Farming Problems in 1919
A text broadsheet headed by a portrait photograph addresses 'the Farmers and the Agricultural Forces of the United States' over the Secretary of Agriculture's printed signature and the Department's seal. It praises wartime production, says it is too early to set spring planting advice, and asks for more livestock and fats and for stronger farm organisations.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1918
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (Secretary of Agriculture)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- 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. Department of Agriculture (Secretary of Agriculture). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-134.
Text on the object
Farming Problems in 1919 To the Farmers and the Agricultural Forces of the United States: DURING the period since we entered the war the farmers of the Nation have responded magnificently to the appeals for increased production, and all the people have complied with the urgent requests for fuller conservation. During this present fall season our farmers have planted an increased wheat acreage and a large acreage in rye. It is too early now to make detailed suggestions for the spring planting season. We do not know how the fall grains will come through the winter and we are not now able to forecast the demands and the conditions which will prevail after the first of the year. This Department, the agricultural colleges and other organizations will continue to give definite thought to all the problems, and at the proper time will lay the situation before you. Two things seem to be clear: One is that for a considerable period the world will need particularly a larger supply than normal of live stock, and especially of fats. We should not fail, therefore, to adopt every feasible means of economically increasing our livestock products. As a part of our program we should give due thought to the securing of an adequate supply of feed stuffs and to the eradication and control of all forms of animal disease. The other is the need of perfecting the organization of our agricultural agencies for the purpose of intelligently executing such a program as may seem wise. We should not only have the best possible organization and cooperation of the Department of Agriculture, the agricultural colleges, the State departments of agriculture and farmers' associations, but we should especially strengthen the local farm bureaus and other organizations which support so effectively the extension forces and assist them in their activities. The perfecting of this organization is highly desirable not only during the continuance of the present abnormal conditions but also for the future. The local as well as the State and Federal agencies are of supreme importance to the Nation in all its activities designed to make rural life more profitable, healthful and attractive, and, therefore, to secure adequate economic production, efficient distribution and necessary conservation. The main purpose of this appeal is to direct attention to the necessity of continuing our state of preparedness and of strengthening the foundations of our agriculture. [signature: D. F. Houston] Secretary of Agriculture. November 13, 1918.
The portrait photograph at upper left is not captioned. The Department of Agriculture seal sits at lower left.
