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Milk production . Milk production on farms in the United States in 19i^5 was 

 about 1 percent less than the 19^2 production. The increase of nearly 2 percent in 

 the number of milk cows on farms was more than offset by a decrease in the production 

 per cow. 



Farmers asked to reduce beef cattle numbers . Mr. Marvin Jones, War Food 

 Administrator, has asked farmery to reduce cattle supplies on feed by three million 

 head this year. This suggestion is made as a means of conserving feed and bringing 

 livestock numbers more nearly in line with our feed supplies. Animal husbandry spe- 

 cialists at the college suggest the maximum use of roughage and feeding to a "good" 

 rather than a "choice" or "prime" condition. That will provide more economical gains 

 and conserve feed at a time when feed costs are high relative to prices for fat cattle. 

 The cattle population is still high and prices of lower grades will fluct^oate with the 

 condition of pastures and feed crops during the summer months. 



Wheat for feed . The Commodity Credit Corporation is continuing to make 

 wheat available for feed. East coast distillers of industrial alcohol have been in- 

 structed by the War Production Board to reconvert production immediately to the use 

 of molasses rather than grain as a raw material. This is made possible by the com- . 

 pletion of negotiations for purchase of Cuban molasses. 



Food supply and victory gardens . Reports reaching us suggest that the in- 

 terest in victory gardens is not as pronounced as a year ago. This impression is the 

 result of smaller attendance at victory garden leader training schools and smaller 

 sales of garden seeds than at this time last year. It is entirely possible, of course, 

 that the interest will Increase as the planting time approaches, but it would be a 

 national catastrophe if certain current developments were to leave the impression that 

 victory gardens were no longer needed and that we should have plenty of food without 

 them. The facts of the matter are that we shall have very small supplies of commer- 

 cially canned fruits and vegetables available for civiliSLn consumption if the armed 

 forces use the quantities they have ordered canners to set aside for them. 



We do have large supplies of potatoes and eggs at the present time, but we 

 have no assurance that we shall have favorable" growing conditions and large supplies 

 of potatoes and other vegetables in 19^^. At the moment we are Interested in using 

 our record supply of potatoes. Stocks in hands of farmers on January 1 totaled more 

 than 158 million bushels. This is 57 million bushels more than on January 1, 19^3 > 

 and 3? percent higher than the ten-year average (1933-^2). At the present time we 

 are also having a plentiful supply of southern- grown new cabbage. 



From time to time the government will release unused stocks of various food- 

 stuff s, and that will give the impression that we have a bountiful supply. However, as 

 a safety measure, it is necessary to set aside more than will likely be used. To 

 prevent loss, the unused quantity must be put on the civilian market at about the time 

 the new crop becomes available. These minor fluctuations in supplies should not blind 

 us to the fact that food will be one of our most critical war materials in 19^^. Large 

 quantities will be required to feed liberated populations in Europe. 



Cold storaf;e holdinjqs . Compared to a year ago cold storage holdings of 

 butter, cheese, eggs, poultry, beef, total meats, and lard show substantial increases. 

 There is about a 9 percent increase in pork. The quantity of apples in cold storage 

 is less than two-thirds of the February 1, 19^5; supply. Frozen fruits, however, were 

 substantially higher and frozen vegetable stocks were up Qh percent. 



