P.D. 123 27 



Weekly issuance of the Boston Retail Price Report (started in 1920) and 

 collection of similar data in Springfield for file reference has been continued. 

 Retail reports, crops and wholesale market data are basis for much of the 

 consumer market advice prepared and distributed by the Division. Highlights 

 of the brief market news paragraph heading the retail i-eport are expanded 

 for more popular presentation as "Fresh Food Facts". A mailing list (re- 

 quest only) of about 500 sends these reports to homes, schools, hospitals, food 

 dispensing establishments and to newspaper household editors and radio sta- 

 tions. Recipients extend the publicity by posting the releases on bulletin 

 boards, reprinting, re-editing for news articles, and broadcasting on regular 

 household programs. During the year, several thousand copies of the egg law 

 resumes prepared for consumers were distributed. Demand exceeds the 

 supply of the marketing calendar which graphically pictures the seasons 

 when different fruits and vegetables are in liberal supply and moderately 

 priced. For the guide chart on the actual selection of fruits and vegetables 

 demand comes chiefly from younger, inexperienced buyers. 



In addition to the broadcasting of consumer market information by outside 

 agencies as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, news of the retail markets 

 was prepared for the regular Saturday noon broadcasts of the New England 

 Radio News Service, and numerous special broadcasts featuring native prod- 

 ucts were presented. In discussion of food buying with clubs, classes and 

 other groups, attention was also directed to the Massachusetts agricultural 

 industry and its close relationship to other industries of the State. 



Producers and distributors join in the sales efforts. The store egg window 

 contest in Worcester resulted in many excellent displays. Egg and apple 

 mechanical exhibits shared by the Department and the Extension Service 

 have been loaned. These exhibits were designed to promote interest in the 

 locally grown products by showing uses and dietary values. The fruit and 

 vegetable models showing what to consider when buying have been sent about 

 the state for demonstrations. At the Eastern State Exposition and the 

 Boston Food Show a turntable exhibit showed the kinds of native grown 

 products as they become available in market from month to month. 



Besides three general ways of disseminating market information, other 

 means are used to promote more orderly marketing and to increase consump- 

 tion of native products, — the 302,000 turkeys and the $17,000,000 worth of 

 poultry products and the large squash crop, etc. Thousands of egg, cranberry, 

 apple and squash recipes were distributed, arrangements were made for 

 showing such movies as "Give the Fresh Egg a Break", stories were written 

 for courtesy space in trade magazines, and the state egg meal menu contest 

 \yas conducted in conjunction with the World's Poultry Congress. 



The Director of the Division attended the annual meeting of Marketing- 

 Officials in Florida, November 13-18, 1939 and discussed with representatives 

 from many of the different states problems relating to the marketing of agri- 

 cultural products. Each agricultural section in this country has its special 

 problems relating to either production, sale or distribution, and a frank dis- 

 cussion of the many phases of these important subjects is of great importance 

 in a detailed study of analysis of the problems in Massachusetts. 



The Division of Markets is fully aware of the magnitude of its responsibility 

 to assist the farmers in every way possible under a more orderly and more 

 profitable marketing plan. It will continue to develop its marketing service 

 with the thought in mind of bringing to the farmers of Massachusetts a 

 greater measure of prosperity in the marketing of local farm products. 



