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Extension Service in Agriculture and Hc»ne Econaaice 

 Unlvereity of Illinois College of Agriculture, Url^ana 



WEEKLY KBVTEW AND FARM OUTLOOK LETTER 



RECEIVED 



SEP 7 1945 . 



By 0. L. Whalin ^^^ UBH nl ur iri£ 



Associate Professor, Agricultural Extension -^ ANIMAL HUS8A«l»fWY ' 

 (Prepared September 6) APR 1 J IC vR 



Markets for agricultural products have been affected during Jhej)as^ v^ek. ^.^ .,„ 

 by the uncertainties both of the weather and of the transition from war to peace'. ^" "^'"^ 

 I>urlng the week cattle prices broke sharply by about $1.00 a hundredweight, even 

 though the better cattle recovered rapidly and top lots continued to sell at $l8, the 

 ceiling price. The cattle price decline has been attributed both to decreased gov- 

 ommont takings of meats for the armed forces and to seasonally heavy runs of grain- 

 fed cattle frcsn the com belt states. 



Cattle receipts for the 11 months ending September 1 at the 12 markets 

 were 1,272,216 compared with l,13h,Uh2 a year earlier. 



Feeder steers received at four markets, Chicago, Kansas City, Ctaaha and 

 St. Paul, for August totaled 60,075 against 89,216 a year earlier. 



The h0g receipts at the 12 markets totaled 5*1-5,110 for August against 

 1,312,19^ a year earlier. 



Prices received by farmers for dairy products during the fall and winter 

 months probably will be about the same as in the previous year, the Department of Agr- 

 culture reported. Retail prices of principal dairy products have been held to 19^2 

 levels, while consumer income has advanced about one-third. Declines in consumer pur- 

 chasing power or decreases in noncivillan takings in the next several months probably 

 will not materially affect prices of dairy products. 



Most private estimates place the com crop at about 2,900 million, and the 

 September estimate of the Department of Agriculture is being anxiously awaited. Sup- 

 plies of the four principal feed grains, com, oats, barley, and sorghum grains, 

 total about I30 million tons, only about two million tons less than the 19Uh'k^ sup- 

 ply. The prospective number of grain- consuming animal units on farms and ranches next 

 January 1 is expected to be about the same as a year earlier. 



Civilian demand for farm products probably will continue sufficiently high 

 well into 19k6 to maintain the prices of most farm products close to current levels. 

 Shortages of food and clothing, especially in Europe, probably will be more serious 

 during the coming winter than at any other time since the start of the war. Purchases 

 of farm products for relief will tend to increase as military takings decline. The 

 decline in the wage income of industrial workers which has been under way for several 

 months probably will be accelerated. However, total consumers' Incooies are not likely 

 to be reduced enough to close completely the existing gap between civilian demand and 

 available supplies of many farm products at current prices. 



-0- 



Jf Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home EccHicmics: University of Illinois 

 College of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. 

 H, P. Eusk, Director. Acts approved by Congress May 8 and June 30, 191**^. 



