Figure 1.--When you see these World War I feeding programs, it is important to know where the food came from the United States. Harvests from the Great Plains produced massive quantities of wheat and other grains. American farmers were not producing at full capacity when the War broke out. They were supplying the existing market. But with Europe at War, agricultural production fell. The U.S. Government asked American farmers to increase production. Those increases would help the Allies win the War and provide the relief shipments that would feed a starving Europe after the War. Without American food, especially grains, there would have been famine throughout Europe and millions of people would have perished. After the immediate post-War crisis, however, no one helped the American farmer who had ramped up production. Farmers faced a boom and bust economy. The Great Depressiin of the 1930s hit the American farmer a decade earlier in the 1920s.

The U.S. Government and private groups addressed the food situation. America at the time of World War I was a major food producer. No country at the time of World War I produced more food than America. American agriculture was was both productive and efficient. It not only was self sufficient in most agricultural commodities, but also exported large quantities of grains and other food products. The few products that America had to import were products that were best grown in tropical regions, particularly sugar and coffee. The United States also imported vegetable oils. [Mullendore] But it was the production from the Great Plains that produced massive quantities of wheat and other grains. American farmers were not producing at full capacity. They were supplying th existing market. But with Europe at War, agricultural production fell. The U.S. Government asked farmers to increase production. Those increases would help the Allies win the War and feed a starving Europe after the War. Without American food, especially grains, there would have been famine throughout Europe and millions of people would have died. After the immediate post-War crises, however, no one helped the American farmer would had ramped up production. Farmers faced a boom and bust economy. The Great Depressiin of the 1930s hit the American farmer a decade earlier in the 1920s.

Wheat

Wheat used for bread and other food stuffs was the most critical agricultural commodity. Bread has been know, for good reason, as the 'staff of life'. It was the grain uingreatest emandthrioughout Eurooe. Thus wheat was the commodity given the greatest attention by the USFA. One way of freeing up more wheat to feed the Army and to assist America's allies during the War was to reduce domestic wheat consumtion. Here the USFA came up with a range of ideas to use corn and other grains for a range of wheat products. After the War there was an even greater need. The War had adversely affected the agricultural sectiors of the Central Powers and the area occupied by the Central Powers. Even The Tsaist Empire was affected and it has been the greatest, if inefficient, producer of wheat and other grains in Europe. At the time the Tsarist Empire included Russia, Ukraine, large areas of Poland, and other grain-producing areas. In contrast the Great Plains of North America was ideal for wheat farming and the farmers very efficent operators.

State and Local Effort

Some states began to act even before the Federal Government took action. Wisconsin, an important farm state, in particular led the way. Wisconsin was the first state to organize both state and county-level Councils of Defense tasked with educating the public about the War and the sacrifices that would be required. Wisconsin's State Council of Defense took on the task of addressing the food problem that was developing in 1917. The Wisconsin Council was led by Magnus Swenson. He came out with a number of innovative ideas. He promoted promoting food conservation through the cultivation of home gardens and institution of meatless and wheat less days. After President Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover to lead the new United States Food Administration, Hoover was impressed with Swenson's pioneering efforts. He adopted many of Swenson's policies and appointed Swenson Wisconsin state Food Administrator.

U.S. Food Administration

When the United States entered the War, President Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover to the post of United States Food Administrator (1917). Food had become a weapon in World War I and no country produced more food than America. Hoover succeeded in cutting consumption of foods needed overseas and avoided rationing at home, yet kept the Allies fed. America had to produce the food needed by the new large army America was building as well as for Allied armies and civilians. Hoover designed a voluntary program. He called it food conservation, but many Americans took to calling it "Hooverizing." Various promotions were devised, such as wheat less Wednesdays and meatless Mondays. Hoover was convinced that Americans would cooperate voluntarily to support the boys overseas. He did not want a mandatory program and Government regulated rationing. The idea was that American civilians would have to modify their eating habits voluntarily so that more food was available for shipment overseas. The American housewife was urged to conserve food and eliminate waste. Signs and posters appeared in workplaces and public areas with the slogan 'Food Will Win the War'. Hoover managed to voluntarily reduce domestic food consumption 15 percent without rationing. Hoover guaranteed the farmer a 'fair price' and there was an overseas market for all that could be produced. American food exports tripled. Not only did America help feed the Allies, but the shipments created surplus stores of food that helped prevent a post-war famine in Europe. America after the War not only helped her Allies, but the former Central Powers countries as well as Soviet Russia.

Other Food Efforts

A range of private and government efforts addressed the food issue. They all worked with the U.S. Food Administration (USFA). The best known was the Woman's Land Army (WLA). It was initially called the Women's Land Army of America because it was modeled on the British Woman's Land Army. Its purpose was to replace the men in rural areas drafted for military service. Some called them the Farmerettes. The WLA was organized in 42 states (1917-19). More than 20,000 young women participated. [Weiss] It was a voluntary group and resulted in surprising social class distribution. The WLA girls were not for the most part working-class girls or from farm communities. Many of the volunteers were city girls, in many cases recent college graduates graduates. The various units were associated with colleges. They became tied up in the progressive and suffragette movements. Thus they were received the same wages paid to male farm workers and there was a strict 8-hour workday. The WLA girls became wartime icons, comparable to World War II's Rosie the Riveter. The program was somewhat controversial because women working outside the home was still treated with some suspicion, especially rough outdoor work. Opposition to the WLA program came from Nativists and President Wilson's political appointments. Some questioned women's physical strength and ability to carry out necessary duties and the long-term effect on their health. The Progressives strongly supported the program, including former-president Theodore Roosevelt. The program was most popular in the West and Northeast. Other groups had active food programs and supported the WLA, including the Woman's National Farm and Garden Association (WNFGA), the Temple University Ambler staff, the State Council of Defense of some states, the Garden Club of America, and the YMCA. Other efforts which received government support included the U.S School Garden Army (USSGA) and the National War Garden Commission (NWGC). The USSGA was created to promote gardening among school children (1917). The U.S. government hoped that encouraging school children to garden could help increase local food production and prevent shortages. The War Department funded the USSGA recognizing that food was an issue of national security. Several million children answered the nation's call to service, enlisting as "Soldiers of the Soil." Schools all over America became involved in growing vegetables. The NWGC estimates that $135 million of produce was grown on new gardens appearing across the country. [Baron] Children played an important role in this effort. The Boy Scouts and other youth groups helped organize farm labor activities. They were also involved in the Victory Garden effort.

Created: 9:45 AM 9/28/2023
Last updated: 9:45 AM 9/28/2023