
Official 
U. S. Victory Garden Program For 1945 
On November 28 and 29, 1944, a few days before this 
catalog was completed in preparation for the printer, the 
U. S. Department of Agriculture and the War Food 
Administration conducted a Victory Garden Conference 
in Washington, to review the food situation and formulate 
a Victory Garden Program for 1945. 
The situation had been clouded in September and 
October by news items and radio comments that a Victory 
Garden Program for 1945 would not be needed. This was 
traced to an inquiry made by an advertising agency in 
Washington as to whether or not a program would be 
needed. The man of whom they inquired, thinking only of 
optimistic guesses that the war in Europe might be over 
last fall, said that he thought a program would not be 
necessary. 
The war did not end in October. The food needs con- 
tinued. So when Judge Marvin Jones, War Food Ad- 
ministrator, addressed the Conference of some two hun- 
dred garden leaders from all over America who had been 
called by the government to decide the matter, he said 
in part, 
"In view of the fact that our food situation is good, some people 
have been asking whether we should continue the garden 
program next year. To my mind, the answer is very simple; 
the answer is yes. I know that you are here to help us work up 
the broad outlines of 1945’s program, and we welcome your 
help. 
‘About a week ago we announced the goals we are suggesting 
to the States for food production for 1945. These goals call 
for another year of full production. Gardeners on the farms 
and in cities will do well next year to equal their good record 
of 1944. 
‘For the war years the extra food produced by town and city 
gardeners might be looked upon as insurance—insurance that 
we will have enough of the health-giving fresh vegetables. 
‘In planning goals for food production we have had to face 
the fact that the price of enough may be temporary surpluses 
here and there, and these surpluses are often difficult to handle. 
But Victory Gardeners have done a remarkably good job of 
taking care of their own surpluses. What they could not con- 
sume fresh they have given to their neighbors or canned, 
frozen, dried or stored for later use. 
‘The Victory Garden Program is one of the finest illustrations 
we have had in this war of a job that civilians at home can do 
to back up the boys who are fighting. Working in a garden 
for an hour or two at the end of a busy day in office or factory 
has provided a wonderful balance wheel to millions who have 
worked day after day at war jobs with little or no vacation or 
recreation. 
‘With your help and guidance I feel sure we shall have another 
successful year of gardening.” 
With this splendid encouragement by Judge Marvin 
Jones, War Food Administrator, the Conferees were 
divided into groups to consider specific problems relating 
to building a Victory Garden Program for 1945. Group 
discussions lasted for a full day, recommendations were 
prepared and brought before the entire conference for 
further consideration. This was followed by unanimous 
adoption of the following program. 
1. “A national goal of 20,000,000 better Victory Gardens for 
1945. Everyone who had a Victory Garden in 1944 should 
continue it in 1945. 
2. “More attention be given by all existing Victory Garden 
organizations in States, Counties and Cities, to the develop- 
ment of garden projects directed by the schools—gardens 
cultivated by the school children on school grounds, on 
community plots and on home plots. The subject of prac- 
tical gardening be given greater importance in the country’s 
educational system and that educators generally be urged to 
give increased attention to the fostering of greater junior 
interest in gardening through the employment and training 
of teachers competent in the field of gardening. 
3. “Continued sustained attention to home preservation of 
food by all approved methods, and that all possible co- 
operation be given by Government agencies through 
continued efforts to provide adequate supplies of equipment 
and materials necessary to the maximum cultivation of 
Victory Gardens and the maximum use and preservation of 
their products. 
4. ‘Recognition of the accelerated trend toward the growing 
“of ornamentals and that Victory Gardeners be ppcpurages 
to grow them without neglecting food crops. 
5. A unified policy by such Government agencies as Office of 
Price Administration, War Food Administration, War Pro- 
duction Board, United States Department of Agriculture, 
and Office of War Information concerning supplies, ration- 
ing details, etc., in the attainment of the 1945 Victory 
Garden Goal.” 
It was my good fortune to have been one of the con- 
ferees not only at this National Victory Garden Con- 
ference in Washington, but also at the one called by the 
United States Department of Agriculture in December 
1941, just 12 days after Pearl Harbor. 
I can assure you that the need for Victory Gardens is 
vital for 1945. I know that no one little home garden alone 
will do the job of balancing food needs for ALL AMERI- 
CANS. But multiply the results in your own little garden 
by 20,000,000 and you immediately see the broader 
picture of what Victory Gardens can do. So you see that 
your little home garden and mine must be maintained if 
the food needs are to be met. 
You will pardon the length of this information. I felt it 
justified in view of the misinformation that was circulated 
widely in the early fall of 1944 about 1945 Victory Gar- 
dens. Now that you know all the facts, you can proceed to 
make your plans with the feeling that you do know the 
true picture. 
a 
President. 
