Farm to Table by Post

1915

Sunday Magazine Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 03 Jan. 1915.

Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress

Butter and lard form two of the chief articles of food sent by means of the parcel post under the farm-to-table or producer-to-consumer plan inaugurated by the Postoffice Department last spring. It has been planned to bring the farmers in the outlying districts of large cities in close touch with the people; and so far the results obtained leave nothing to desire, when we consider that the idea has been in operation only a few months. Many producers are cooperating to the extent of advertising in the daily newspapers choice articles at low prices for exclusive parcel post trade.

Ten cities were designated last March for trial of the parcel post as a vehicle of direct exchange between producers and consumers, and reports received from the postmasters of Washington, Boston, Baltimore, St. Louis, Atlanta, Birmingham (Alabama), San Francisco, Rock Island (Illinois), La Crosse (Wisconsin), and Lynn (Massachusetts) show that the new service is welcomed by the public. Lack of information about the service and its facilities is preventing many would be patrons from taking advantage of the plan, notwithstanding the fact that postmasters everywhere will welcome requests for information. In my opinion the farm-to-city table service, despite a few existing difficulties or obstacles, has come to stay. Its utility is proved. Rapid growth will depend on and will be guaranteed by numerous inventions of new containers and improvements in the service wherever needed. In cooperation with the Office of Markets of the Department of Agriculture, the Postoffice Department is actively working to eliminate the causes of complaints directly due to improper packing. The Department of Agriculture has been, and is, devoting no little attention to the study of containers, especially for perishable goods like poultry, lard, and dairy products.