retail prices remain
countries in 1973 because of record high and imports have been limited,
cattle prices, which caused producers In the major exporting countries per
to retain breeding animals to in- capita consumption is expected to
crease production. The situation was increase because of rising production
further aggravated in the last half of and reduced demand in the EC,
the year by a slowdown in income Japan, and Western Europe and
growth and consumer purchasing North America,
power which limited demand for red U.S. Exports of Breeding
meat, especially beef. Animals Seen Record High
In some of the developing countries U S. exports of breeding animals
per capita consumption increased beef and dairy cattle and swine, are
because of higher production as well expected to set new records this year,
as programs to make more meat During the first 6 months, beef
available for domestic consumption cattle exports totaled 23,544 head,
as in Brazil. In other developing up from 15,093 head exported during
countries per capita consumption the first 6 months of 1973 and not too
was down because of higher prices short of the 26,094 total exported
and lower production. during all of last year.
Beef and Veal Dairy breeding cattle exports were
U.S. per capita consumption fell to running slightly behind the 1973
51 kilograms (kg) per capita, com- pace with 16,488 exported during
pared to 54 kg in 1972 because of Jan. - June compared to 20,476
reduced - domestic production and imported during the first 6 months of
high retail prices. In the European 1973. Breeding swine exports totaled
Community (EC) per capita beef and 7,496 head during Jan. - June
veal consumption was unchanged in compared to 6,896 head a year
1973 at 25 kg per capita. This level of earlier.
consumption has remained almost Crossbreds were the leading beef
constant since 1969. In most other cattle exported, with Charolais
areas of the world consumption of second, Brhaman, third. Holstems
beef and veal remained unchanged or lead in dairy cattle exported,
declined because of the sharp price The Netherlands: A Rising
increase in beef curing 1972-1973. In Farm Market for U.S.?
Argentina, Brazil, and Australia beef Rising per capita income, the entry
consumption was up because of of more and more women into the
higher levels of domestic production. labor pool, an increased demand for
U.S. per capita consumption in easy-to-prepare foods and changes in
1973 was 28 kg per capita compared shopping methods are bringing about
to 31 kg in 1972. The decline was due basic alterations m Dutch con
to reduced domestic pork production. sumption patterns.
In the EC per capita consumption These factors also add up to a
declined for the first time since the probable boost in farm imports in the
formation of the Common Market. Per future and thereby provide U.S.
capita consumption fell from 30 kg exporters with an opportunity to
per capita to 29 kg after 5 years of expand shipments of food and food
increases in per capita consumption. related items to the Netherlands.
High retail prices and low production World Output of Eggs,
were the mam reasons for the Poultry Meat Seen Down in 75
decline. Per capita consumption in World production of poultry meat
Canada was down from 28 kg to 26 and eggs are both seen higher this
kg, while it was up from 24 kg to 28 kg year, but the combination of high feed
in Taiwan. costs and low returns have slowed
Sheep, Lamb, and Goat Meat world output in recent months and
Sheep meat consumption in all the it’s expected to bring world output of
major consuming countries except both poultry meat and eggs down in
New Zealand declined during 1973 1975
because high wool prices caused . According to USDA’s Foreign
producers to reduce slaughter. World Agricultural Service, world egg
wool prices now are declining and output will hit about 24 million dozen
sheep slaughter in 1974 will increase eggs this year, up 1 pet. from a year
This should cause an increase in per earlier, 2 pet above the 1972 total,
capita sheep meat consumption in But, egg production is projected at
1974. only 23 3 billion dozen next year a
3 pet cutback.
By the same token, world
production of poultry meat, seen at
29 8 billion lbs up about 1 pet. from a
yea' - earlier, 3 pet above that for
1972 However, producer cutbacks
are seen as reducing world
production in 1975 to 27.7 billion lbs
a 7 pet. decrease.
US is the world leader in the
production of both poultry meat and
eggs. Its 1974 poultry meat output is
seen at 11.02 billion lbs., up slightly
from a year earlier, down slightly from
1972. Its egg output this year is seen
at 65 6 billion eggs (about 5.45 billion
dozen), down IV2 pet. from a year
earlier, 6 pet. below its 1972 total.
The USSR ranks 2nd m both. It is
expected to produce nearly 3 billion
lbs. of poultry meat, about 54 billion
(4 5 billion dozen) eggs this year.
Outlook for 1974
In 1974, red meat production has
increased in the U.S., Japan, Canada,
and Western Europe High world
gram prices and low livestock prices
have encouraged increased
marketing of livestock by farmers in
order to cut losses However, retail
prices remain high in Europe, Japan,
and Canada because of increased
marketing margins and price support
policies. In Japan, Spam, and the EC,
the price support policies have
caused a sharp increase m surplus
meat supplies held at government
expense and have caused the
governments to either embargo or
limit imports m order to reduce
stocks and support domestic
livestock prices
Per capita meat consumption in
1974 is expected to increase because
GOD'S WAYS
Lction for December 16,1974
Background Scripture: Luke
1:39-55; John 1:1-5, 9-18.
Devotional Reading: Luke
2:8-20.
William Cowper wrote a
hymn, the first two lines of
which put into descriptive
words the experiences of
many of God’s children: God
moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the
sea And rides upon the
storm.
Sometimes we are awed
and thrilled by these
‘mysterious ways,” and
sometimes we are baffled.
This is particularly evident
when the way God chooses to
work seems quite at odds
with the choices we would
make under the same cir
cumstances.
Why me?
The beginning of the
Christmas' story in Luke is a
good example. For long
centruies the people of Israel
had waited for the coming of
God’s Messiah. If we were to
have devised the scenario of
that coming, it would cer
tainly have been one of great
pomp and ceremony.
But God chose one of his
“strange ways” to bring all
this to pass. He chose, not the
royal household of Herod or
the lineage of the priesthood,
but a simple woman and her
carpenter husband from the
unpromising town of
Nazareth of Galilee. How
“strange” of God to do it that
way!
Today you can visit the
obscure little village, Ein
Kerem, a few miles outside
of Jerusalem where it is
believed that Mary visited
her kinswoman Elizabeth. In
the courtyard of the Church
of the Visitation Mary’s
joyous hymn, “The
Magnificat” (“my soul
magnifies the Lord...”), is
inscribed in forty-one dif
ferent languages.
Mary’s response to
Elizabeth’s startling
proclamation, “Blessed are
you among women...”
(Luke 1:42), seems to be a
combination of joy and
wonder. In a sense she is
asking: “Why me?” Why
should something of this
magnitude be given to a
“handmaiden” of “low
estate”?
Put down the mighty
In a moment of great in
spiration, Mary seems to
apprehend, if not com
prehend, some of the pur
pose behind God’s “strange
ways.” God has a habit of
scattering “the proud in the
imagination of their hearts,”
of putting down “the mighty
from their thrones,” and
exhalting “those of low
degree’ (1:51, 52). What he
has done with her in blessing
her, so God is continually d
oing.
Behind this “mysterious
way” of God there is a
purpose: “He has helped his
servant Israel in remem
brance of his mercy” (1:54).
It is the merciful grace of
God that is constantly
confounding and amazing
the mind of man. It is his
gracious love that goes far
beyond the limitations of
man’s reason and
imagination.
I NOW IS
| THE TIME.
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
To Practice Good Sanitation
Livestock and poultry
producers must pay at
tention to the health of their
herds and flocks in order to
get efficient gains and
production. The care of the
animals is very important
especially when they are not
up to normal vitality. The
spread of infections can
often be prevented if the
farmer is~ very strict about
permitting visitors in the
barn and careful himself
about bringing home in
fection on his boots and
trucks. Wild birds and stray
animals should be kept out of
buildings as much as
possible because they may
carry diseases. Rate and
mice should be eradicated as
much as possible. Good
sanitation and good health go
together and should be
recognized.
To Prepare Farm
Show Exhibits
The 1975 State Farm Show
is less tha a month away and
no doubt this part of the state
will have many exhibitors.
The entry deadline has
passed for most livestock but
many of the other items may
still be entered and
prepared. Potential
exhibitors are urged to
obtain an Premium List and
follow the directions
carefully. Livestock should
be injected and treated as
listed in order to be eligible.
The selection of crop and
Home Economics exhibits
does take time and should be
started in the near future.
Agriculture is still a very
important part of our
economy and we hope that
local folks will again be
Farm
Calendar
Monday, December 16
Twin Valley Young-Adult
Farmers Corn Hybrid
Meeting at the Vo-Ag
classroom - Twin Valley
High School beginning at
7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, December 17
Ephrata Area Young Far
mers Family Christmas
Program at the Ephrata
Jr. High School
Auditorium 7:30 p.m.
Garden Spot Young Farmers
Meeting on Business
Analysis for improving
farm income. 7:45 p.m.
Garden Spot High School
Ag classroom.
That is why God’s ways
must seem forever to man to
be both strange” and won
derful.
(Holy Land Tour with Rev.
Althouse, Feb. 12-16. Box 115,
Mohnton, Pa. 19540)
millions of farming- people
(B.«d on ‘ltr‘of n ir 0 v V Tn"
0 { Christian Rdupsti n
livestock, the meat and
National ConofnP 0 "* 1 * marketing industry
SS s°"(Ct L t r p J oy3 over T 5
lie t _ workers with a payroll or
Sr “on a
year*
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interested in exhibiting their
products.
To Consider Income
Tax Changes
The time is here when
some attention should be
given to tax returns. Wears
told of additional revisions
this year that could effect
many farmer tax returns.
The Farmer’s Tax Guide
should soon be out and we
urge all producers to obtain
one. In many cases it might
pay to hire a tax return
expert to file the report in
order to utilize any changes
that might be benefit.
Farmer income as com
pared to farmer expenses is
not as good this year and tax
report savings become more
imnortant.
To Be Careful With
Livestock Wastes
Good farm management
will keep most livestock and
poultry producers out of
trouble in the way of water
pollution this winter if die
waste is not spread on frozen
ground or on snow-covered
ground. In addition, it is
advised to use sod or
vegetative covered fields for
this application to prevent
severe run-off. Sloping fields
dear streams should not be
covered with waste now
unless they have a good
vegetative cover. Level land
will permit less run-off than
hilly fields. Soil injection is
probably the best method of
waste application today but
in cold weather this is not
possible. Some attention to
the preventing of stream
pollution this winter might
prevent a producer from
being reported to the En
vironmental Protection
Agency.
Wednesday, December 18
Sol-Air Feedlot Day Open
House at Caleb Wenger’s
two miles south of the
Buck on Rt. 272. Panel
discussion and speakers
will be included on the
program.
• This is the time of the year
when farmers take a look at
their mechanized needs for
the coming year. Sperry
New Holland, a leading farm’
machinery manufacturer,
points out that the value of
farm machinery and
motorized vehicles on North
American farms is more
than $5O billion.
Holiday meals will range
from turkey on Christmas to
the New Year’s pork meal -
believed by some to bring
good luck during the coming
year. In addition to the