Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-28
NATIONWIDE FOOD SURVEY
TO BE MADE AT ONCE.
Department OF Agriculture to Esti-
mate Country's supply of Edibies.
To Investigate Stocks on Farms.

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 II
measures up to the needs of the mil
lions of breakfast. dinner and supper
tables of the nation. the United States
Department of Agriculture will begin
Immediately 10 make a quick survey
of available foods and feeds through
out the country. This will cover sup
plies on the farms, in factories, ana
commercial stores and warehouses. 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 Relations Ser
vice of the department, with funds APP
propriated for the purpose in the re-
Gently enacted food production bill.
The survey is to be made as of the
date August 81, and it is expected that
statistics on the amounts of certain
important products can be supplied
within three Or four weeks after the
food survey is begun
Inventories and Estimates TO be Used.
In carrying out the nationwide
food survey, both actual inventories
and estimates will be employed Es-
Inmates 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 cooper
ators in the field.
Information regarding stocks in
wholesale, jobbing. storing, manufac-
turing. and other commercial estab-
lishments, including large retail
houses, will be obtained by request
ing from each concern statement of
the exact amount of each of the vari-
Gus products held by it. Comprehen-
siye lists of such establishments COM
piled by 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 informa-
ton gained from a detailed survey of
stocks in a number of representative
districts. Stocks in the hands of all
the consumers of the country will be
estimated similarly from canvasses of
a large number of representative fam
lilies. both in the country and in the
cities. The study of families will be
oon1arnad o.rav, ,,,ora with tho currenf
consumption per month than with the
actual stock of food supplies on hand.
Small retail stocks will be reported
for representative cities by the Blu
reau of Chemistry through its food
and drug inspectors and State and To-
cal health officials and inspectors,
and for representative country dis
tricts by the States Relations Service
through county agents and local farm
bureaus and other local agencies.
Through these agencies certain select
ed districts will be canvassed and an
estimate 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, grain-food products,
dried fruits and nuts, vegetable fats.
sugar, sirups, starch, meat and meat
products. food products preserved in
tin and other containers, dairy and re-
lated products, fish, and feeds.
The department. plans contemplate
making Immediately quick survey Of
the holding of approximately Is of the
more important products, following
! this with monthly reports on such
products and making more complete
survey after the crops have been
gathered 1t is proposed to utilize in
so far as possible existing established
agencies within the department in the
conduct of the survey, but the depart
ment, of course, desires the hearty CO.
operation and support of all State and
local agencies.