The daily banner., 1917-08-23
NATION-W WIDE FOODSURVEY
TO Be MADE AT ONCE

! Department OF Agriculture to E.sti
/ mate tountry'> Supply of Edibies
TO Investigate Stocks on Farms
in Factories And Storage Houses
In Shops. And i'll The Hands oi
Consumers.
Washington, ID. c., Aug. 22.-Tnv
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
needed action Oh Il knowledge of
what the national larder contains, ana
how it measures up to the needs o.
the millions of breakfast, dinner and
supper tables OF the Nation, the
United States Department Of Agri-
culture will begin Immediately 70
make d quick survey OF available
foods and feeds throughout the
country. This Will cover supplies on
the farms, in factories, and CONNER
cial stores and warehouses, in retail
shops, and on the shelves and in the
bins CT the family pantry. The work
will be carried on principally by the
Bureau OF Chemistry, and States Re-
IationS Service of the department,
with funds appropriated for the pur-
pose in the recently enacted food pro-
duction bill.
The survey is to be made as of
the date. August 81. and it is eX-
pected that statistics on the amounts
Of certain important products can be
supplied within three or four weeks
after the food survey is begun.
In carrying out the nationwide
food survey, both actual inventories
and estimates will be employed. Es-
Inmates of the food and feed pro-
ducts on farms will be made for the
whole country by the Bureau of Crop
Estimates through 35, 900 picked CO.
operators in the field.
Information regarding stocks in
wholesale, jobbing, storing, manufac-
turing, and other commercial estaD-
lishments, including large retail hor-
ses, will be obtained by requesting
from each concern a statement of the
exact amount of each of the various
products held by it. Comprehensive
lists of such establishments compiled
last few years will be employed in
this work.
The stocks on hand in small retail
shops will be estimated from infor
nation gained from detailed sur
Vey of stocks in Il number or repre-
sentative districts. Stocks in the
hands Of all the consumers of the
country will be estimated similarly
from canvaSSeS of a large number oY
representative families, both in the
country and in the cities. The study
of families will be concerned even
more with the current consumption
per month than with the actual
stock of food supplies on hand. SmaIi
retail stocks will be reported for rep
resentative cities by the Bureau or
Chemistry through its food and drug
inspectors and State and local health
officials and inspectors, and for rep
resentative country districts by the
States Relations Service through
county agents and local farm bu-
reauS and other local agencies. Thru
these agencies certain selected dis
trictS will be canYaSse0 and an eS-
innate will then be made for the
entire country.
The nearly 100 items on which
statistics are to be gathered include
grains and seeds, grain food pro.
ducts, dried fruits and nuts, Vege-
table fats, sugar, syrups, starch meat
and meat products, food products
preserved in tin and other contain
ers, dairy and related products, fish,
and feeds
The departments plan4 inHntem-
- quick
survey of the holding of tapproxi-
mately 8 of the more important pro
ducts. following this with monthly
reports on such products and max
ing a more complete survey after
the crops have been gathered. 1t Is
proposed to utilize in so far as pos
sible existing established agencies
within the department in the con-
duct of the survey, but the depart
ment, of course, desires the hearty
cooperation and support of all State
and local agencies.