(4) Vesting of increased control over volume and practices in the hands 

 of processors, feed companies, hatcheries, and a few large inde- 

 pendent contractors, fewer independent producers, and expansion of 

 producer financing by other than traditional lending agencies; 



(5) Movement of eviscerating and cut-up operations toward country 

 points and out of wholesale and retail establishments; 



(6) By-passing of traditional wholesale channels toward a more im- 

 portant role for chain store organizations, packer branches, and 

 direct-to-store delivery by nearby processors; 



(7) Narrowing of the effective competitive role of the small processor, 

 suggesting greater orientation toward supplying local markets; 



(8) Increased doubts about the validity of established market price 

 quotations for widespread use. 



To identify the area and plant size characteristics of the poultry process 

 ing industry, 24 of the 67 counties in New England were selected for study 

 The sample was designed to include areas where production was commercial 

 semi-commercial, and non-commercial in type, and to account for vari 

 ations due to distance from major consuming centers, surplus-deficit status 

 and relative proportions of young and mature birds available for processing 



Information initially available relative to the numbers and importance of 

 plants of different sizes was inadequate to permit size stratifications. Hence, 

 an effort was made to secure a 100 percent sample of units within the 24 

 counties to furnish data on this point. Study of a large number of plants 

 was also required to determine degrees and types of integration, extent and 

 reasons for overcapacity, and differences in trading areas, types of sup- 

 pliers and buyers, equipment, practices, and efficiency with various plant 

 sizes. 



