98 FARMERS' UNION AND FEDERATION 



The figures of the Michigan Cost Commission show the average cost of 

 producing potatoes in Michigan in 1917 was 903^ cents per bushel. 

 However, while the farmer was getting only thirty-five cents per bushel 

 for his 90-cent potatoes, people in Detroit were paying 50 cents per peck, 

 or $2.00 a bushel. . . . 



"In discussing crop outlooks for Michigan June 1st, State Market 

 Director J. N. McBide of Michigan says : 'An effort was made to secure 

 from Michigan farmers this year a crop of 25,000,000 bushels of wheat. 

 The prospects now are, "it will take remarkably good weather for 

 Michigan to provide 10,000,000 bushels. Weather conditions reduced 

 the yield and price-fixing reduced the acreage sown," as will be found 

 in interviews with farmers farther on.' 



" W. A. Nehf, editor of the Chicago Daily Drovers' Journal, at the an- 

 nual convention of the National Live Stock Exchange in New York, 

 is quoted in the Detroit Times of May 18th as saying: 'Although pre- 

 vailing prices of meat seem high to consumers, I know many farmers who 

 have fed cattle and hogs at a loss during the past season. Prices of 

 commodities the farmer must buy have risen out of all proportion to 

 the prices he gets for his stock. The greatest work facing the govern- 

 ment, I believe, is that of assuring the producer a fair margin of profit. 

 We cannot expect the farmer's patriotism to exceed that of others to 

 such an extent that he will increase his live stock production if he knows 

 that in so doing he will incur additional economical loss.' 



"With the farmers of Sumpter and Van Buren Townships, Wayne 

 County. These townships are in the southwestern corner of the county, 

 24 to 30 miles from Detroit. They contain no cities, but have good 

 marketing facilities, and are mostly good farming land. 



"The exception is about half of Sumpter Township, which is oak 

 openings, of low fertility value under the best of circumstances. 



"Under present circumstances, these farms are not producing enough 

 food to even supply the food requirements of the farm itself. Usually 

 what improvements exist are old, neglected, out of repair and of little 

 value and of less usefulness. 



"The ownership of these farms has passed into the hands of specu- 

 lators or their victims, and the land shows little or no evidence of in- 

 telligent farming. Such farms are frequently changing ownership, in 

 some cases three or four times a year. The city real estate dealer finds 

 no difficulty in getting buyers at prices far beyond actual value of even 

 good farms, for the city worker who knows nothing about farming is 

 easily persuaded because of the high -price for all farm products that 

 farming must be a money-making business. 



