22 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



How does business treat this subject? Generally it goes on 

 the principle that a satisfied customer is a permanent customer, 

 and if it holds its customers, business prospers. How has the 

 farmer treated the consumer? Speaking generally, if the cus- 

 tomer could purchase products grown outside of New England 

 . he would very much prefer to do so, as he would be surer of 

 getting a well-packed, uniform article and at not much greater 

 price. We have seen this happen with some of our larger 

 products, as apples, market-garden crops and milk. Our 

 markets have been filled with these products, often produced 

 3,000 miles away, and New England consumers are buying 

 these products in preference to those grown near by. 



There is no doubt that if New England could satisfy her own 

 consumers she could have markets all over the world for her 

 products. We have seldom considered the possibility of 

 shipping to other markets. Here is a wonderful opportunity 

 to supply markets to the south of us with our products which 

 mature after the local crop is gone. There has probably been 

 no time in the history of New England when there was spread 

 before the farmer the opportunity of getting back the market 

 for his goods which he has lost. Attention has been called to 

 food products by the war. The average citizen is interested to 

 see this section flourish, but the average citizen is not going to 

 stand for poor goods, no matter where they are grown. Our 

 farmers should meet the consumer more than halfway, and try 

 to influence him to trade in New England and buy New England 

 products. 



Food Production Committee. 



This committee, organized in 1917, has been very active in 

 securing greater food production. Its membership has been 

 made up from all organizations dealing with agriculture, and 

 its program has been to get every one busy in some form of 

 food production and conservation. Its work has been done 

 largely through committees who have worked with local com- 

 mittees in the towns of the State, and has been devoted mainly 

 to the following questions: marketing, crops and animals, 

 tabor, credit, gardening and boys' and girls' production work. 



With the passing of the Food Administration there does not 

 seem to be the demand for the continuance of this committee, 

 and its work will be dropped this year. 



