Smyrna times., 1918-10-30
FARMERS PLEDGE
ON MILL FEEDS
Conservation by Producer Ne
CeSSdry to Save Lives Of
Children Abroad.

Owing to the extension of the
drought area, the shortening of the
corn crop, the larger animal pOpula-
ton in the country, and the Allied
demands upon us for feeding stuffS
for their own animals, because of
their own shortage in production of
feed grain, it is necessary that we
should exert every effort in the
proper conservation of feeding StutfS
during the next twelve months; yet
We must maintain our own animal
production. 1t is necessary that we
should ship larger proportion of
wheat as compared with flour during
the next twelve months than during
the last twelve months to the Allied
countries, because their own shortage
of feeding StuffS is such that if they
are TO keep alive their dairy herds.
they must have a larger supply of
grain wheat.
Already, the milk supply in the Al
lied countries has been limited prac-
tically to the supply of children and
other vitally necessary national uses,
and any failure on our part to sup
ply them with necessary feed StulfS
for their dairy herd means that we
shall cut into the actual safety IF
the children amongst the Allies. On
the other hand, both our own p0pula-
tion and the Allies are dependent upon
our productions of animal products
and we do not in any way wish to
Stitle this production. What we must
secure is the utmost elimination of
waste by the careful feeding of ami
mails and the use of all the roughagc
available.
One of the difficult problems is the
distribution of wheat mill feeds, and
this is made more difficult by the fact
that the Food Administration. in an
endeavor to protect the farmer, is
maintaining an artificially low price
on these feeds. One consequence is
| that il great deal Of mill feeds are
now going unnecessarily into work
animals or beef production. Every
farmer will recognize that the wheat
mill feeds are vitally necessary for
the dairy cattle, To some extent for
the poultry, and for young pigs. Ow-
ing TO the absorption of mill feeds at
local points near the mill, consider
able sections of the dairy industry
are practically without mill feeds and
our dairy production is thereby in
danger. In this view, we are
asking every buyer of wheat mill
feeds, outside of the acute drought
| area, to sign a pledge of honor not
to use the wheat mill feeds for any
purpose except the essential use in
dairy, young pig and poultry prOduc-
| tiOn, and not to purchase or hold at
any one time more than 60 days sup
ply. Unless we can secure this care
| full and specialized use of mill feeds,
our dairy production in the cOngeSted
Eastern areas of the United States is
bound to fall and To jeOpardize the
food supply of our people in that see
tiOn. Otherwise it will be necessary
to release the price restrictions on
mill feeds and allow them to take
their natural course.
With Il view to securing this CO.
| operation from the farmers all over
| the country, in the interests of their
Industry as a whole, the mills and
all dealers in feeds are instructed to
secure from the buyer of wheat mill
feeds the following pledge:
''In order to assist the Food Admin
istratiOn in the distribution of mill
feeds. | hereby undertake on honor
not to use wheat mill feeds for any
other purpose than the feeding of
dairy cattle, poultry, young pigs or
young calves, or the preparation of a
weekly bran mash for work animals
/ will not feed any more wheat mill
feeds than is custOmarily fed to such
animals and l further agree not ia
have at any one time more than a
G0-day supply of wheat feeds on
| hand"
The Food Administration is also
requiring the millers and feed job
| berS to distribute their wheat mill
| feeds in such manner that each state
receives the same proportion Of the
mills or jObber's shipments as it re-
ceived in the same quarter in 1917.