REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF MARKETS. 



United Statks Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Markets, 



^yasMngton, D. C, October 9, 1920. 



Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the work 

 of the Bureau of Markets for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920. 

 Respectfully, 



George Livingston, 



Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. E. T. Meredith, 



Secrefa?^ of Agriculture. 



Deep interest in current questions involved in the marketing of 

 our agricultural products is manifested in all sections of the country ; 

 tlie discussion of marketing problems occupies a great deal of time at 

 public gatherings of farmers and other persons concerned, and a 

 great deal of space in the press, especially in rural and trade papers, 

 is devoted to presenting various aspects of the subject. Many people 

 who appreciate the relation between adequate agricultural produc- 

 tion and satisfactory marketing conditions are deeply concerned over 

 the situation which will confront the farmer during the next few 

 3'ears of the reconstruction period and many feel an actual fear for 

 our national i3rosperity should production be curtailed. Therefore, 

 it is probable that the consideration of marketing problems will con- 

 tinue to occupy the foremost place in the thoughts of both producers 

 and consumers. There is a deep-seated dissatisfaction in many quar- 

 ters on account of the apparently faulty functioning of our market- 

 ing machine, and a great deal of criticism arises because many people 

 seem to feel that nothing effective is being done to combat the high 

 cost of living, discriminations, unfair practices, unjust profits, unnec- 

 essary middlemen, unfair prices, manipulation, sj)e('iihition, hoarding, 

 improper grading, inadequate facilities for transportation and stor- 

 age, and other evils of the day. Many persons believe that these 

 evils can be coi-rected only by the substitution of a complete new 

 system for the old order of things and others wish to cure all market- 

 ing difliculties bv legislation. It is believed, however, that the 

 majority of careful investigators, while recognizing and deploring 

 existing imperfections, fully realize the impossibility of successfully 

 substituting immediately any new scheme for the present compli- 

 cated system, which is the slow growth of centuries. One of the 

 important fundaniontal iiroblems confronting marketing agencies 

 is the education of the public to a point where it will generally realize 



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