On This Page

Manuscript Collections - United States Food Administration Records

UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION RECORDS, 1917-1920
6 linear feet, 2 linear inches (14 LGA-S boxes)
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library

HISTORICAL NOTE

The United States Food Administration (USFA) was created in 1917 by President Woodrow Wilson with the purpose of providing food from the United States for Allied soldiers and war-torn Europe. Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover to head the Administration. In an effort to secure the cooperation of both the public and private sectors of America, the USFA embarked on an aggressive campaign to convince Americans to participate. Businesses agreed to abide by regulations regarding production and distribution of some food items. Homemakers used substitutes for commodities such as sugar and wheat. Press releases were issued almost daily, offering news of progress toward goals and giving tips on how to further conserve food. The USFA continued its aid efforts after the war until it was transitioned into the American Relief Association on February 25, 1919 by act of Congress.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The United States Food Administration collection is divided into two main sections. The information is organized alphabetically by topic within each section, and chronologically within each topic.

ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION FILES deal with the bureaucratic and legal facets of the USFA. It is further divided into two subgroups; General Business Information and the Grain Industry. The Organization and Administration Files include conference notes, license regulations, Statistical Division Information Service bulletins, statistics, and notes on the sugar industry.
                            
FOOD CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN, EDUCATION AND PROMOTION PROGRAMS FILES
This section includes advice for speakers, bulletins, press releases, home cards and pledge cards.

CONTENTS LIST

ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION FILES

Box      Contents
1          General Business Information
                     Annual Report, 1918; Report to Feb. 1918; Food Program for 1919
                     Bulletins & Forms, Miscellaneous
                     Conferences – Committee on Prices, Washington, D.C., 1917
                     Conferences – Jobbers' Profits, Kansas City, 1918; Chevy Chase Club, 1917
                     Conferences – State Merchant Representatives, NYC, Feb. 4, 1918
                     Conferences – State Merchant Representatives, Washington, D.C. May 16-18,
                              1918 (2 folders)
                     History, Organization, Comment on Archives as Historical Sources
                     Laws, Legislation

2                   License Application Forms
                     License Regulations, Loose leaf Service, nos. 1-28, 1918
                     License Regulations, Loose leaf Pages and Booklets, 1918
                     License Regulations, booklets nos. l-7, 9, 11-17, 24-25, 1918
                     Official Statements, nos. 1-18, 1918-1919
                     Organizations and Societies, Resolutions
                     Proclamations and Addresses by Woodrow Wilson and Herbert Hoover
                     Press Clippings, 1917-1918; Public Law 41, 65th Congress
                     Press Releases, Digest of 1917-1918

3                   Resume and Descriptions of Food Conservation Program, booklets
                     Resume of Important Rulings, for District & County Administrators,
                              Apr-Dec 1918 (2 folders)
                     Resume of Letters ... to all Federal Food Administrators, 1917-1918
Proclamations
                     Rules and Regulations:  Index Amendments, Operations and Products
                     Statistical Department. Information Service, Bulletins
                              Bulletins 1-569, 1917 (2 folders, incomplete)
                              Bulletins 414-1585, Chronological, 1917-1918

4                            Bulletins 570-1,269, 1917-1918 (5 folders)

5                            Bulletins 1,270-1,606, 1918 (incomplete, 4 folders)
                     Statistical Division Information Service (for Federal Administrators) Bulletins
                              489-515, Nov-Dec. 1918
                     Statistics: Prices, Fish, General
                     Statistics: U.S. Wheat Director nos. 1-11, 1919-1920

6                   Sugar: 
                              American Sugar Refining Company Booklets
                              License Regulations, Rules and Regulations
                              Mobilization of the Sugar Industry, book
                              Statistical Survey, 1920; Cuban Agreement, 1917-1918 Crop
            Grain Industry (wheat, grain, milling, cereals)
                     Bulletins, Notices, Zones, Instructions...Misc.
                     Cereal Div. Bulletins:  Buffalo Agency MS nos. 44-73, 1918-1919;
                     Milling Sec. nos. 19-32, 1918
                     Conferences: Wheat Director, 1919; Grain Corporation, Fire Prevention, 1920
                     License :Regulations, Rules & Regulations, Plans, Report Forms
                     Milling Division Rules and Regulations Bulletins, 1917-1918

7                   Policies ... Plan of Operations, Information Booklets
                     St. Louis Agency Bulletins #1-71, to Millers of Zone 11, 1918-1919
                     Statistics, Prices
                     Wheat Director Bulletins, 1919-1920

 

FOOD CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN, EDUCATION AND PROMOTION PROGRAMS
            Addresses by Grew, Merrill, Pearl, Smith, Taylor & Wilbur
            Agricultural Speaker Service Bulletins #1-26.  Information for Speakers
            Bakery Products, Bread
            Bulletins, 1-17
            Cards, Small Display Pieces
            Dairy Products, Cheese Milk

8          Food Conservation, General
            Food Conservation Notes
            Food News Notes for Public Librarians, Vol. I, #1-12
            Food Saving and Sharing, Food Guide (booklets)
            Home Cards
            Hotel & Restaurant Trade, Merchants, Peas, Beans, Potatoes, Vegetables & Ammonia
            Leaflets, Inserts

9          Leaflets, Inserts (small)
            Meat
            National Canners .Association, Canned Food
            Posters, Display Cards
            Press Releases, Index for States Section, Educational Division #1-400, 1916-1918
                     (duplicate set)
            Press Releases, States Section Education Division. Nos. 1-299 (4 folders)

10        Press Releases, States Section Education Division. Nos. 300-470 (2 folders)
            Press Releases, Index for 1-1,000 May 18, 1917-June 6, 1918
            Press Releases. Nos. 1-199, Apr 21-Sep 11, 1917 (3 folders)

11        Press Releases. Nos. 200-799, Sep 12, 1917-Mar 30, 1918 (6 folders)

12        Press Releases. Nos. 800-1,400, Mar 30, 1918-Apr 1, 1919 (6 folders)

13        Press Releases, Campaign Pledge     #1-17
            Press Releases, to Country Weeklies, October - November, 1917
            Press Releases, to Farm Journals, October - December, 1917
            Press Releases, Memoranda to Educational Directors, Press Lists, Library Publicity
                     Directors, Publicity Directors, State Merchant Representatives
            Press Releases, Miscellaneous
            Press Releases; Misc. News Stories, Copy for Editorial Comment, Fillers
            Press Releases, Western Newspaper Union pages, 1918
            Publicity tear sheets, proofs
            Speakers' Bulletin 1-6
            States' Bulletins, Activities, Calif.
            States' Bulletins, Activities, all except Calif.
            Sugar

14        Sugar - Statistical Survey of Sugar Industry & Trade of the U.S.
            Weekly Bulletins #1-31 Compiled by Trade & Technical
            Wheat, Grain
Miscellaneous Printed Material