Evening star., 1920-06-27

sistance. The bureau of markets
through the foreign marketing service
is furnishing information on foreign
supplies. assisting in establishing
standard grades, not only to improve
the quality of American products, but
TO facilitate trading. and is making
Investigations of shipping and stor-
age problems to aid in placing the
products on foreign markets in the
best possible condition.
~
A representative is stationed in
London, devoting his time to putting
American producers in
Strategic touch with British pur-
chasers and consumers. It
oAn'S' has been planned to place
six such representatives at strategic
points over the world. Trade COM
missioners are sent to foreign coun-
tries when the opportunity to open
up a new market appears promising.
Two live stock commissioners were
sent to South America last year and
two others will start this month to
spend the greater part of this summer
in the same field. Several shipments
of pure-bred live stock to Brazil and
Uruguay have already resulted, and
prospects are good for a broad field
for future trade.
Plans are now under way for sending
two grain men to Europe to demon
strate the grades on which trading in
grain is now done in this country. 1t
is proposed also. when the apple
shipping season begins, to put men on
the ships carrying them to foreign
markets to find out the causes of
losses in apples shipped overseas and
to devise means for reducing such
losses.
Summaries of foreign trade infor-
nation are published weekly by the
fe d eral department,
Foreign Trade which invites farm
ers and producers
AoS' associations to make
as free use of this material as pos
sible, and to call for any other infor-
nation that the specialists of the de-
partments can supply.
Every farmer must have foreign
products-such as coffee, tea, sugar
cloth and manufactured articles. To
secure these foreign products, we
must have something to give in eX
change for them 1t is matter both
of personal and of national impor-
tance. therefore, that the American
farmer have something to sell abroad
The falling off in the export demand
for American condensed milk that had
been built up during the war has re-
suited in the closing of many con-
densaries during the past three
months. 1t is necessary to convert
into butter and cheese the milk that
has been going to Europe in con-
densed form-and milk for butter and
cheese are worth only about two
thirds as much as Europe paid for the
condensed milk.
4
But there should be another outlet
for condensed milk. The tropical
regions h at
Condensed Milk have been taking
for the Tropics. + from oreA' this his ''sn and
other countries need condensed milk.
and this market might have been de-
veloped more speedily if our people
generally had known more about it
The losses that dairy farmers are
sustaining because of the surplus of
fluid milk is typical, Secretary Mere
dith warns, of what is likely to hap
pen when any foreign outlet is closed.
1t is essential to the prosperity of
farmers, he says, that a fairly steady
stream of farm products is kept fow-
ing to foreign markets.
The outstanding articles will prob
ably continue to be cotton, Tobacco,
grain and apples. 1t is, therefore, of
prime Importance that producers of
these products be kept informed on
foreign market conditions.
WILL P. KENNEDY.