From the archive: Farming notes: battle of food - 17 January, 1941

Many hard things have been said of statistics, especially by farmers struggling to complete yet more forms. But there are times when such evils are necessary.

The December 4 returns for livestock and other particulars of farms were called for to procure information of great importance. It is essential the government should know how we stand in the Battle of Food. The annual June return is insufficient. Any community whose food supply is threatened must take more frequent stock than once a year. The feedingstuffs rationing scheme will come into force on February 1. Farmers who fail to make the returns for which they are asked are endangering their prospects of receiving coupons to buy feedingstuffs. Most farmers in Scotland sent in their returns last month, but there are still a few who have not done so. Failure to send in a return makes them liable to penalties under the Defence Regulations.