REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 9 



the Federal Department of Agriculture and its cooperating forces, 

 so that they might attack aggressively the larger problems of pro- 

 duction, conservation of farm and ranch products, home economics, 

 and farm marketing. The other was to vest in the President regu- 

 latory powers, in considerable part of a commercial nature, to be 

 exercised through an emergency agency rather than through any 

 existing department, to deal with special and urgent National and 

 international food problems growing out of the war. After an ex- 

 tended debate the two bills — the Food Production and the Food Con- 

 trol — were passed by Congress and approved by the President on 

 August 10. Immediately upon the approval of the Food Control Act, 

 Mr. Hoover was formally appointed Food Administrator to execute 

 the provisions of the Act as far as they relate to food and feedstuffs. 



THE FOOD PRODUCTION ACT. 



The Food Production Act — " an act to provide further for the na- 

 tional security and defense by stimulating agriculture and facilitat- 

 ing the distribution of agricultural products" — is administered by 

 the Department of Agriculture, and carries an appropriation of 

 $11,346,400 for the following purposes: 



1. The prevention, control, and eradication of the diseases and 

 pests of live stock ; the enlargement of live-stock production ; and the 

 conservation and utilization of meat, poultry, dairy, and other animal 

 products, $885,000. 



2. Procuring, storing, and furi^ishing seeds for cash at cost to 

 farmers in restricted areas where emergency conditions prevail, 

 $2,500,000. 



3. The prevention, control, and eradication of insects and plant 

 diseases injurious to agriculture, and the conservation and utiliza- 

 tion of plant products, $441,000, 



4. The further development of the Extension Service which is con- 

 ducted in cooperation with the agricultural colleges in the various 

 States, $4,348,400. 



5. Surveys of the food supply of the United States, gathering and 

 disseminating information concerning farm products, extending and 

 enlarging the market news services, preventing waste of food in 

 storage, in transit, or held for sale, giving advice concerning the 

 market movement or distribution of perishable products, and investi- 

 gating and certifying to shippers the condition as to soundness of 



