Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 199, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1917 — GOVERNMENT ATTACKS ON BIG SCALE TASK OF MAINTAINING FOOD SUPPLY [ARTICLE]

GOVERNMENT ATTACKS ON BIG SCALE TASK OF MAINTAINING FOOD SUPPLY

<11,346,400 to Be Spent In stimulating Production and Protection and Conserving of Crops—Farm Help Activities to Be Extended—Marketing Assistance to Be Extended to the Producers.

Washington.—The task of maintaining during the war an ample supply of food will be attacked on a still larger scale by the United States department of agriculture through a score or more of projects, under the provisions of the food production bill just enacted by congress. While most of the projects will be extensions of present activities, some of them will represent new undertakings. The task will be to find just where the country stands in so far as the adequacy of the present food supply is concerned, to speed up the production of food crops wherever this can be done, and to stop as many as possible of the leaks through which hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of edible products annually is wasted. Eleven million three hundred and for-ty-six thousand four hundred dollars are made available for the work in the food production bill. This money is for emergency use In addition to the funds appropriated in the regular agrf&lltural appropriation bill for the usual activities of the department. The bill also is distinct from the food control bill, a measure having to do chiefly with the regulation of the distribution of food. To Increase County Agent Force. One of the most important steps to be taken in the emergency agricultural work will be the extension of the existing force of county agents, the joint field employees of the department and the states, who come into most direct contact with farmers. With the addition of the new county agents, an agent will be situated in practically every agricultural county in the United States that will co-operate to advise and assist farmers In every way possible on matters of production, conservation and marketing. The number of woman county agents In rural counties will be considerably increased and other woman agents will be placed In a number of the larger towns and cities. These women will stimulate the production of garden truck, poultry and other products by women and children, and will advise and Instruct in regard to the most efficient methods of food utilization and conservation. Labor and Food Problems. Under the food production bill the office of farm management of the department, in co-operation with the United States department of labor, will extend the farm-help activities through which farm laborers and the farmers who most need them have been brought together during the present season. The third of the more important of the emergency projects to be carried out by the department of agriculture is a quick survey of the food situation. This activity will be for the purpose of ascertaining as accurately as possible the condition of the country’s food

stores and the normal consumption in order that such action as may be necessary to Insure a sufficient supply may be taken intelligently. Fann stocks and supplies in retail stores and In the hands of consumers will be estimated, and stocks held by wholesale jobbing, storing, manufacturing and other commercial establishments will be enumerated. It is contemplated that the survey will be followed by monthly reports on several of the more important commodities, and if the emergency requires It, by another survey after an Interval of perhrfps six months. Production Will Be Stimulated. In addition to the activities under the three projects mentioned, special work will be undertaken by many of the bureaus and offices of the department of agriculture In the Interest of Increased production and for the conservation, protection and improved handling and marketing of crops and live stock. The bureau of animal industry will seek to bring about increased production of hogs and poultry, the two live stock products capable of most rapid increase. The agents of this bureau also will locate surpluses of hogs in heavy producing, areas and farmers In other sections of the country with good facilities for hog jaislng, In the - effort to bring abohf more economical distribution of hogs. Efforts also will be made indirectly to Increase animal production by combating animal diseases and pests, especially hog cholera, tuberculosis, and the cattle tick, which cause losses aggregating millions of dollars annually. The bureau also will endeavor to stimulate the increased production and utilization of dairy food; and will carry on a campaign for the more general production of Infertile eggs. The bureau of entomology will extend Its activities in the field to protect crops and live stock. It will assist in organizing communities for combating Insect pests, both of crops and live stock. Marketing Assistance. Producers will be given advice by the bureau of markets regarding improved methods of packing and handling food products. The bureau also will extend its market news service to include grain, hay and seeds, dairy and poultry products, and 'to cover more fully vegetables and fruits and meats and meat products, and will assist in solving local truck marketing problems. These services will make public facts as to supply, demand and movement of food products, intended to help in the elimination of the lost motion and economic waste existing in the marketing machinery of the country. The bureau also will help producers and consumers to form direct business relations through the parcel post. - With the extra funds furnished by the bull the bureau of plant industry will greatly increase its war against destructive plant diseases which annually bring about the loss of considerable proportions- of the crops of the country. The bureau also wilt seek to bring about increased Conservation of food products by encouraging natural storage and drying of the products best suited to these methods of preservation.

Farm Products and Animals. Under the food production bill the department’s work for the conservation of farm products, including live stock, will be greatly extended. The states’ relation service will add to its staff many county and city agents, who will give instructions and demonstrations to all parts of the country in canning, drying and”the preparation of food products in other forms which will protect them against spoilage. The bureau of markets will seek to reduce losses due to faulty handling, packing, shipping and marketing. The bureau of plant industry will endeavor to arouse interest in the natural storage during the fall and winter | months of semiphrishable products. Forces making for the conservation of live stock and animal products will be put into operation by the bureau of animal Industry. This work will include, aS already mentioned, campaign for the reduction of losses of live stock from animal diseases, losses of eggs through faulty handling and from fa|]ure to produce infertile eggs, and movements to assist In the more economical distribution of hogs. In the latter work field agents of the bureau of animal industry will bring together -owners surplus hogs and farmers having facilities for raising more hogs. This should result in the distribution of the surplus stock from regions of heavy animal production and expensive feed to _.parts of .J h e country where animal industry is not well developed and where pasturage and feed are relatively abundant and cheap. The bill also makes provision for the extension of other lines of the work of the department