Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-04-20


The federal food stamp plan,
which had its inception last May
I'm Rochester, N. T., IS now, or soon
viii be operating in about IS city
and county areas throughout the
nation. 1t is contemplated that by
July /, 1910, the plan win be In
effect I'm about 100 areas through
out the United States. Nearly 500
cities have applied for the pro-
gram.
During December approximately AGO.
600 persons receiving public assistance
were participating in the program on
a wholly voluntary basis. When the
programs now announced are in OPP
Grafton, nearly 100000 persons will
be participating. BY July /, it Is ex-
pected that between 100000 and a.
100000 persons will be taking part In
the plans dual effort to find wider
market for farm SURPRISES and provide
q more healthful diet for needy per-
sons in our cities. Further, many thou
sands of grocers and other retail food
merchants will be acting as statesmen
for the farmers in promoting the con-
sumption of the surplus food. In com
petition with one another for this
additional volume Of business, these
merchants will tend to feature listed
surplus foods as buys" for Mrs. Az
6Tdge Housewife dS well % 4OA bAAOoS
on relief This should result In q FUR
ther increased demand for farm sur
pluSes and correspondingly strength
ened farm prices.
Although the food stamp plan has
not been in operation enough TO meas
ure the ultimate economic effects ac-
curately or to come to final conclusions,
some current information is available:
An analysis of surplus foods, secured
with blue stamps in several OF the
areas first inaugurated indicates heavy
blue stamp purchases OF butter ana
eggs throughout the program. During
the first seven months of the plans
operation Cup to Dec. is, 1889 ap-
proximately % percent of the blue
stamp purchasing power went Tor
butter and an additional % percent
for eggs. On Dec. is, pork meats were
placed on the list for the first time
and proved popular. An average OF
% percent of the increased purchasing
meat products. Another percent was
used for pork lard. The demand for
butter and eggs decreased somewhat
though each accounted for IT percent
of the surplus buying.
Assuming that this same ratio would
obtain were the food stamp plan OPP
Grating nationally, this would be q
healthy situation from an agrlculJuIdl
viewpoint. Prior to the addition OF
pork meats to the surplus list, with
butter and eggs taking about 25 per-
cent each of the blue stamp purchaS-
ing power. there was indicated a po-
tential new market each year under q
national food stamp plan for over 500
million pounds of butter and over 300
million dozen eggs. That represents
about IL percent more of each of these
products than the country consumed
annually during the previous 1O-year
period. Accordingly, had 1t been pos
sible to establish the stamp plan
throughout the country overnight
prices of butter and eggs would have
SCARED under such an increased de-
mand. A more healthy price situation
would obtain If the new demand Tor
butter and eggs represented an IN
crease of only 4 or S percent Of for
mer domestic consumption. The re-
mainder of the blue stamp purchasing
power would then be available TO help
lift other farm prices. For example, II
the stamp program were operating on
q national basis today, farmers In the
corn belt would be getting a much
better price for their hogs at this time
On the average rs percent Of the sur
plus food purchases has been In fresh
fruits and vegetables In the areas
checked throughout the period.
The foregoing Is interesting evidence
Of the vast potential untapped market
within our own country for surplus
foods. 1t indicates how low-tncome
people, when given the necessary buy