Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-09-07
Government
Buying From
N. C.. Firms

| Raleigh, Sept. IAN estimated OUT
lay of SAC, 9964O of government funds
was spent in purchasing 2,4O1 car
loads of North Carolina potatoes, APP
pies and cabbage by the Federal Sur
plus Commodity Corporation in two
years ended June 30, it was disclosed
this week by A. E. Langston, state di-
rector.
Receipts of 683 carloads of produce
from other points for distribution to
needy Tar Heel citizens gave those
unable to purchase proper dietary
materials a total of 20,616,25 pounds
slightly more than 10,308 tons-of
food in the two year period, Langston
said.
1T has been estimated by numer-
Gus growers, farm agents, and potato
dealers that participating in the mar
keting of Irish and sweet potatoes
kept the prices to the white potato
growers from going as low as fifty
cents a hundred or lower on the tota!
crop. while it is thought that without
participation the sweet potato prices
would have gone to twenty-five cents
a bushel or lower" the state Surplus
Commodity Corporation head said.
The 1867 period marks the first
time the corporation bought any ap-
preciable amount of North Carolina
farm produce when 1881 cars of Irish
potatoes were removed from the mar
ket.
Seventy cars of sweet potatoes, u
of apples, and 1928 of cabbage were
bought by the corporation in the
1928 fiscal period. Before the FSCC
entered the market, North Carolina
cabbage was being offered at SIS
ton with few takers, while after the
government agency began operations,
good commercial market of So ton
and up developed.
Operating in four districts, the Sur
plus Commodity Corporation serves
North Carolina from eight warehouses
where food is distributed throughout
the counties to the needy on requisi-
ton from county superintendent OF
welfare.
Only direct relief cases of federal
state, or local governments, those get
ting old age or blind assistance, aid
to dependent children funds, needy o.
the WPA or other federal agencies, or
persons employed in seasonal work
and small income groups in private
industry are allowed to receive the
surplus farm products.
Packaging of surplus commodities
received in bulk in North Carolina is
carried on at five points in the state
with over 2,4O8 tons-4,9 100 pounds
of raw products-packed during the
two year period.
Estimated value of the food and
clothing distributed in the state was
placed at S2,79O,46O with an average
number of relief clients serviced ot
,841 for the two years combined.
School lunch rooms received an es-
timated $44.872.92 in commodities in
the period, servicing a two-year aver
age of II 1896 needy pupils who failed
to get the proper dietary requirements
in their food at home.
A total of 2499,9O7 individual gar
ments of wearing apparel made in
WPA sewing rooms were distributed
to relief clients in the state along
with 517747 various household ar
ticles.
"By distributing these farm prod
ucts in secondary marketing areas
where they were formerly little
known, if known at all, and by sup
plying recipes giving dietary and me-
dicinal values as we'll as new ways
of preparation, the FSCC has been
making a strong effort to create new
tastes and demand for those farm pro-
ducts being produced in SURPLUS
Langston commented.
"There is considerable documentary
evidence that those who have been re-
ceiving surplus commodities will soon
be re-employed and have their pur-
chasing power restored, enabling them
to constitute new market for these
surplus crops