Read It Again – Week of Nov. 23, 2000

80 years ago this week.

In 1919, the total value of the production of Ohio farms and factories amounted approximately to $3 billion. Of this, approximately $1 billion was the value of the products of the farm. Ohio ranks seventh among the states in the value of agricultural products.

For the first time in three years, chickens, turkeys and ducks are being sold by the head instead of by the pound by Mercer County, Pa., farmers. Chickens weighing 3 to 31/2 pounds are being sold in Sharon at $1 each. Turkeys will be scares around Thanksgiving day, according to the Mercer County farmers. They are now selling at $3.50 for birds weighing 10 and 11 pounds.

50 years ago this week.

For the first time in history, American farmers own more automobiles than horses.

The 1950 census figures show 5.8 million cars on farms, as against 5.3 million horses. Autos have gained 500,000 in the agricultural sector, where horses have decreased 588,000 during the past decade.

The Agricultural Commission of the American Bankers Association reports that farm real estate prices are moving upward again. After reaching an all-time high in November 1948, land prices receded steadily with declining farm commodity prices to November 1949. Then it seemed that prices would go down still further. In this situation, however, there has cropped out a selectivity in farm sales revealing a fairly active demand in most communities for the highly productive land. This is particularly true where corn and feed, legumes, and nutrient grasses can be grown. It all adds up to the present strong position of livestock in the farming business.

25 years ago this week.

“I don’t care to see the same outfit that has trouble packing the mail handling the sale of the farmer’s production,” said Congressman Jerry Litton, D-Mo., during Congressional hearings this week in Washington on a bill that would put the government in the business of handling all American grain exports.

The bill, H.R. 8399, is sponsored by Congressman Jim Weaver, D-Oreg., and cosponsored by 75 members of the House. Weaver, like Litton is a member of the House Agriculture Committee.

Litton, during the hearings on the bill by the Livestock and Grain subcommittee this week said, “I fear the government would be more interested in playing politics with the farmer’s production and the consumer’s pocketbook than marketing the farmer’s grain.”