From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Oct. 23, 1974:

An article on agriculture in Douglas County revealed good and bad news. Based on this year’s harvest, matters were in pretty good shape for grain farmers, but the situation was reported to be bleak for those in the livestock industry, with things just a little better for dairy farmers. The analysis was from Earl Fan Meter, county extension director, as the year’s harvest was entering its final stages. Upland corn had been a big disappointment this year, Van Meter said, but bottomland corn had made 80-100 bushels an acre in some cases, which he noted was better than expected but still not close to the previous year’s 150-180 bushels. Soybeans and sorghum were yielding average or better crops this year, and the wheat situation looked good, the extension director noted. However, livestock prices were down, and the cost of grain to feed livestock was up. Also, fertilizer prices had soared and many dealers had their customers on quotas.