MAT, 1917
The Commoner
Food Production Report to Senate
Below is printed the food production report
referred to as Exhibit "A" in Secretary Hous
ton's letter to Mr. Bryan, printed on another
page. Ed.
In compliance with senate resolution No. 26,
adopted April 6, 1917, the secretary of agri
culture, on April 18, submitted to the senate
the following report:
Department of Agriculture,
Washington, April 18, 1917.
The President of the Senate.
Sir: I take pleasure In complying with the
request of the senate embodied in senate reso
lution No. 26, to. submit a comprehensive plan
for increasing the production of food supplies,
especially by the cultivation of town lots and
unused lands adjacent to towns, and of the arid
or semiarld lands, and by promoting the raising
of all classes of food or food-producing animals,
and for the creation of an organization to pro
mote and in a practical and effective way carry
out the purposes aforesaid, together with an
estimate of the amount of moneys necessary to
"be appropriated by congress for the promotion
of these purposes.
This department has for some time been giv
ing careful consideration to all tho matters cov
ered by the resolution. It has issued a number
of statements designed to stimulate increased
production and to indicate what crops si
receive particular attention in the different
areas and the best methods to be employed to
secure increased efficiency. It has also laid
special emphasis on the need of conserving the
food supply through better handling, through
the elimination of waste, and through economy,
especially on the part of the well-to-do. At re
cent conferences of official bodies, including the
commissioners of "agriculture or -representatives
of state boards of agriculture and represent
atives of tho land-grant colleges, called by the
department at St. Louis, Mo., and Berkeley,
Cal., problems of production, conservation dis
tribution, and organization were fully consid
ered and important conclusions were reached.
These conclusions were embodied in a report, a
copy of which is attached hereto, marked "Ex
hibit A." (See "Program for Food Production
and Conservation," printed on another page.)
ORGANIZATION
In the federal department of agriculture, the
ctate departments of agriculture, and the land
grant colleges, the nation already possesses
official organized agencies which, for many
years, have been actively studying all agricul
tural problems. These agencies are working in
very close co-operation and are actively direct
ing their energies to the handling of problems
present by this emergency. The nation is also
fortunate In possessing many important farm
ers' organizations, such as the Grange, the
Farmers' Union, the American Society of
Equity, the Gleaners, the Farmers' National
Congress, the American National Live Stock
Association, the National Wool Growers' Asso
ciation, and many others. It is believed that
additional machinery should be created, and
steps already have been taken to develop it
along these lines:
(1) As special developments, and particular
problems demand it, the secretary of agricul
ture will call to his assistance in Washington a
few men of spec'al training and broad experi
ence who may advise with him in further pro
jecting the activities of the department, in
keeping in touch with the problems and, ma
chinery over the nation, and in promoting par
tfcular large activities. It would seem desir
able that this body should take shape as cir
cumstances require, and that the department
should have' funds available to meet any neces
sary jexpenses in connection with the services
of such a body. Through its regular machinery
and through this small advisory body the de
partment will undertake to keep in touch not
only with state agencies but also with the great
farmers' organizations of the nation, whose as
sistance and co-operation and the advice of
whse leaders will be constantly saught.
(2) The creation in each state, either sep
arately or, preferably, in connection with the
state council of safety, of a small central di-
rimnrJi ?d productia nd conservation,
composed of representatives of tho state boards
of agriculture, of tho land-grant colleges, of
such farmers' organizations as tho Grange tho
Farmers Union, tho American Society of Equity,
the Gleaners, the Farmers' National Congress,
and others as may exist in a particular state
and of bankers' and business agencies. In a
number of tho states these central bodies al
ready have been created and others aro bointr
rapidly formed. s
(3) County, township, or urban bodies of
similar constitution, working in close co-operation
with the state central agency, to study
and deal with problems of food production aud
conservation.
PRODUCTION
The increase of food production this year
must come about largely through increased effi
ciency on tho farms and ranges already in oper
ation. This is not a time for experiment in now
areas and with new or untried crops and
processes. Concentration of effort should bo
made in areas already developed and on enter
prises already under way. Tho problem, is not
that of securing more land to cultivate. Tho
difficulty confronting tho farmer is rather that
of securing an ample supply of labor. In fact,
one of the principal limiting factors in food
production this year may be a restricted labor
supply. In many sections of tho west and
south, the supply, relatively speaking, will not
fall far short of normal. The effect will be felt
more in tho northeast, in the neighborhood of
tho great industrial centers.
It will be impossible to secure a large army
without some further disturbances of labor.
Agricultural operations not only must be main
tained at their normal level but must bo ex
tended. This can be accomplished only by mak
ing the labor remaining on the farms more effi
cient and by drawing into tho field forces not
heretofore regularly or fully used. The time
of special stress will bo during tho harvest sea
son, and every step should bo taken by tho
state and federal agencies and organizations to
furnish relief when it is needed. I am not yet
prepared to submit a definite or satisfactory
suggestion, but the problem is receivlngr-fios
earnest consideration not only of the depart-
ment of agriculture and the department of labor,
but also of state and local agencies throughout
the country. A joint committee of tho depart
ment of agriculture and of the department of
labor is actively studying the matter and a num
ber of suggestions are under consideration. In
the south the existing labor supply can bo more
fully utilized through increased agricultural di
versification. At present the south's agricul
ture is based largely on tho two-crop system
cotton and corn. It has been estimated that in
some sections, because of too exclusive reliance
on tho two-crop system, the labor of man and
animals is utilized only 50 or 60 per cent of the
time. If diversification were more generally
practiced, this labor would be more effectively
and economically applied. It is stated that
there aro more than 2,000,000" 'boys between
the ages of 15 and 19 years in cities and towns
not now engaged in productive work vital to
the nation in the present emergency. Many of
these, boys have had contact with rural, life and
know something about farming operations. Th's
constituted tho most important unorganized
and unutilized labor resource available. Tho
department and the state agricultural colleges
have, in the boys' and girls' clubs, more than
300,000 members. Largo additional numbers
nM,id he enrolled in these clubs and their pr
vIppb could be utilized in additional directions.
It has been suggested also that high schools
and colleges in rural communities might sus
pend operations before the end of the regular
terms and might resume their activities later in
the fall. This would bo a possible means of
addition.
Other suggestions worthy of serious consid
eration are that industrial plants should, so
far as possible, arrange to do their repairing
during the harvest . season and that certain
kinds of public and private undertakings of rel
atively less importance should be suspended
temporarily, thereby malrfng possible some adu
dltlonal liberation of labor. Tho mob
ilizing in particular districts of group
of labor for cmergoncy assistance is tjr
no means beyond tho rango of possibility.
Stato and local organizations especially should
glvo this problem their most earnest considera
tion, and no doubt they will find means In their
various communities of furnishing assurance
that farming operations will not only do con
tinued on their normal scale, but will cvon be
extended.
Tho department, through tho olllco of farm
management, will uudortako to placo a com
petent man In ouch stato to kcop in touch with
tho state's central board of food production and
conservation to assist it In dovlslng tho best
means of furnishing relief to communities that
need additional labor. Through tho stato
boards, this representative will keep Intimately
in touch with the local organizations. A special
effort will bo made to uncertain tho labor needs
of tho different cdmraunltlea and tho available
supplies of labor not fully utilized In tho re
gion, and also to ascertain theso facts over
largo areas. Tho stress comes at different times
in different states and communities. Informa
tion will bo convoyed to tho boards In states
whero thero Is a lack of labor regarding sur
plus labor supplies In surrounding states or
districts. Tho problem of securing favorable
transportation facilities and rates will bo taken
up with tho various transportation companies.
This department will co-opcrato also with the
department of labor and keep In touch with Its
field agoncles.
It Is especially Important that emphasis bo
laid on tho increased production of the staplo
crops, particularly In tho regions whero they
are usually grown; Thero is yot tlmo to In
crease tho acreage not only of corn, oats, barley,
rice and tho sorghums, but also of spring wheat
In certain areas, as well as to extend tho acrc
ago of peas, beans, cowpeas, and soy beans. The
live stock and poultry resources of the country
need to bo carefully considered and encourage
ment given to permit recovery from tho unusual
drafts upon them during tho past year, with
particular reference to the production -of meat,
dairy products, ami eggs. Tho marked activity
In homo gardening will result in considerable
additional production of p.crlshafolo crops for
local use. Tho department and stato agricul
tural agencies are lending their assistance to
local bodies which are organizing systematic
homo garden work.
FurtttO to stimulate production, to improvo
distribution, and to promote conservation, tho
following recommendations aro offered:
(1) Prompt enlargement of the co-operative
demonstration forces of tho department and the
states, through the stato relations service, to
insure the most effective instruction with ref
erence to crop and animal production and tho
economic and effective usebf food In tho homo.
(2) Immediate enlargement of tho existing
force of experts In homo1 economics in order
that widespread In truction may ho given In ur
ban and rural communities regarding the
proper preparation and economic utilization of
foodstuffs. Some of the greatest preventable
wastes are in the homo. 'The women, and par
ticularly the housekeepers, of the nation can
be of great assistance not only in increasing the
production of foodstuffs along certain lines, but
especially In the conservation of food, the elim
ination of wastes, and, particularly In the case
of the well-to-do, in practicing rigid economy.
The women of the nation have control of the
larger part of Its consumption expenditure,
and one of their first tasks should be to seo
that this is directed In the most efficient and
economical manner.
(3) Prompt enlargement of the department's
forces and facilities for aiding farmers to com
bat destructive insects and diseases of both an
imals and plants, through lnstru6tionind as
sistance to the general extension workers of
the department and the states. The losses
through animal diseases and insects run into
the millions. With effective and efficient oiv
ganization the forces in the department already
engaged in the work of this kind could be
greatly enlarged and uitillzed. This undoubtedly
would result in the saving of great quantities of
food materials that now go to waste.
It is estimated that the flour supply, on the
basis of a normal crop, could be increased by "
18,000,000 barrels a year through the. mllHa
v.
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fch8jg J"-?Jbif:
