The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-11-29
Farm bureau week
DEC. 2 to 7 Is SET FOR MEM.
BERSHlP DRIVE
Letter On The Subject From A.
D. Wilson, State Food
Administrator

A. D. Wilson state food admin
istrator, has addressed the follow
ing letter to the people of Mime
sofa:
with victory comes new out
look and new responsibilities. While
we rejoice we must prepare to meet
new needs. A great American prob
lem today is to Immediately provide
for a hungry world by securing
greater food production and .conserva-
ton, and to promote the national well
fare by securing better organization
of our agriculture.
ITO be prepared to cope with such
an engaging problem every loyal and
public spirited citizen of Minnesota
is hereby asked to cooperate with
his County Farm bureau organiza :
ton in determining and supporting an
Agricultural Program for his coun-
ty, that will best meet local and ma
tional needs.
"The membership in farm bureau
organizations in Minnesota at present
representing 10000 families should
be increased Immediately to not less
than 100000 for the coming two
year period. Such a body of united
persons, publicly interested in agri-
culture, will insure constructive ac-
ton on problems as they arise.
"Annnr6inOlU fo,.,
bureau organization is hereby urged
to Immediately organize and conduct
a campaign with view to having a
representative of the farm bureau
visit every person who should be in
terested in agriculture and country
living. The representative should
.expain the achievements of the farm
bureau during 1918 and methods of
work, and give every person visit
ed an opportunity to become a mem
Der.
"The period of December 2 to Z,
1918, is hereby designated and de-
clared to be Farm Bureau Member
ship Week in Minnesota in which it
Il is urged that general enrolment of
members be conducted. a-s al
se,j"Great, as have been the demands of
war upon our agriculture, it is certain
g that the coming of peace will great
1y increased rather than lessen our
food obligations. This is especially
{ true of livestock and livestock prod
ucts. Practically aievery 3 country
which has been engaged in the war,
as well as neighboringt neutral states,
will be clamoring to America for
food. 8 This, will be particularly true
of the Central powers, and we should
! be willing to- exchange food for the
right kind of peace 1T is estimated
2 that in the countries that are short
of food, there are approximately 300,-
100000 people or three times our own
population. iHst hAr 'N 1gle~
] Moreover, there are many mil
lions of acres devastated in France,
: Belgian, Servia, Poland, Armenia, and
other regions where seed supplies farm
machinery and nearly all livestock
are destroyed, America, among few
countries only, has surplus of such
products and equipment. The coming
needs are SO great, that for the farm
er the big task seems ahead rather
than one that has already been &C.
complished.
1.-The federal govern at through
the United States department OF
agriculture, early in the coming year,
will announce program for meet
ing the national agriculture needs for
1919. In this, recommendation will
be made as to what must be pro-
duced to provide for the nation it
self and fulfill it's food obligations to
other countries.
"The objects of the campaign are
such as to justify an appeal for the
aid of the general as well as the
farming public:
Zone. Farmers, their families and
organizations are asked to enlist in
this organized movement to carry
out the government, state and county
agricultural program.
1.-TWO. The women of the state are
asked to give effective service by
systematic and unified effort in food
production such as gardening, poul-
try raising, dairying, and orcharding,
and in safeguarding through economi-
cal use the nations resources, es-
pecially food, textiles, fuel, and the
health of all citizens, as part of the
agricultural program.
Third. Tie attention of city
people is directed to the fact that the
national, state and county agricultur-
al extension service for food pro-
duction and conservation is the ma
chinery for carrying out the agri-
cultural program. The city people
should make inquiry as to what has
been done through this service in
1918, and their active support should
be given the plans for 1919.
ut is important in this campaign
to emphasize the new farm bureau
It should be considered not alone as
an organization to aid the work of
the county agent. Rather it should
be understood as becoming the Of
ficially recognized agency, or insti-
tuition, educational in character, for
CO. cooperating with state and nation
In meeting agricultural needs, and in
planning, administering and directing
all phases of extension work in agri-
culture and home economics in the
county.
Never have results been achieved
in farm bureau effort as this year.
The farmers of the nation are facing
some of the greatest responsibilities
that ever confronted them. 1t is
gratifying that in the face of this
situation the farm bureau movement
has demonstrated it can assist in