War Agricultural Committee

Abstract

THE Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries has appointed a War Agricultural Executive Committee. for each county in England and Wales and has made an Order (The Cultivation of Lands Order, 1939) authorizing these committees to exercise on his behalf certain powers conferred on him by the Defence Regulations for the purpose of increasing home food production in time of war. In a Circular Letter to the committees, the Minister states that they will be given as free a hand as possible to proceed as a matter of urgency with all possible steps to increase the production of foodstuffs in their areas. Their immediate task is to see that additional land is brought under the plough with all speed. The aim is to obtain for next year's harvest an increase of about 1½ million acres in the tillage area in England and Wales compared with the acreage in June last. Each county has been allotted its share of this total, and the committees have been urged to see that every effort is made to complete their allotted tasks—and, if possible, to exceed them. The committees have already been holding informal meetings and have made good progress with their preparatory work.