Evening star., 1942-09-27
Food Distribution
To Continue Despite
Warning Of Shortage
$l25. .000, 900 Available
For Stamps, School
Lunches, This Yeor
BY OLIVER MCKEE.

BY OLIVER MCKEE.
Although Secretary Wickard ir
appearing before the House Agri.
culture Committee last week
warned that the United States face.
a possible food shortage because Of
the exodus of workers from the
farms, Federal officials are not al
present planning to halt the Gov
ernment's food distribution program
it was disclosed yesterday.
For the current fiscal year, ap-
proximately s125, 100000 has beer
made available to the Agricultural
Marketing Administration for its
food stamp. school lunch school
milk and direct food distribution
programs. This is about 10000, ,OOC
less than was earmarked for the
purpose during the fiscal year 1941-
1912. Activities of the ANA are
financed ALLEGATION of certain per-
centage of customs receipts supple
mented by direct congressional ap-
preparations.
Participation Declining.
Although it will not be extended
to new areas, the food stamp pro-
gram, started four years ago, will
be continued in the communities
where it is now in operation. Be-
cause of improved economic condi-
tions, participation in the food
stamp program has been declining
in recent months, and further de-
clines are expected. Direct distri-
button of foodstuffs to the needy
will be continued, as will the school
lunch and milk programs.
Government distribution of food
was instituted as a means of OBJ
tanning an outlet for agricultural
surpluses, thus assisting the farmer.
and at the same time benef1ting
needy citizens. Since our entrance
into the war, Federal officials de-
scribe it as program to dispose of
foods of which there are "abun-
dances rather than "surpluses. !"
Foods of which there is a present
or prospective shortage are not dis
IrlputeQ, Lney point out.
Under the food stamp program,
persons certified as eligible by To-
cal welfare agencies purchase or
ange-colored stamps, good in ex-
change for foodstuffs and receive
free specified number of blue
stamps, exchangeable for certain
ABUNDANT foods designated by the
Secretary of Agriculture. Pur-
chases of orange stamps insure a
continuation of normal food ex-
penditures, so that food obtained
with the free blue stamps repre-
sents a net addition of about so
per cent to food consumption of the
recipient.
100000 Get Stamps in August.
In August, the latest month for
which figures are available. 2,400,-
600 persons participated in the food
stamp program, receiving S7,700,000
in blue stamps. Participants in the
program lived in Al States. In 13
of these the program is carried out
on a Statewide basis. In the 9TH
ers, it is limited to certain counties
and city areas-about 400 in all.
Purchases are made by the Gov
ernment in carload lots at farms
and wholesale centers. The. COM
modities are then shipped to points
designated by State welfare agen-
cies where they are redistributed to
families certified as eligible by well
fare agencies.
In July, 1941, direct food distribu-
ton reached $500, 900 persons, about
twice the number currently receiv-
ing assistance. More than so per
cent of the participants in July,
1912, were in the South, and only
IL per cent in the West.
Staples Given Needy Families.
Among the foods given to needy
families in recent months are evap-
GRATED milk, cereals and flour, or
anges, dry beans. sweet potatoes and
onions. Last year, some meat was
distributed.
The school lunch program this
fall is expected to cover 100000
children, about the same number
as during the school year which end
ed in June. About $4,000 individual
schools participated last year. The
schools are certified locally on the
basis of eligible children.
At the end of the last school term
the school milk program was op-
Grating in about 100 areas, mostly
larger cities, with more than 100000
participants. According to ANA
officials, further expansion of the
school milk program will be linn
tied to rural and urban areas not
exceeding 10000 population.
Local Programs Sponsored.
Each local program must be spon-
sored by a civic or other local
agency, the sponsor signing an
agreement with the ANA to pur-
chase and distribute the milk to
the children The ANA, for its part
agrees to reimburse the sponsor in
an amount equal to the farmers
price for class Impressed milk
The blue stamp food program fol
october will include the following
1t was disclosed yesterday: Apples
and all fresh vegetables, including
Irish and sweet potatoes, eggs, corr
meal, hominy grits, dry edible beans
wheat flour, enriched wheat flour
self-rising flour, enriched self rising
-four and whole wheat flour.
If food shortages become more
serious and widespread, the Govern.
ment food distribution program
might be drastically curtailed, al
ANA official said yesterday.