Fair Margins of Profit on Meats for Retail Butchers (Westchester County)
A text-and-table notice from the Food Administration's New York Federal Food Board lists cuts of beef, lamb and pork with blank columns for retailer cost, gross margin of profit, price the consumer should pay and the shop's own price. Butchers are told to post the list in a conspicuous place, so the notice works as a price-control instruction backed by the agency's name rather than as an emotional appeal.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1918
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Food Administration, New York Federal Food Board (Westchester County)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Food Administration, New York Federal Food Board. National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-81.
Text on the object
U.S. FOOD ADMINSTRATION NEW YORK FEDERAL FOOD BOARD Westchester County FAIR MARGINS of PROFIT ON MEATS FOR RETAIL BUTCHERS It must be clearly understood that margins refer to a medium grade of meat untrimmed, on a "Cash and Carry" basis. All retail butchers will be required to post this list of margins in a conspicuous place in their store, and to the left of the margin column, the figures showing the wholesale prices, and to the right, the retail prices. ARTICLE / KIND (cuts untrimmed) / Retailer Pays / Gross Margin of Profit / Consumer Should Pay / Our Price BEEF--Chucks Chuck Steak 11c. Whole Cross Rib 18c. Cut Cross Rib 22c. Stew Beef 11c. BEEF--Hinds & Ribs, Good Medium Steers Sirloin Steak 15c. Top Round 19c. Bottom Round 17c. Rib Roast Prime 16c. Rib Roast Chuck 7c. Whole Top Sirloin 13c. Cut Top Sirloin 17c. LAMB Leg of Lamb 12c. Loin Chops (kidney out) 15c. Shoulder Chops 9c. Rib Chops 12c. Stew Lamb 4c. Chucks 1c. PORK PRODUCTS Smoked Hams (unwrapped) 8-18 lbs. 6c. Smoked Shoulders (Picnics) 2 1/2-7 lbs. 5c. Smoked Bacon (unwrapped) Sliced 11c. Pork Loins (western light) [margin blank] Pork Chops (end) 6c. Pork Chops (middle) 10c. Special [Retailer Pays, Consumer Should Pay and Our Price columns: blank ruled lines] Printed by Appropriation Board of Supervisors, Westchester County. ALBERT W. HAIGH, Food Administrator.
The headline's 'ADMINSTRATION' is printed with the missing letter as shown. The table's small type was read at the 2000 px scan; a few margin figures (Stew Lamb, Chucks, the ham weight range) are best-effort readings. The Retailer Pays, Consumer Should Pay and Our Price columns are blank ruled lines for the butcher to fill in.
