Crittenden record-press., 1918-07-18
ACCURACY IS AIM
IN CROP REPORTS
Department Of Agriculture Gath.
ers Information on Ameri.
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-
partment Of agriculture-rep0rts which
the United States government .spon-
sors and protects from illegal use to
the ultimate degree.
Just now the crop reports are re-
nectlng the efforts of American farm
ers for maximum production. When
small crops are reported the news
serves to prepare the country and en-
able 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 publlca-
tiOn 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 In advance. newspaper and
press association representatives gath
or In the main building Of the depart
ment Of agriculture. Each has near
at hand telephone already connected
with his Office and at the other end Of
the line is q 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 a high official Of
the department. the newspaper men
get to their telephones and in a very
few minutes more the coveted infor-
nation is being read In every large
market In 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
foreigR countries.
Big Organization Works.
The "release" of the crop reports
follows work In which tens of thou
sands aud sometimes hundreds Of thou
sands Of persons all over the country
have participated.
Distributed over the country are AZ
salaried 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
their special crops are grown. In
addition there are approximately 175,'
900 voluntary crop reporters. includ
Ing county aud township reporters and
producers, buyers and handlers OF
grain and live stock.
Tabulatlon OF Crop Information.
The returns from each class of re-
portcrs are tabulated and averaged
separately as check against the
others.
TO prevent a total for any Of the
so.callcd speculative crops, such as
corn. wheat. oats, barley. rye and cot
ton, from becoming known to any per
sou prlbr TO the time fixed In advance
even the tabulators and computcr'
who make up the totals do not know
the states 10 which they pertain. The
dual telcgophic reports and comments
OF the field agents relating TO the spec
ulntlve crops are kept locked In th'
cdice cf the secretary Of agriculture
sntil crop reporting day. when the!