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Milk production on Illlnoie farma continued at record levels during September 

 and amounted to kSj million pounds. This total compares with h^Q million pounds 

 a year earlier and a ten-year average for Septeniber production of koQ million pounds. 

 In the first nine months of 19*^5, milk production totaled k,6 billion pounds, vhich is 

 8 percent more than was produced during the same period of 19^. 



Price ceilings . The retail ceiling price of butter will be boosted 5 to 6 

 cents a pound November 8. John C. Collet, Stabilization Director, made this announce- 

 ment in withdrawing a wartime subsidy of 5 cents a pound paid to butter processors 

 effective October 31. 



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Farmer's share of the consumer's dolletr . The farmer's share of the con- 

 sumer's dollar spent for fann food products was ^h cents in August 19^5* The sheu:e 

 has remained at 5I4. cents for all of 191+5 except May, when it dropped to 55 cents, and 

 the record matching high of 55 cents in January. May 19**-5 was one of the few months 

 for which both the farmer's share and the mEirketing charges as percentage of retail 

 coat exceeded 50 percent. In that nonth the farmer's share wa^ 55 cents, while mso-ket- 

 Ing cheurges were 51 percent of the retail cost of the mcurket basket. These total lOU 

 percent. The excess over 100 percent is accounted for by the government payments to 

 marketing eigenciee. 



Illinois ftniit report . Prospects for the Illinois commercial apple crop are 

 for a harvest of 2,623,000 bushels. Last year's crop totaled 2,^18,000 bushels, and 

 the 193^4.-1+5 average was 5,162,000 bushels. The supply of late varieties in Illinois 

 is unusually short this year. 



Hfiurve sting and marketing of the l,638,OOQ-bushel peach crop encountered con- 

 siderable difficulty during the peak season. The following table shows reported per- 

 centages and prices to growers by grades for all sales: 



S 



Grade 



Percent 



19^ 



Percent 



Price 



2- inch minimum 



1 3 A- inch minimum 



Orchard run — unclassified 



k6 



2k 

 30 



56 

 19 

 25 



$5.08 

 2.29 

 1.82 



The preliminary estimated average price per bushel received by growers In I9U5 is 

 $2.65 compared with $3.05 for the 1,^70,000 bushels harvested in I9M+. 



Poultry and egg production . U. S. farm flocks laid 3,^+22,000,000 eggs In 

 September — 3 percent less thsm in September 19^^, but 57 percent above the 10-year 

 (l93U-i+5) average. Septeniber egg production was below that of last year in all parts 

 of the country except the South Atlantic States, where it equaled the record high of 

 last year. Egg production during the first nine months of this year was 5 percent less 

 than during the same period last year, but 56 percent above the 10-year average. The 

 nine-months' production was below that of last year in all regions of the country. 



Prices received by farmers for eggs in mid-September averaged 59.6 cents a 

 dozen, conqpared with 55.1+ a year ago and 26.9 cents for the 10-year (195I4-U5) average. 



