Connecticut western news., 1917-08-30
FOOD SURVEY AT ONCE
Department Immediately to Gather Statistics on Nations Food Supply

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 needed action on knowledge of what the national lander contains, and how it measures up to the needs of the millions of breakfast, dinner and sup per tables of the Nation, the United States Department of Agriculture will begin immediately to make quick survey of available foods and feeds throughout the country. This will cover supplies on the farm, in factories and 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 Chem l istry, and States Relations Service Of the department, with funds appropri- ated for the purpose in the recently enacted food production bill.
 The survey is to be made as of the date August 31, and it is expected that [ important products can be supplied within three or four weeks after the food survey is begun.
 In carrying ont the nationwide food survey, both actual inventories and estimates will be employed. Estimates of the food and feed products on farms will be made for the whole country by the Bureau of Crop Estimates through 35. 900 picked cooperators in the flele-
 Information regarding stocks in wholesale, jobbing, storing, manufao- l turing, and other commercial establish ments, including large retail houses, 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 by the Burean 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 informs 1 tion gained from detailed survey of stocks in number of representatiy districts. Stocks in the hands of all the consumers of the country will he esti- mated similarly from capvasses of a large numter of representative faEaf- lies, both in the country and fn tho cities. The study of families will be concerned even more with the current ! iconsumption per monta than with the t-uctual stock of food supplies on, hand Small retail stocks will be reported for representative cities by the Bureau of Chemistry through its food and drug 1 inspectors and State aud local health | officials and inspectors, and for repre- sentative country districts by the States Relations Service through ' county agents and local farm bureaus and other local agencies. Through these agencies certain selected districts will be canvassed and an estimate will then be made for the entire country.
 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 departments plans contemplate making immediately quick survey of the holidays of approximately IS of the more important products, following this with monthly reports on such pro ducts affd making a more complete survey after the crops have been gathered. It 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.