The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-03

Confronted with a surplus or food commodities that were prov ing burdensome to the farmer, the Secretary of Agriculture initiated the Food Stamp Plan which allows persons who receive public assist ance to buy $1 in orange stamps sach week for each member of the family. These orange stamps can be used for the purchase of any food product through regular re- tail food stores that is to be eaten at home, with the exception that the purchase of wines, liquor and tobaccos is prohibited.
 With every $l in orange stamps purchased the relief eligible IS given 50 cents in blue stamps which can be used only for the purchase of surplus commodities. These surplus commodities are designated from time to time by the Secretary of Agriculture and are purchased by the food mer- chants through the same channels as are other commodities. Mer- chants redeem the food stamps, both orange and blue, through the local office which maintains both audit and disbursing units for prompt payment of these claims
 Fifth List Issued
 The fifth Surplus Commodity List now in effect consists of but ter, eggs, pork, pork lard. oranges, grapefruits all flour, corn meal, rice, raisins, hominy, grits, fresh apples, fresh pears, dried beans and dried prunes.
 Definitely the plan has become a nation wide success. In Rochester this is attested in that purchases on May IS, 1889, in the sum of Sl2,368 were made by only 1,585 persons, whereas on April IS, 1940 approximately 5000 persons pur- chased $53, 3,4s8 in orange stamps.
 Skepticism, or at last @ show me-attitude, on the part of relief clients has given away to unquali- fled approval by these people today.
 Merchants Are Enthusiastic
 Likewise, the food merchants now benefiting by additional busi- ness through the use of the blue stamps in amounts of $l00000 a month in this city alone are en- thusiastic supporters of the Food Stamp Plan. Public relief agencies endorse the plan which allows re- lief clients to expend approximately 2 i-2 cents per meal as against 5 cents per meal formerly. Taxpayers and other interested parties benefit by the increased business in the community.
 There have been minor difficul. ties but on the whole the plan has met with general approval, Bank CTS thought last fall that they were obliged to do too much work for the food retailers gratis, as about 87 per cent of the food stamp cards were brought Into the banks for redemption through the local audit office and they sought to put into effect c service charge of 1 per cent for handling these food stamp cards.
 But this was ironed out and to- day all is harmonious. The food merchants committee, Chamber of Commerce, wholesalers and other interested parties got busy with the result that today only about 2 per cent of the food stamp cards are passing through the banks, the rest going directly to this office either from the retailers them selves or wholesalers acting as agents.
 Health Seen Improved
 Among the benefits of the Food Stamp Plan are: Aid to agricul- ture and thereby to the whole country; healthier and better citi- zens through more balanced diet among relief clients by this in- creased food allowance; increased prosperity among food merchants as surplus commodities are ham dled through regular business channels instead of being handed out at government depots. This means a more prosperous com munity, as more than $l,000000 in extra business has been given to Rochester merchants through use of the blue food stamps during the first year of the plans operations. The total business transacted dur ing the year in both blue and orange stamps amounts to approximately S3,i50,000.