Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-07-12
Department of Agriculture Gath
ers Information on Ameri-
h. can Food Production.
STRICT SECRECY MAINTAINED
Forecasts Reflect Efforts OF Farmers
for Maximum Yields and Have I'm
mediate and Marked Effect
on Various Markets.

Dependence Of large part of the
world upon American farm production
has focused public attention upon the
crop reports of the United States de-
psrtment Of agriculture-repOrts which
the United States government spon-
soxB and protects from Illegal use to
the ultimate degree.
Just now the crop reports are re-
aecttng the efforts of American farm
ers for maximum production. When
small crops are reported the news
serves to prepare the country and en-
nsIe necessary adjustments.
Strict Secrecy Rules.
The crop reports, too. have an i'm
mediate and marked effect upon the
markets Their great Importance In
this field has made necessary thorough
safeguards against premature publica-
ton and unauthorized use. Every
avenue through which information
might be filtered from the locked
rooms where the reports are finally
prepared Is closed and remains closed
until. the second, when, as shown In
the picture. the signal for release is
given.
On ''crOp reporting day" at an hour
set months ia advance. newspaper and
press association representatives gath
er in the main building OF the depart
meat Of agriculture. Each has near
at hand telephone already connected
with his Office and at the other end Of
the line Is man equipped with a
blank crop reporting form. Shortly
before the moment set copies Of the
completed crop reports are placed on
. table. face down, and each news
paper man gets his hand on one. At
the. signal. given by q high official of
the department. the newspaper men
get to their telephones and in very
few minutes more the coveted infOr-
uaation La being read In every large
market la the United States and the
next day. at the latest. 1t is available
In every community of the United
States and In the larger markets Of
foreign countries.
Big Organization, Works.
Tho release" Of the crop reports
foslows work in which tens Of thou
seada aad sometimes hundreds Of thou
!. sssSds 1t persons all over the country
have participated. sas s s Il
Distributed over the country are AZ
saisried field agents. one In each state
or group of small states. The bureau
also employs ten crop specialists. one
each for cotton. rice and tobacco, who
travel through the regions In which
the4r special crops are grown. In
addition there are approximately 175,.
0(s0 voluntary crop reporters. includ-
Tag county and township reporters and
producers, buyers and handlers d
grain and live stock. ~ msv 38aa
Tabulation Of Crop information.
The returns from each class Of re-
pDrters. are tabulated and averaged
u separately as check against the
Others.
/, TO prevent total for any Of the
- Gated speculative crops, such as
!corn. wheat, oats, barley, rye and cot
Itoo, from becoming known to any per
son prior to the time fixed In advance
leven the tabulGtors and computers
lwho make up the totals do not know
he states to which they pertain. Thu
anal Geographic reports and comments
Of the field agents relating to the spec
uSettve crops are kept locked In ths
of13ce of the secretary If agriculture
nntiI crop reporting day. when fhe,