Amt. 17 J937 .A5 соруб FOOD PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The committee this day met, Hon. A. F. Lever (chairman) presiding. Gentlemen, The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. he committee has met this morning to begin consideration of House joint resolution No. 75, to provide further for the national security and defense by stimulating agriculture and facilitating the distribution of agricultural products. It is very desirable, in view of the situation, that consideration of this resolution be hastened as much as is possible with safety. I hope, therefore, that the gentlemen will all be present, so that we do not have to cover the ground the second time. I have asked Secretary Houston to appear before the committee this morning to present the views of the Department of Agriculture. I wish the gentlemen of the committee, especially the new members, to feel no hesitancy in asking questions. This is a committe of Members and not of just one or two men. STATEMENT OF HON. DAVID F. HOUSTON, SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. Secretary HOUSTON. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, the subject is a very vast one, a very complex one, and I scarcely know at which end to begin. There is no doubt that it is very urgent that we take steps to increase the food supply of the Nation, to increase the production, especially, of the staple crops, to conserve and more fully utilize foods, to improve distribution, and to control it whenever it may be necessary. We have recognized for sometime that the world's reserves of food, including our own, are low. Agriculturally Europe is in a very difficult situation. The war has meant a vast disturbance of agriculture and I have the conviction that, even if peace were to come, we would be called upon to continue, in large measure, to supply the demands of Europe for foodstuffs. Immediately after the Congress declared that a state of war existed, I called a conference of the representatives of the State departments of agriculture and of the land-grant colleges-the official agricultural representatives of the States-all those east of the Rocky Mountains. The conference was called in St. Louis, April 9 and 10, to consider what steps we could most effectively take to stimulate production, to promote conservation, and to improve distribution. There was an exceedingly large and fine representation of 3 these agencies. We held a two days' session and came to certain conclusions which were embodied in a report and printed. Doubtless a copy has reached each of you. The members of the body were practically unanimous on every item. Mr. HAUGEN. I would suggest, Mr. Chairman, that that report be printed in this hearing. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection it will be printed at this point. (The report is here printed, marked "Exhibit A.”) EXHIBIT A. [Report of conferences on agricultural situation, held at St. Louis, Mo., Apr. 9-10, and Berkeley, Cal., Apr. 13, 1917.] PROGRAM FOR FOOD PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION-CONFERENCE OF AGRICULTURAL REPRESENTATIVES OF 32 STATES WITH THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE PREPARES PROGRAM TO INCREASE PRODUCTION, PROMOTE FOOD SAVING, PROVIDE LABOR FOR AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES, AND SECURE BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD PRODUCTS. The Secretary of Agriculture requested the State agricultural officials and representatives of the agricultural colleges in all the States from New York to the Rocky Mountains to meet him in St. Louis to discuss the agricultural situation in the present national crisis. The conference convened at the Jefferson Hotel at 10 o'clock Monday, April 9, and continued through Tuesday. Thirty-two States were represented by 65 officials, and the department by the Secretary of Agriculture and the chiefs of the Bureau of Plant Industry and the Office of Markets and Rural Organization. After a thorough discussion of the major problems involved, the conference decided to deal with the whole subject matter in four major divisions: 1. Production and labor. 2. Distribution and prices. 4. Effective organization. A representative committee of 15 was appointed by the conference to formulate its views on these subjects and to submit suggestions for courses of action. Subcommittees were appointed by this committee to deal with each of the enumerated matters. The subcommittees reported to the full committee, which in turn reported to the conference. After consideration of the report of the committee of 15, the conference decided to express its views and to urge the courses of action, as indicated below: THE FARMER'S RESPONSIBILITY. Upon the farmer rests in large measure the final responsibility of winning the war in which we are now involved. The importance to the Nation of an adequate food supply, especially for the present year, can not be over emphasized. The world's food reserve is very low. Not only our own consumers, but much of the world at large must rely more completely than ever before upon the American farmer. Therefore, the man who tills the soil and supports the soldier in the field, and the family at home, is rendering as noble and patriotic a service as is the man who bears the brunt of the battle. The American farmer has long shown his ability to produce more food per man and at lower cost per unit than any other farmer in the world, but he has never had to do his best. He needs to do his best now. This is not the time in which to experiment with new and untried crops and processes. It is very important that the farmer devote his principal efforts to the production of such crops and the employment of such methods as are well established in his community and as are likely to yield the maximum return in food and clothing material. Within the next 60 days the final measure of crop acreage and food production for this year will have been established. We urge the importance of the immediate mobilization of all available service of the Federal and State Departments of Agriculture and the colleges of agriculture in cooperation with the press, the banks, the com 1 The personnel of the several committees of different States and institutions represented at the conference and the names of those in attendance will be found at the close of this statement. mercial organizations, the religious and the social societies, that all may heartily join with the farmer in performing the patriotic duty of providing and conserving food. Because of the world shortage of food, it is scarcely possible that the production of staple crops by the farmers of the United States can be too great this year. There is every reason to believe that a generous price will be paid for the harvest of their fields. INCREASING THE FOOD SUPPLY. There is yet time to add substantially to the bread supply by increasing the acreage of spring wheat in the Northern States. Throughout the United States, east of the one hundredth meridian. the corn area may be increased to advantage, with a view to its uses both for human food and animal production. The production of a normal cotton crop is necessary. This can best be accomplished by more intensive cultivation and increased fertilization rather than by increasing the acreage and thus neglecting the food and forage crops so important to the South. In the districts where wheat has been winter killed replanting is suggested with oats corn, or sorghum, as climatic conditions may determine. Where barley and oats are proved and reliable crops, they should be planted to the maximum that can be effectively handled. In portions of the Northern and Eastern States, where the season is too short for the great staple crops, the buckwheat acreage may well be increased. An important increase in our food supply may be made by enlarging the area planted to navy beans in the North and West and to Mexican and Tepary beans in the Southwest, and by stimulating in every reasonable way an increase in the area of potatoes planted, especially for local use. Sweet potatoes in the South will undoubtedly be needed in their fresh state in larger quantity than usual and also for storing for winter use either in their natural state or as canned or desiccated products. Where peanuts succeed, production may well be enlarged because of their value both as food and forage. A reasonable seed reserve for replanting tilled crops should be held wherever practicable. While it is important to utilize available lands in the staple small grains and tilled crops, care should be taken to avoid undue encroachment on the area used for pasturage or hay which is required for live-stock production. Authority should be granted the Secretary of Agriculture to advance to farmers under proper safeguard seeds required to insure the production of crops decided to be necessary for the welfare of the Nation. THE SCHOOL CHILDREN'S PART. We appeal to the youth of the Nation to put forth every effort to produce foodstuffs `n gardens and fields. There could be no better expression of true patriotic devotion to the country. It has been demonstrated through the boys' and girls' clubs that it is possible for the farm family to supply itself with much of the food required, thereby releasing the commercial product of the country for the needs of the people in the cities and in foreign lands. In a normal season it is certain that there will be large quantities of perishable products which can not be properly preserved in the home. To meet this emergency it is recommended that local and municipal drying and canning establishments be improvised to conserve this material. KEEPING UP THE MEAT SUPPLY. The live-stock holdings of the farmers of the United States are already too low. It would be most unfortunate if these numbers be diminished further under the pressure of the present demand for food. Indeed, an early increase of the animal products of the country should be made. Such an increase must come chiefly through the enlarging of our feed supply by more successful methods of feeding, and through more complete control of contagious diseases. Milk production could be increased fully one-fourth by more liberal and intelligent feeding. Pork production could be increased substantially through the more extensive use of fall litters, better care, and feeding. The poultry products of the United States could be doubled within a year. Contagious diseases of farm animals take a toll of more than a quarter of a billion dollars annually. More than half of this loss is due to controllable diseases, such as hog cholera, black-leg and Texas fever. The Federal Government, cooperating with the States, could profitably expand its intensive regulatory services so as to embrace every important live-stock district in this country. |