THE FOOD SITUATION. 



Turning now more immediately to our particular problem, I find, 

 as I have no doubt you do, more than a normal amount of interest in 

 the food situation and much discussion of it. In respect to this 

 matter, there is no little confusion and misunderstanding. There are 

 those, as I have said, who are raising alarms. They have in mind the 

 present condition of the populations of Europe ; and represent that, in 

 view of the disturbed conditions there, they will not be able to sustain 

 themselves and will take such supplies from this country as will make 

 it impossible for us to supply our own population. 



It is highly important to keep two things separate and distinct. 

 For a year we shall be concerned primarily with available food sup- 

 plies and with domestic and foreign demands for them. The matter 

 of planting during the ensuing year and of the harvests a year from 

 now are quite different things; and each of the two must receive 

 discriminating consideration. 



FARMERS' RESPONSE MAGNIFICENT. 



This Nation is, relatively speaking, very fortunately circumstanced 

 with respect to its supplies of food and feedstuffs. The farmers of 

 the country have responded magnificently. They have expanded 

 their operations not only because of the expectation of satisfactory 

 returns owing to the prevalence of large demands and good prices, 

 but they have also patriotically heeded the appeals of this Nation 

 and of the Allies for increased production. The facts speak for them- 

 selves. In spite of all the difficulties, of labor disturbance and con- 

 fusion in every direction, the first year of the war, 1917, the farmers 

 planted 23,000,000 acres more of the leading food crops than in 

 1916 and 32,000,000 more than the five-year pre-war average, and 

 produced record crops of most products except wheat. Of course 

 you gentlemen know that the partial failure of the wheat crop was 

 in no wise due to lack of interest or activity on the part of the farmers. 

 They planted a large acreage, but had the misfortune to lose by 

 winter killing the largest percentage of it ever recorded. They further 

 increased the acreage of the principal food crops in 1918, and indica- 

 tions coming to the Department from the various channels at its 

 disposal show that, in response to the suggestions of the Department, 

 they have enlarged their plantings of winter wheat and rye this fall. 

 The total production of the leading cereals in 1917 and also in 1918 

 exceeded that of any preceding year in the history of the Nation 

 except 1915. While the figures for 1918 show a decrease below 1917 

 of 160,000,000 bushels, it can not be said that the available supplies 

 for human food or the aggregate nutritive value will be less this year 

 than in 1917. The estimated wheat crop for the current year is 



