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This year the Department of Food and Agriculture has a new 

 position called Information Officer. The Information Officer is respon- 

 sible for the dissemination of "best food buys for the week and month, 

 and weekly news releases covering special agricultural news items 

 affecting the consumer. Twice a week the Information Officer records 

 on the "Consumer Hot Line" = a Code-A-Phone which was installed on a 

 800 V/ATS Line = information covering the best buys, retail prices on 

 produce and meats and other information concerning the consumer food 

 budget. 



The weekly and monthly news releases are sent to over 200 news- 

 papers and food editors in the Commonwealth. 



This past year, the Information Officer was deeply involved in 

 a recipe contest which ran for four consecutive months using different 

 vegetables each month. Cash prizes were given each month to the winners 

 with the most unique and everyday eye appeal vegetable recipe. The con- 

 test was sponsored by the New England Vegetable Growers Association 

 and the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture. 



Regarding our Market News service, the Boston Wholesale Produce 

 Market Report is the most important. 



The New England Produce Center, a privately owned market, has in- 

 corporated all the most modern features for handling fresh produce from 

 all parts of the United States and the World. 



Our Boston market investigator is charged with gathering marketing 

 data from this market center. He starts work early in the morning 

 during the peak of wholesale transacions, collecting the days receipts, 

 prices and market trends from nearby suppliers and commission houses. 



