Food Production Policies in Wartime

Abstract

OOD needs are now pressing on the limits of potential production in a manner characteristic of wartime. At the beginning of the present war in Europe many persons felt that this war would be different as far as agriculture was concerned. There would be no pressure on food supplies. Unfortunately, this was the general public attitude toward the food situation up to the early fall of 1942, when we were suddenly confronted with a meat shortage even though meat slaughter for the year was about 30 percent above the relatively high output of the years 1935-39. As long as this attitude prevailed it was difficult to obtain full support for an all out war food program. In considering the food production problem it is well to remember therefore that the need for increased food production has not been generally recognized for more than 8 to 10 months. Now there is fairly general recognition that our food and fiber needs for military, civilian, lend-lease, and war relief are so great that even maximum production from our tremendous agricultural plant will not be adequate to meet these needs. In building a wartime food production program we need, first of all, to consider the pattern of food needs. Second, we should analyze the most economical food sources for meeting each of those needs, and their priorities in event that some needs cannot be met. Third, we should determine what constitutes maximum production in accordance with the needed pattern. And, fourth, we should develop the type of programs that are most likely to ob-