EBPMTmW I-CSK Milk USDA economists expect milk production to run below year-earlier levels through the first half of 1975 as dairy farmers reduce feeding of high-cost grains and con centrates. Out pul later in the year will depend largely on 1975 crop conditions and ■ - ™" w CONTROLLED > .subsequent feed prices, on milk prices, and on the cuttle market. Slaughter cow prices arc likely to slay relatively low throughout 1975, which will limit in centives for a sharp increase in herd culling. Cost-Price Squeeze To Continue 88 ' ' The cost-price squeeze facing farmers willprobably be with dairy farmers for several more months, at least. The milk-feed price ratio (pounds of feed equal in value to 1 pound of milk) dropped to 1.1 m August 1974, the lowest in 20 years. Although things have gotten slightly better since then, USDA economists expect the ratio to continue relatively unfavorable to heavy gram and concentrate feeding through midyear. And a Whey We Go USDA researchers m Maryland have developed a new method of utilizing acid whey, a byproduct of soft cheese production (especially cottage cheese). Bitter to the taste and dif ficult to dehydrate, acid has heretofore posed a difficult disposal problem. Now the Maryland researchers have come up with a new process of using yeast to ferment acid whey. The process distills off ethyl alcohol and yields a nutritious liquid containing high-quality protein. Thus, acid whey can be converted into two highly U ssa flp&S 3 * H ? ra: FllPllPliPff IS ly* H u a¥ £ ?- d b soluble pruducls-nn alcohol which has already been used m mixed drinks as a sub stitute for vodka and protein containing liquid which can be dehydrated and used as a nutritious food Farmers' Finances The financial condition of farm operators this year is expected to change little from 1974, according to USDA economists, although a modest increase in the number of operators having debt repayment problems is likely. Demand for operating and real estate loans will probably remain strong but demand for mtermediate term financing (for machinery, equipment, and livestock) is expected to slacken. The economists anticipate some decline m interest rates during first half 1975, though they note the reduction probably won’t be more than to 1 per centage point under first half 1974 interest levels Debt Details Net flows of loan funds to farmers are forecast at $l4 to $l7 billion during 1975, a $3 to $6 billion increase over 1974. Total debt outstanding January 1,1976 is forecast by USDA economists to reach $lOB to $lll billion. However, farmers’ total assets are expected to rise to $598 to — v * X Contact us about installing a high speed feeding system in your Existing Cage or Floor operation as well as your new poultry house t- li & - k •« v J$ 215Diller Ave. New Holland, Pa 354-4576 AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTOR Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 29.197 S fMllt ll I Mill > ' I ' IIM leave the dehl-lo asset i alum next January 1 at 18 percent, about the same us the start of 1975. Waste Not Waste USDA soil scientists recently reported that crop yields nearly doubled as a result of applications of sewage sludge and sludge compost on fields before crops were planted, although some experiments showed that adverse results can be expected under certain conditions. According to the scientists, total corn yields (both gram and forage) of 2,705 pounds per acre resulted from applications of 71 tons of compost per acre. Yields were pounds and acre-m plots heated with 108 tons of uncomposted sludge an acre Wat *r retention m the soil increased with greater applications of sludge and compost--and the highest application rates adversely affected scil aeration. Other tests with sludge and compost are being made with soybeans and vegetables by other scien tists with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. U.S. Farm Export Outlook High prices are expected to give the United States another excellent export year during fiscal 1975-- pushmg our sales value into the neighborhood of $22 billion despite an expected drop of around 20 percent in export volume. About three fourths of the export value will come from grams and feeds, where trade experts project a slight gam to $11.2 billion, and oilseeds and products, which are ex pected to gam some $6OO million from last year to about $5.8 billion World Agricultural Output Despite a critical tightening in grain supplies and localized slumps in farm production in the United States and other areas, a preliminary estimate of world agricultural production by USDA economists places 1974 on a par with 1973. One factor offsetting reduced gram production in developed countries was increased livestock output. On a index basis, the developed coun tries in 1974 showed a slight decrease in total and per capita production, while the less developed countries showed a decline in per capita production but an increase in total farm out put A Fishy Stor> Although still a com paratively new type of agriculture “acquaculturc” now covers an acreage equal to half of the acres devoted to farming in Delaware. A Soil Conservation Service summary of fish farming activity in the United States reveals that there were 2,372 commercial catfish en terprises covering 259,128 acres as of April 1974. There were 935 trout farms with 4,214 acres of trout; 853 minnow farms with 48,899 acres of commercial minnow production; and 564 other fish farms with 31,045 acres in 34 other kinds of fish. About 3,740 enterprises offer fee-fishing recreation for interested fishermen. A New U.S. Industry By 1976? Food manufacturers are looking with interest at a newly developed chemical peeling process for water chestnuts, which just might give impetus to a domestic U.S. water chestnut in dustry. The water chestnut is a tropical plant that has been successfully paddy cultivated in many coastal areas of the United States and produces an enormous yield of 16,000 to 40,000 pounds per acre. But the high cost of hand peeling corms has dampened commercial enthusiasm for the crop. Consequently, we import most of our water chestnut needs from Taiwan Last year in-shipments totaled 18 million pounds, double those of 4 years earlier USDA researchers indicate that domestically grown and processed water chestnuts could be available at a fraction of the current price for imported corms. 21
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