Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-01-10
NATIONS FOOD SURVEY
Food Inventory Soon to Re Launched
and More Than Three-fourths
of Million Schedules to
Be Mailed


survey, provided for by Congress
VIII be started within the next few
days, when the first batch of the
more than three-quarters of a million
questtonnaires to be sent out will
be placed in the mails. The Bureau
OF Markets has been commissioned
by the Secretary of Agriculture to
carry out the big ,stock-taking enter
prise with the cooperation of other
branches of the department. This sur
vey Will touch every dealer in food
and food materials, every food manu-
facturer, and every holder of sub
stantial quantities of foods in the
country except the family, requiring
them to report stocks which they
have on han dDecember 81, 1917. A
separate schedule will be sent to a
representative number of specially
selected homes throughout the coun-
try, and upon returns from these an
estimate will be made for all homes
The approaching survey follows a
preliminary inventory for limited
number of food items made August
l last, results of which have been
already tabulated.
The aim of the major survey to be
begun shortly is to give the govern
ment, producers. dealers and con-
sumers exact information of the
quantities OF the various important
food materials on hand. 1t is only
-
food stocks as a basis, as was pointed
out when Congress provided for the
survey, that safe plan can be made
for conserving, and distributing the
foods already on hand and for pro-
ducing the foods needed next season.
Questionnaires to Be Used
The survey will be made by means
OF schedules or questionnaires con-
tanning questions and blanks for ans
wers In regard to SO items. covering
more than a hundred different foods
These items are divided into 10 gen.
eral groups: Grains and seeds. grain
food products. meat and meat pro-
ducts. fish, animal and vegetable fats,
dairy and related products, canned
goods. fresh fruits and vegetables.
fruits, nuts and peanuts, and sugar.
starches, etc. Answers are to show
the quantities OF each item on hand
and an estimate OF quantities. II any.
in transit outward by freight or ex-
press, on December g.. 1917. and
the quantities that were on hand De-
cember 81. 1916. The returns also
will show the nature, organization.
and size of the business of each deal
er. They must be signed by the own
er or an authorized official
Schedules will be sent to all deal
ers in food materials. all manufacture
ers OF food products, and all holders
OF such commodities I'm lots substan-
TALLY greater than family supplies
Reports, therefore, will be expected
from wholesale and retail grocers
bakers. confectioners. and all other
dealers in commodities containing
food materials from warehousemer
and cold-storage concerns; from com
missariee OF institutions and CONNER
cial and industrial establishments
from exporters; from manufacturer
operations and from representative,
of foreign governments who buy sup
plies In this country. The govern
ment desires reports even from con
Germs using foodstouffs as ingredient
In products not ordinarily considered
Of ta
and similar beverages. and from
chewing-gum manufacturers. for ex
ample, because OF the sugar employ
cd.
Penalties for Failure to Report
Altogether. more than three-quar
terE OF a million schedules will be dis
tributed. Mailing lists have been pre-
pared to cover the field as fully a
possible. but some individuals an
concerns who should make r;oort G
food materials held by them ur
doubtedly have been upavoidabl
missed.
The Bureau OF Markets, therefor,
is asking each such individual an
concern that does not receive a scheC
ule by January to write to the b,
reau OF Markets. United States d.
partment of Agriculture. Washington
D. c., or to any OF the many agencit
OF the bureau throughout the coul
try, for a copy. The local addresst
OF these agencies are givep with eao
OF the three-quarters of millic
schedules which are being distribu
ed, and may conveniently be obtail
by inquiry of any business assoc
ate who has received one OF the sche
ules.
The act OF Congress providing Il
the war emergency food survey Axe
a fine not exceeding $1,000 or ir
prisonment not exceeding one yea