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AGRICULTURAL NEWS OF THE WEEK FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF DALLAS Number 797 \·!edne sday, April 7, 1965 F 0 R WATCH UNFAMILIAR PLANT PESTS! The U. S. Department of Agriculture urges farmers and homeovmers to keep a sharp lookout for any unusual insect damage to crops, ornamentals, or trees and to report such damage immediately to county agricultural agents or to state or Federal entomologists. Presence of insect damage could mean that a nevr foreign pest has sneaked past our quarantine barriers or that a native insect is building up to dangerous proportions. In support of a nationuide program to "stop pests before they start," state and Federal governments are cooperating to discover and eradicate dangerous insect enemies - whether native or imported - before they cause extensive damage and require widespread control measures. H 0 0 L PAYMENT RATES ANNOUNCED In order to bring the national average wool price received by producers of 53.2¢ per lb. up to the previously announced incentive level of 62¢ per lb., shorn wool payment rates for the 1964 marketing year will amount to 16.5% of the dollar returns each grower received from the sale of shorn wool during JanuaryDecember 1964, announced the USDA. This rate will result in an incentive payment to growers of $16.50 for every $100 received from the sale of shorn wool during 1964, which is the tenth year of the program. The figure compares with a payment of ~27.80 per $100 of marketings for the 1963 marketing year. The USDA has also announced a payment rate of 35¢ per cvrt. on unshorn lambs to compensate for the wool on them. This rate compares with 54¢ per cwt. for the 1963 marketing year. No payments will be made on mohair sold in the 1964 marketing year, since the averageprice of 94.3¢ per lb. received by producers was above the mohair support price of 72¢ per lb. CONSUMPTION SURVEY F 0 0 D In connection with a national survey of eating habits, householders in 43 states and the District of Columbia will be interviewed, reports the USDA. The survey, scheduled to begin in April, will be made by a private marketing research firm working under contract with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. Participation in the survey is voluntary, and all information furnished will be treated in confidence. Data obtained from the survey will be analyzed to determine the nutritive content of the food consumed. Moreover, researchers will appraise trends in food consumption and dietary patterns in the Nation over the past three decades. According to the USDA, the information secured will be helpful in guiding farm and food policies, as well as in appraising the nutritional adequacy of U. S. diets and in conducting consumer educational programs. It will also be beneficial in analyzing the demand for agricultural products and in conducting research designed to lower costs of processing and distribution of food. MEAT IMPORTS BELOW QUOTA REQUIREMENTS The revised official estimate of U. s. meat imports for 1965 places the total at 714 million lbs., compared with about 740 million lbs. imported in 1964. Secretary of Agriculture Freeman says that the indicated 1965 quantity likely would not require Presidential action to invoke meat import quotas. L I VE S T 0 CK 'I'he Fort Worth cattle run during the week ended Thursday, April 1, totaled an estimated 2,100, or 100 more than in the preceding week but 800 fewer than in t he corresponding period last year, points out the Consumer and Marketing Service. Demand i:ras broad for all classes, and trading was fairly active. Compared with the previous Thursday, closing prices for slaughter steers ranged from 25¢ per cwt. louer to 25¢ higher. Good 950- to 1, 195-lb. slaughter steers cleared at ~)21 to ~~22. 50 per cwt., a nd Utility and Commercial cows brought $13. 50 to $15. Feeder cattle prices were steady to 50¢ per cwt. higher than a ueek ago, 1-:ith Good 475- to 650-lb. yearling steers quoted at $19 to $21.80. 'I'he calf supply, at approximately 1,050, reflected gains of 83% over the week-earlier offerings and 31% over last year. Slaughter calf prices advanced 50¢ to $1 per c·ut. Good grades of killing calves sold at $19. 50 to $21 per cwt., and 300- to 500-lb. stocker steer calves brought $19.50 and $22.50. Hog marketings are placed at 625, compared uith 750 in the preceding week and 900 a year ago. ?rice fluctuations 1-1ere rather uneven, and Thursday quotations were steady to 25¢ per cwt. lower than a veek earlier. The majority of the U. S. No. 1 through No. 3 Grades of 195- to 275-lb. butchers cleared at $16.50 to $17.50 per cwt. Sheep and lamb . offerings of about 2,500 ·were 14% larger than a week ago but were about unchanged from the corresponding 1964 period. Demand ·was fairly broad, and prices were fully steady each day until Thursday, when slaughter spring lamb quotations were mostly 50¢ per c1·r t. higher. Good and Choice 67- to 100-lb. slaughter spring lambs sold at $22 to $25.50 per cvrt. POULTRY For the week ended Friday, April 2, Texas commercial broiler markets opened weaker, as prices throughout the Nation had decreased toward the end of the preceding week, reports the State Department of Agriculture. Markets in both south and east Texas became steady during the trading period. At Friday's close, prices uere relatively unchanged, and the undertone uas firm. Closing prices ·Here 15. 5¢ per lb. in south Texas and 14.8¢ to 15.3¢ in east Texas. During the comparable 1964 period, closing quotations in south Texas were 13.5¢ to 14¢, and those in east Texas ranged from 13¢ to 14.2¢. Texas commercial broiler markets 1· ere stronger on Monday, April 5. The follO'wing prices per lb. were quoted: South Texas, 16¢, and east Texas, 1S¢ to 15.8¢. 1 BROILER CHICK PLACEMENTS Percent change from Comparable Previous week, 1964 week Area Heek ended March 27, 1965 Texas .•••.. Louisiana .. 2,996,000 605,000 -1 2 2 2:3 states .. 46,959 , 000 2 6 0
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