Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT
Newspaper Page Text
Looking to the Future NOW THAT 1963 is dawning it is a good time to plan for the year ahead—in fact, for the years ahead. This special OUTLOOK issue of Montana Farmer-Stockman is designed to point out some of the trends and new developments that may effect your operations. As some business management expert once said, "Facts do not just threaten, they operate." It is important that farm and ranch fam ilies of Montana and northern Wyoming fully recognize some of the fundamental "facts" that are operating today and that wiU have an important influence on farm and ranch profits in this region. Writers of some of the articles in this is sue have "stuck their necks out" in fore casting what lies ahead. Neither they nor we of Montana Farmer-Stockman expect you to take these prophecies as the last word on the subjects discussed. Some of the indi cated trends may prove to be off the beam. But we believe many will be found in later years to have hit the target pretty closely. Perhaps you will wish to thoughtfully consider what these specialists p r e d i ct, weigh their statements in the light of your own knowledge and experience, and then strive to gear your individual operations as closely as possible to the changing conditions as you see them. United in Protest That's the united chorus of no fewer than 13 Montana farm organizations, grain elevator and milling companies plus three transcontinental rail roads serving Montana, the Montana Rail road Commission and the Montana Citizens Freight Rate Association. All these groups have filed "exceptions" to a recommendation made last fall by an Interstate Commerce Commission examiner that a series of reductions in grain freight rates which began in October, 1960, be can celed. The reduced rates are in effect from western and south-central points in Mon tana to the West Coast. The ICC had an nounced that Dec. 23 would be the final date for filing exceptions to the recommen dation. Now the date has been extended to Jan. 28. There will be no lack of exceptions. All the groups mentioned are asking that a hearing be held and that they be granted authority to intervene. Several grain com panies on the West Coast have also peti tioned to enter the case. In these times of the price-cost squeeze any announcement that a cost might be in creased by an amount equaling 5 to 10 per WE PROTEST. ECM Important to Moiitaiia-Wvomin J O or OF TREMENDOUS IMPORTANCE to the future export market for some basic Montana-Wyoming agricultural products is the European Common Market, the econo mic confederation of mid-European coun tries. The agreements they develop during the next few years will result in the removal of trade between the member na lions and result in tariff walk around the whole group. The area encom passed by the six nations is relatively small, highly industrialized and has about the same 6—Jonuory 1, Î963 On the basis of research that is being done by the experiment stations, by farm equipment manufacturers, by chemical com panies, by electronic concerns, by plant breeders, and by many other institutions, it is virtually certain that there will be even greater improvement in efficiency of farm and ranch operations in the '60s than oc curred in the '50s. As for the '70s and 80s, of the wildest dreams of today may some fall far short of the realizations of those years. The producers who are most alert to these changes and most expert in taking advantage of them, will be the most success ful operators in the years to come. If you find this first Outlook issue in teresting and helpful, Montana Farmer Stockman will plan to make it a special an nual issue from now on. Whether your opinion of the issue is favorable or unfavorable, we'll be glad to hear from you. And if you want to criticize or comment upon any particular article or statement, or make some forecasts of your own, we'll be delighted to have you write us about that too. And now, to all of our readers, the Mon tana Farmer-Stockman staff extends heart iest best wishes for a Happy, Prosperous and Forward-Looking New Year. cent of the gross return would bring con sternation if not bankruptcy to most any business. That might well be the entire mar gin of profit. It is estimated that cancellation of the rate reductions as recommended would in crease freight charges from Great Falls to the West Coast by at least 10 cents a bushel. At this WTiting the price of No. 1 dark hard w inter wheat in Great Falls is $1.71 a bush el- With top protein value a bushel would be w T orth $2. An extra freight charge of 10 cents would be 5 per cent right out of the Montana wheat producer's pocket. But the increase would be 23 cents a bushel on w^heat shipped from Bozeman. And the immediate, out-of-pocket cost is not the only concern. Even more ominious, perhaps, is the possible loss of competitive positions with other wheat producing that would result from a change in rates. The seriousness of the threat to Montana grain growers and to the state's milling in dustry and railroads cannot be overesti mated. It is vital that all segments of the industry unite as they have in vigorously protesting the recommended cancellation of rate reductions. areas population as the United States. Basic policy of ECM in relation to agri cultural products is to control production and marketing through a marketing author ity, establish prices common throughout the six countries and. most important to us control imports through levies, fees, prices and quantitative restrictions. _ . . seven-year progressive pro gram, having been put into effect this past year, and is to be in full operation by 1969 Presently, the U.S. exports about 22 per cent of its agricultural commodities to ECM This is a countries. Wheat and feed grains are the most important agricultural exports that will be immediately affected. In time, prices offered for import wheat, an example, may be based on world prices less small fixed charges. At the same time higher than world prices may be maintained for producers in ECM countries. Licenses to sell to ECM countries may be instituted and embargoes may be placed on the importa tion of certain products on only three days' notice. Herein lies some danger for our port trade in these agricultural products. But provisions of ECM regulations should not be a threat to trade with the U.S. if constructive procedures are followed. Some restrictive devices have already dis appeared. And the continued economic covery and progressive increase in popula tion and industry in the area may eventually increase export possibilities of Montana Wyoming agricultural commodities in the future. as ex re However, agricultural producers are ing to be highly dependent on our govern ment's negotiating policies and ability. In ternational competition in the sale of food and fiber will undoubtedly increase in the future. Hard-headed bargaining will be quired and, if farm and ranch interests to be safeguarded, agricultural products must not be used as disposable pawns in the international dickering game for the bene fit of greater U.S. industrial sales. go re are In tlù Ùlmct% That 3 cent a bushel increase in barley supports for the 1963 program means $90 per hundred acres for the grower whose average is 30 bushels to the acre. USDA bad two main purposes in increasing price sup ports on feed grains over those previously announced: (1) To make the feed grain pro gram more acceptable to producers and (2) to discourage excessive livestock produc tion, with resulting lower livestock prices, that might result from too cheap feed. While there is still time for bringing ad ditional acreage into compliance, the rela tively small winter wheat sign-up now T points to increased acreage in 1963 oyer 1962. USDA hoped for a 5 to 6 million acre sign-up but has achieved less than 2 million, according to latest figures. Beet growers are becoming concerned over the cost-price squeeze affecting their operations. Costs have increased from 30 to 40 per cent in the past 10 years while the gross price per ton of beets has gone up much less than that. Growers' organizations are asking the Sugar Administration to give careful consideration to this problem so that producers may enjoy a "fair and reason able return." MONTANA FARMER-STOCKMAN —COVERS MONTANA AND NORTHERN WYOMING— OFFICE 414 2nd Ave. North. Great Faite» Montana LESTER COLE. Publisher; DON R. BOSLEY. Aœoçwte Editor: LARRY GILL, Livestock Editor: BAY OZMON Field Edilor ; BOB LOHRENZ. Livestock FteM Represent a tire. Department Editors; AMY MARTIN. Rural Homes Depart ment; DR. W W HAWKINS. JR.. Veterinäre Depart ment ^ ARTHUR F. SHAW, Soils and Crops; RAY REIMAN. Market Analyst: OSCAR L. MOLDENHAUER. Weather Forecast; MONT H SAUNDERSON. Ranch. Farm Management. EATT. STEFT'N'l LARRY GILL. Advertising Director: Local Advertising Representative. Representatives, Western Far* Paper I"- 1 "' CHICAGO 4. Fred Tool, National Adv. Manceer. 28 F Jackson; NEW YORK 1«. Walter J. Schaff. Maneeer. 500 Df a L Av<? * ; SAN FRANCISCO 5. Frank Schoenbein. Manager 321 Sharon Building. Member of Western Farm Paper Tn«. tedH Bwm» Circulation and Agricultural Publishers Aas-etet»-* yw B tt R!PTTON PRTCE: *2 for one paar: Canada one RENEWAL AND OiANGCS—V ffw dnte on yaw label £ changed within tbrec weeks after sending in yo«' remittance, please write es. ■ give both new and old rafe^ V nîî. T,S,W<ï regarding advert «te* * em on application. Subscribers are requested live'Viî?» . prnrn P' lv to os any advertiser who fails to »ve up to his advertising agreement. a ehMp of address