Evening star., 1947-09-25
THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMS.
September u, l947.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMS.
September %, 1947.
Dear Mr.. President:
Because of adverse crop develop
ments particularly in recent weeks.
both in North America and in
other areas of the Northern Hemis-
phere, 1t is now apparent that the
world food shortage is even worse
than it was year ago. There is a
serious gap between minimum needs
OF food deficit countries and total
supplies available for shipment
from surplus producing areas.
Your Cabinet Committee on World
Food Programs is submitting here
with general appraisal OF the food
situation.
Respectfully yours,
CABINET, COM ON
r. WORLD FOOD PROGRAMS,
CLINTON P. ANDERSON,
Secretary of Agriculture
tChairmanl.
G. c. MARSHALL,
Secretary of State.
w. A. HARTMAN,
Secretary of Commerce.
REPORT ON TINE FOOD
SITUATION.
It is now generally known that the
world food shortage is even worse
than 1t was year ago. Storms and
floods last winter, followed by
droughts this summer, have taken a
heavy toll of crops in many i'm
portant food importing countries.
Grain harvests in France, Italy and
other European countries are SUBJ
stantially below last year Produc-
tion prospects for potatoes, sugar
beets, pulses and fodder crops have
been lowered in Central and West
err1 Europe. Much of this deteriora-
tion In world food production has
taken place in the last 80 to so days.
AS result of these conditions, the
gap between available exports and
minimum needs of the importing
countries is estimated at about Is per
cent-or $500 900 tons-in terms of
grain alone. 1t was hoped earlier
that increased local production of
other foods might serve to reduce
this gap, but the recent declines in
crop prospects in these deficit areas
make 1t clear that this hope is now
lost.
This situation in the deficit areas
points up the direct obligation that
rests upon the United States, along
with all other exporting countries,
to do everything possible to make up
the inevitable shortages. There is
no need to review here the place
Of adequate food supplies as a
foundation stone in building a stable
structure Of economic and political
rehabilitation. We must send every
pound of food that it is practical to
ship to these countries of greatest
need. There can be no disagree
ment on this basic purpose.
Corn Crop Prospects Down.
Our plans to carry out this pur-
pose have been complicated by crop
Developments in North America dur
ing recent weeks Deterioration in
United States corn crop prospects
has reduced the estimated supply of
corn for the year ahead to a total
about 100000. 900 bushels below last
year. The total supply of the four
principal feed grains will be down
about billion bushels. This makes
it appear certain that continuation
of heavy demand and high prices
for livestock products would pro-
vide the incentive for farmers to
feed much more wheat, cutting
heavily into the record 1947 crop
A further complication is the fact
that Canada's wheat prospects have
recently been estimated at about
Is Per cent below last year.
These facts call for careful ap-
praisal. The need to ship large sup
plies abroad is unquestionably great.
Also important is the need to pro-
tect our own economy and price
structure. In this situation. it Is
imperative that a balance be struck
which will call for shipment of the
last food calorie which can be pro-
vided without undermining the Ma
tion's strength and effectiveness.
1t is obvious that .Such-a balance
cannot be an infiex4ble determina-
tion. 1t will be affected by changing
conditions. The measure of the
United States contribution in the
worldwide effort to keep rations
from dropping below the danger
point will also be relative. In ap-
praising export possibilities for
1918, it will be helpful to compare
them with our shipments last year.
Record Food Shipments.
From July /, 1916, through June
80, 1s47, the. United States exported
nearly 1s,50o 900 long tons of food
stuffs-the largest total ever shipped
from one country In q single year.
N