NINETEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 325 



The high prices paid for grains, live-stock and hogs has stimu- 

 lated our farmers to greater production along these lines. Markets 

 for these products, as well as the prices at which, they will sell, has 

 been practically guaranteed by the government. The dairy in- 

 dustry did not receive the encouragement, but a stabilization of the 

 dairy industry with a fixed price for dairy products is anticipated. 

 I believe that when this is done that we will be able to make greater 

 headway in our dairy exteiision work. 



The appeal to our farmers for larger crops of agricultural 

 products has been nobly responded to. Under the conditions ex- 

 isting this year with our shortage of farm labor the demand could 

 be met only by producing such farm products as required a niin- 

 imiim amount of labor. Our Iowa farmers practice diversified 

 farming and it has not been possible under existing conditions to 

 give the dairy herds the care and attention necessary for the largest 

 yields of milk. This, we believe, is an other reason that the pro- 

 duction of dairy products has not increased during the past year. 



During the shortage of farm labor we have not gone into new 

 territory to stimulate dairy production but have concentrated our 

 efforts in the well defined dairy centers to promote greater produc- 

 tion there. 



The difficulty in securing competent herdsmen has had its effect 

 on the displays of dairy cattle at our fairs and dairy shows. This 

 year's record, however, for prize dairy cattle is one of which Iowa 

 may well be proud. 



Our cheese factories have had a splendid market for their out- 

 put. The market price of cheese has not been so steady as we 

 wonld like to see it but none of our cheese factories has experienced 

 any difficulty in finding a satisfactory market. Under the leader- 

 ship of D. J. Murphy of Waukdn, the cheese industry of north- 

 eastern Iowa is becoming a fixed asset of the state, Allamakee 

 county is becoming agriculturally as well as topographically the 

 Switzerland of Iowa. 



The department has been more or less crippled on account of 

 some of its members going into service, but the big advance in 

 wages offered by commercial concerns has made it almost impos- 

 sible to get or keep competent help of any kind at salaries the law 

 permits the department to pay. 



This is especially true with reference to men in the dairy de- 

 partment, several of whom have received increases ranging from 

 $300.00 to $600.00 per annum. They felt that they were obliged 

 to take advantage of these offers, as they found it impossible 



