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• procure com and farmers show no signs of increasing theii: marketings. It is hoped 

 that the situation will ease as the new crop becomes available. Swever, in spite of 

 the heavy yield of oats, the estimated production of the three important feed grains, 

 com, oats and barley, as of July 1 was around 319 million bushels less than the 19^ 

 yield. In addition, the acreage of sorghinns planted for grain, silage euid forage was 

 placed at around 11 percent less than was planted in 19W*-. 



In order to help conserve the nation's potential feed supply, the Secretary 

 of Agriculture has issued an order requiring that "no distiller with a feed recovery 

 plant may use any grain in the manufacture of alcohol or alcoholic beverages or spirits 

 by auny process including distillation unless all feed by-products from the processing 

 are recovered up to the capacity of the pleuit." This action was teiken to salvage feed 

 that otherwise might be wasted. 



The Feed Industry Council prepared a 10-point feed program for consideration 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture in working out existing problems in the 

 feed industry. Among the recommendations they included: Reinstate a feed-wheat pro- 

 gram, continue export bans on com indefinitely, and taJce steps to Increase lnrports of 

 proteins, animal fats, mfiurine and vegetable proteins, and molasses for feeding purposes. 



Lamb and beef set-aside reduced . Civilians will get about 5 percent more of 

 the total production of the three top grades of federally inspected lamb as a result 

 of a reduction by the Department of Agriculture in the set-aside of lamb for govern- 

 ment purchase. The armed forces are now receiving more lamb under the old set-aside 

 rule than allocated. The new rule will remain in operation until further notice. The 

 over-all set-aside of eu^y- style beef also has been reduced from the current 30 percent 

 to on average of 25 percent of the total quantity produced by federally Inspected 

 slaughterers. The set-aside of utility grade and canner and cutter beef remains un- 

 changed at 65 percent. 



More fats and oils ? The recent action by the OPA in the reduction of the 

 red point value of butter has led traders in fats and oils to wonder if this gujtion 

 might have significance as the beginning of a period of more plentiful supplies and 

 might indicate that the low ebb for this type of product has already been reached. The 

 current situation in fats and oils is tight; everything sells at celling price. About 

 the only thing that could ease the situation would be the end of the war. Increased 

 imports, a reduction of exports or a liquidation of livestock numbers as a result of a 

 drouth or other unfavorable circumstances. 



Cold storage holdings of meat . On July 1 cold storage holdings of poultry 

 were about three-fourths as much as a year ago, beef was up one-fourth, pork was only 

 two-fifths and lard one- sixth of the quantity in storage July 1, 19Mf, Compeared with 

 the July 1 five-year avereige (19^0-19^^), frozen poultry holdings were up 20 percent, 

 beef holdings were up I70 percent, pork holdings were down about kQ percent and lard 

 holdings were down 78 percent. 



The farm labor situation . On July 1 the number of hired workers employed on 

 farms was the lowest on record for that month, but farms wage rates climbed to new • 

 peaks. Farm employment was down 2 percent from a year earlier, but the average monthly 

 wage rates were up by $8.30. The number of hired workers on July 1 was almost 7 per- 

 cent less than a year earlier; the decline in the com belt was 15 percent. Family 



Jfci/orkers were only about 1 percent less than a year ago for the country as a whole. 



^^arm wage rates on July 1 were 351 percent of the 1910-li»- average. 



