BUREAU OF AGRICULTUEAL, ECONOMICS. 133 



OUTLOOK REPORTS INTERPRET THE FACTS. 



In order that the relative significance of all of these factors be 

 properly interpreted, the plan of holding a conference of a group of 

 well-known economists and statisticians to examine the facts and 

 prepare a statement on the agricultural outlook was inaugurated in 

 April under the direction of the Secretary of Agi-iculture. This group 

 considered the entire situation. It then prepared and issued a sum- 

 marj of the data gathered by the bureau and set forth the probable 

 trend of the next few months as indicated by the available data. 

 This conference was designed to interpret the situation for producers 

 and others in brief and specific statements such as those who are 

 untrained in the handling of a large mass of material find it difficult 

 to make. Every resource of the bureau has been drawn upon to 

 make these forecasts as accurate as possible, and to put them in a 

 form that will be of the greatest use to the farming industry in the 

 present period of readjustment. 



Special attention has been directed during the year to a study of 

 factors influencing market demand in domestic markets, not only as 

 expressed in the prices and movement of crops but also in consumers' 

 requirements. Special studies of cities and surrounding communi- 

 ties to discover sources of their supplies and possible extension of 

 local production have been begun at several points. Analysis of the 

 supplies flowing into large consumption centers such as New York 

 and Boston have been made with a view to discovering the normal 

 needs of these communities and factors which cause a variation in 

 consumption. Studies of influence upon consumer, demand of meth- 

 ods of marketing, systems of retail distribution, and publicity have 

 been inaugurated to provide a basis for determining the considera- 

 tion which influence per capita consumption of certain products. 



Results of the several years of farm management surveys have 

 been reviewed to secure facts of value in the present readjustment, 

 and the objective has been shifted somewhat from studies with the 

 historical point of view to the current readjustment point of view 

 to aid in meeting the present and forthcoming changes. 



During the year there has been a steady growth in the work in 

 warehousing, improved farm finance, and in the study of agricul- 

 tural cooperation. All of these are factors entering into the im- 

 provement of the marketing organization of agriculture, upon which 

 we must first assemble a broad knowledge of conditions and ex- 

 perience before venturing forward in new methods. By utilizing 

 improved means of disseminating this information by telegraph 

 and radio, the bureau has quickened its services and broadened the 

 field of distribution. 



RESEARCH COUNCILS ESTABLISHED. 



A forward step to the end of correlating various research projects 

 conducted by State and Federal institutions was begun during the 

 year by establishing the New England Research Council on Market- 

 ing and Food Supply. 



All institutions within the region doing research work on agricul- 

 ture are represented in this organization. The representatives keep 

 in close touch through a secretary and meet at intervals to compare 

 and correlate projects. Experience has shown that this leads to bet- 

 ter division of labor, better results in research work, eflfects econ-. 



