Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-23

Washington, D. c. Aug 23-The
government is to take stock of the
nations food supply.
In order that the president. con
gress. and the other officials of the
government may be able to base need
ed action on a knowledge Of what
the national larder contains, and
how it measures up 10 the needs OF
the millions of breakfast, dinner, and
supper tables of the nation, the Unit
ed States Department of Agriculture
will begin Immediately to make a
quick survey of available foods and
feeds thruout the country. This Will
cover supplies on the farms, in factor
les and commercial stores and ware
houses. in retail shops and on the
shelves and in the bins OF the family
pantry. The work will be carried on
principally by the Bureau Of Markets,
the Bureau Of Crop Estimates, the
Bureau of Chemistry, and States Rela-
tions Service of the department, with
funds appropriated for the purpose
in the recently enacted food produo-
ton bill.
The survey is to be made as OF the
date, August /, and it is expected
that statistics on the amounts OF GER
tain important products can be sup
piled within three or four weesk after
the food survey is begun.
Inventories and Estimates to be Used
In carrying out the nationwide ioou
survey. both actual inventories ana
estimates will be employed. t,stl-
mates of the food and feed products
on farms will be made for the whole
country by the Bureau of Crop Esti-
mates through $4,000 picked co-opera'
tors in the field.
information regarding stocks III
wholesale. jobbing, storing, manuiac'
turing, and other commercial estap-
ljsbments, including large retail nous
as will be obtained by requesting
from each concern statement OF the
exact amount of each Of the various
nroducts held by it. Comprehensive
lists of such establishments compil'
cd Inv the Bureau Of Markets within
the last few years will be employed
in this work.
The stocks on hand in small retail
shops will be estimated from lntorma'
ton gained from detailed survey
of stocks in a number of representa-
tive districts Stocks in the hands OF
all the consumers Of the country VIII
be estimated similarly from canvasses
of a large number Of representative
families, both in the country ana IN
the cities. The study of families VIII
be concerned even more with the eur
rent consumption per month than with
the actual stock OF food supplies On
hand. Small retail stocks Will DC ra'
ported for representative cities by
Bureau of Chemistry through IT, food
and drug inspectors and state an
local officials and inspectors AL l1'
representative country districts BY
the States Relations Service thr1
county agents and local farm bureaus
and other local agencies Through
these agencies certain selected dist
riots will be canyassed and an est
mate will then be made for the entire
country
Products to be Surveyed
The nearly 100 items on which sta.
tistics are to be gathered include
grains and seeds grainfood products
dried fruits and nuts, vegetable rats,
sugar, syrups. starch, meat and meat
products preserved in tin and other
containers, dairy and related products,
fish and feeds
The departments plans contemplate
making Immediately a quick survey
OF the holding Of approximately Is OF
the more important products, follow
ing this with monthly reports on suca
products and making a more complete
survey after The crops have been
gathered It is proposed to utilize IN
so far as possible existing establish
ed agencies within the department
in the conduct Of the survey but the
department, Of course, desires the
hearty cooperation and support Of all
state and local agencies