Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1918 — OFFICIAL FOOD NEWS [ARTICLE]

OFFICIAL FOOD NEWS

By Dr. Harry E. Barnard,

Federal

Food Administrator for Indiana.

The usual fall decline in market prices of poultry is due to large receipts of immature and poorly flashed chickens, scarcity of labor and inadequate refrigerating space. A heavy marketing of moulting hens also has a depressing effect on the market. Producers may assist in stabilizing the poultry market by withholding immature chickens and moulting hens and by extending the normal period of fall marketing well into the winter. Owing to a misunderstanding of the resolution relative to the preferred classification of agricultural lime, the following statement of R. S. Baker, assistant priorities commissioner, is made public: “The state official having supervision of agricultural production or soil conservation (in Indiana the director of extension, Purdue University) may supervise without direction or permit from this division the distribution of burned ' lime and ground limestone for agricultural purposes, and any manu/acturer, producer or dealer in burned lime er ground limestone may supply such products for agricultural purposes under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by sach director.” The rapid manufacture of the new

crop beet sugar in tne Wesft and new% crop Louisiana cane sugar in the* South together with the frtfer railway transportation conditions, the reductions that we have made in the consumption of sugar In the manufacture trades and the patriotic conservation in the past four months, enables us to increase the household allowance of sugar from two pounds per person per month to three pounds per person per month, with the same ratio to public eating places, as from November Ist. This makes good our promise to increase the household allowance of sugar at the earliest possible moment that our supplies would justify and make it possible for the householder to more freely use the apple, cranberry and grapefruit products and to use the fruits canned during the summer without sugar. The regulations are also revised to the extent that any person may purchase his whole monthly allowance at one time if he so desires, that is, any family may purchase a month’s supply for the entire family in one purchase from the retail trades. The temporary cessation of the cereal movement of the country due to stoppage of exports to secure army tonnage, has caused a greater ability for internal transportation than would® otherwise be the ease, and we do -not 4 - feel that with ability to make distribution we have any right to hold supplies for the householders. We areconfident that we can continue on this basis for some months to come from, the supplies which we have in prospect. Cuba’s crop is promised transportation, so that with these conditions we should be able to maintain allied supplies. Make no changes in classes A B and D. (These include manufacturers of food products, bottlers, etc.) Now, when we have need for every ounce of food that can be put into form for human consumption, it is the soundest economy to let young turkeys live through the fall bug-and-seed-hunting season. A young gobler that weighs "ten pounds in October will weigh twelve or thirteen pounds sixty days later If given a little extra feed along toward the end of that period. A hen in the same time will fill out from seven pounds to nine or ten,. Such satisfactory gains can be made at no other time. The U. S. Food Administration suggests that in order to take advantage of this favorable season, no young turkey hens weighing less than six pounds dressed, be marketed.

The retail section of the distribution of perishables of the United States food administration has Just issued a modified regulation which states that any advance in cost in excess of seven or eight cents per dozen of eggs will be considered evidence of violation of the rule restricting profits to reasonable figures. The seven cents represents the maximum for stores conducting the cash and carry t plan and eight cents for the extra service stores. In allowing also, to the retailer, fractional charges, the food administration asserts that it has taken into consideration the rising costs of operation. Effective about the middle of November, the United States railroad administration has indicated its purpose to increase the track storage charge for perishables held in cars beyond the free demurrage period of forty-eight hours, to $lO per day. The practice of using cars for worehouses. and vending purposes, the food administration is assured, “can not be too strongly condemned,” in view of the present transportation situation. Where violations are flagrant and wilful the railroad administration asks a statement of the facts for a more appropriate punishment of the offenders. Dealers who are averaging costs of fresh and cold storage butter; to their own pecuniary benefit are warned in a special ortler just promulgated by the United States food administration against such practice. Neither fresh or cold storage butter may be sold by licensees at more than a reasonable advance over cost and each must be figured separately. -