REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 13 



now at work. Of the 600 women now employed as emergency agents 

 under the Food Production Act, 500 are working in counties, princi- 

 pally among farm women, and 100 have been assigned exclusively 

 to urban communities. Over 100 additional assistants in boys' and 

 girls' club work have been placed in the field. 



When the plans are fully developed there will be at least one 

 demonstration agent — possibly two, a man and a woman — in nearly 

 every agricultural county in the Nation, and a woman in each 

 of the large cities of the country to give advice regarding the 

 production, conservation, and utilization of food products. These 

 agents not only are performing the normal and emergency demon- 

 stration and educational work, but they are also assisting other 

 branches of the Government in special directions, such as the Treasury 

 Department in its Liberty Loan campaigns and the Food Adminis- 

 tration in its food-conservation activities. 



LOCAL, ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOPED. 



Conditions growing out of the war gave added impetus to the 

 already well-established policy of extending and promoting local 

 organizations to support, aid, and extend the influence of the county- 

 agent work. The number of such organizations was rapidly in- 

 creased throughout the country. In the 15 Southern States the 

 number of community organizations of farmers formed to aid the 

 county agents increased from 1,654, with a membership of 44,548, 

 to 2,508, with a membership of 78,660. As in the South, so in the 

 North and West, impetus was given to the organization movement 

 already under way, and there has been an emphatic demonstration of 

 the increased usefulness of the county agent when backed by a sup- 

 porting local organization. In the 33 Northern and Western States 

 the number of farm bureaus and similar local organizations was 

 increased to 374, with a membership of 98,654. 



Many thousands of farmers throughout the country were shown 

 how to increase their producing power and place their farms on a 

 business basis, with the result that their farm practice has been 

 better balanced, soil fertility has been maintained, and production 

 has been increased. 



There was a notable development of the work among women along 

 the line of productive activities, such as poultry raising, home butter 

 making, gardening, and canning, and of household convenience, com- 



