'A Farmer With Livestock Is Always Better Off than His Neighbors Without Any,' 1940

Published in the Hickory newspaper in 1940.

Livestock the Key

Farmers of the Hickory areas have been urged many times to increase their livestock production but never more logically than by Frank Jeter, agricultural extension service editor, in an address before the Conover Men’s Club Tuesday night.

Emphasizing the fact that this state could become the leading producer of livestock in the nation if farmers generally would take advantage of their opportunities, Mr. Jeter made a plea for progressive farmers to take the lead in changing the established agricultural methods in this state which all intelligent persons know should be abandoned for soil-building programs and practices, designed to yield far greater returns.

If farmers will remain unsatisfied with conditions as they are and become intrigued with the unbeaten paths which require experimentation, there is no question but that the status of their industry will be rapidly advanced.

Catawba County is far ahead of the average North Carolina section as a consequence of what has already been accomplished through diversification and livestock. However, our people have only scratched the surface of the possibilities in this direction.

Just as Mr. Jeter pointed out, it is obvious to any intelligent observer that the farmer with livestock is always better off than his neighbors without any. That proves that farms whose operators branch out along progressive lines, manifest the effects of added revenues which follow a well-rounded program.

Assuredly, although livestock farming will not solve all the agricultural ills, it will go a long way towards supplying the key.