-2- 



The government expects hog prices to remain at ceilings except for a possible 

 temporary decline when marketings reach a seasonal peak in December or January. Govern- 

 ment payments on slau^ter lambs will be increased seasonally; hence feeder lamb prices 

 may rise more than seasonally this winter. Prices of grain- fed cattle are expected to 

 remain near present high levels, but large marketings of grass cattle €ire anticipated; 

 canned beef requirements are lower than last year, euad the government expects lower 

 grade cattle to be priced considerably lower than during the same period last year. 



Turkey sup-plies are ample . Anqple supplies of turkeys for both the armed 

 forces and civilians are forecast for the coming holiday season by the United States 

 Department of Agric\ilture . The 19h^ turkey crop is rougihly one-fifth larger than last 

 year's production. Civilians are expected to have more turkey this year than in the 

 record year of 19*^2. All restrictions have been removed frcM turkey marketing. An of- 

 ficer of a national chain store indicated that we would not only have plenty of turkey 

 but that cranberries, nuts, onions, squash, citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, celery, 

 pumpkin euad whipping cream would also be available in ample quantities. Mincemeat is 

 the only holiday item likely to be in short supply. 



The feed situation . The domestic supply of feed grains, including carry- 

 over, was expected to be about five million tons larger than last year. This figure 

 may be modified slightly because of the failure of some late-planted com to mature. 

 However, such an Increase would be about offset by reductions in the quantities of 

 wheat and rye to be fed and the quantity of oats and barley Imported. The government 

 expects prices of feed grains to average somewhat lower in 19^5-^ than in 19kk'k'^. 

 Supplies of by-product feeds during the coming feeding season are expected to be about 

 as large per unit of livestock as the record quantity available during 19Mf-if5. Sup- 

 plies of oilseed cake and meal and animal protein feed ctre expected to be slightly 

 larger. Although abundant pasture and forage have been available this summer in prac- 

 tically all areas, the demand for feed, particularly high protein feeds and com, con- 

 tinued unusually strong during September, as in previous months this year. This demand 

 was sustained by heavy feeding. It is expected that egg prices will decline during 

 late winter, cmd this may affect the demand for poultry feed. Production and carrj- 

 over stocks of grain in Canada are smaller this year than last. Therefore, shipments 

 of grain to the United States during 19lf5-^6 will be materially smaller than in suay of 

 the past three reasons . 



The world com production in 19^5-^ is estimated to be 2 percent less than 

 in the previous year but 11 percent greater than the prewair average. Smaller crops 

 them in 19^5 are reported in North America, Eu37ope and Asia. Larger harvests are ex- 

 pected in the Southern Hemisphere, but they will be too late to provide supplies for 

 export to deficiency areas before next June. 



Government set-asides reduced . All government set-asides on canned fruits 

 and vegetables, except tomatoes, have been terminated, and tomato packers will be re- 

 quired to reserve only l6 percent of an average base pack instead of ^6 percent for the 

 govemaient. For the l^^-hS marketing period, civilians may expect 250 million ceises 

 of canned vegetables compared with 205 million cases last year and hk million cases of 

 canned fruits and fruit Juices, not Including citrus, compared with 53 million a year 

 ago. All set-asides of dried beeuis for militcuTr and other government purchases have 

 Lreen' susi>ended indefinitely. Although this year's crop of dried beans was about 

 ^50,000 b€igs (lOO pounds each) smaller than last year, the total supply, including 

 ^arry-over available for civilians, will be about the same as in 19*14-^5. Prices to 

 producers are being supported by government purchases and agreements with the trade to 

 pay producers support prices. 



