From FFVA Industry bulletin

March 1958

NATIONAL FOOD CONFERENCE

FOOD COMES FIRST! That was the theme of the National Food  Conference held in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 24, 1958.

Sponsored by 54 of the nation’s leading farm organization, processors and distributors, including FFVA, the conference inaugurated a united effort on behalf of all segments of the food industry to encourage Americans to eat adequate and balanced meals.

More than 750 persons, including senators, congressmen, other high-ranking government officials and leaders in the food industry attended the meeting.

Briefly, the targets of the conference were as follows:

1. To focus national attention on food – its economic, social and nutritional importance in the lives of the American people.

2. To make mealtime family time.

3. To place food first in the family budget – underscoring the fact that today the American family has the most, the best and the lowest cost food of any place in the world.

4. To encourage professional and educational leaders to integrate nutrition teaching in all levels from primary grades through college.

Commenting on his attendance at the conference, Joffre C. David, general manager of FFVA, stated that the meeting was worthwhile from every viewpoint and should do much to upgrade the American diet. “Significant of the importance of this conference is the fact that in the space of a few short hours, the group was addressed by President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, Secretary of Agriculture Benson and others including the president of the American Medical Society,” said Mr. David.

The sponsoring organization will carry on a promotional campaign to promote greater nutrient awareness among consumers.

Of interest are the following facts related to food production and consumption as developed for the conference by the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

• A “market basket” that cost $911 in 1947 cost $1,007 in 1957. Average hourly earnings of factory workers in 1947 was $1,24 – in 1957 it was $2.07. Total hours required to buy the “market basket” in 1947 was 735 hours. In 1957 it was 486 hours.

• The average American spends more on food than on any other single item in his budget. In 1956, food and tobacco made up 32 percent of total personal consumption expenditures, while clothing and accessories took 10 percent, housing 12 percent, household operation 14 percent, transportation 12 percent and other expenses and services totaled 20 percent.

• 2,100,000 commercial farms produce 91 percent of the food and fiber that goes to market.

• Farmers, suppliers, processors and distributors make up an industry whose total product is about $90 billion per year.

• The farmer today manages more capital per full-time worker than does a worker in industry. Capital investment per worker in agriculture in 1956 was $15,200 compared with an average investment per production worker in manufacturing of $12,800.

• In 1920 one farm worker produced enough food and fiber for eight people; today, he produces enough for 21.

• Farm output today is 60 percent greater than in 1920. The farm population has decreased 11.6 million between 1920 and 1957.

FFVA members will be kept advised of further accomplishments by this group.