The War Food Administration was a

United States government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...

agency that existed from 1943 to 1945. The War Food Administration was responsible for the production and distribution of food to meet war and essential civilian needs during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. It was a predecessor of the

Farm Service Agency The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is the United States Department of Agriculture agency that was formed by merging the farm loan portfolio and staff of the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service ...

. The agency helped create

school lunch programs A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsor ...

in the United States, and administered farm labor programs.

Functions

The War Food Administration was established by Executive Order 9322 of March 26, 1943 (amended by Executive Order 9334 of April 19, 1943). It was under the direction of the War Food Administrator, who was appointed by and was responsible to the President.

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was appointed War Food Administrator by President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

, and led the agency from 1943 to 1945. The War Food Administrator determined the direct and indirect, military, other governmental, civilian, and foreign requirements for human and animal food, and for food used industrially; formulated and implemented a program to supply food adequate to meet the requirements; allocated the Nation's farm production resources as needed; assigned priorities and makes allocations of food for all uses; insured the efficient and proper distribution of the available food supply; and made recommendations to the Chairman of the

War Production Board The War Production Board (WPB) was an agency of the United States government that supervised war production during World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt established it in January 1942, with Executive Order 9024. The WPB replaced the Sup ...

covering the quantities and types of nonfood materials, supplies, and equipment required to carry out the program of the War Food Administration. The Administrator determined the need and amount of food available for civilian rationing, exercising his priorities and allocation powers in this connection through the

Office of Price Administration The Office of Price Administration (OPA) was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA were originally to control money (price contr ...

. The War Food Administrator also had responsibility for farm labor supply and farm wage and salary stabilization.

Administrative history

The National Archives website describes the origins of this agency as follows:

The Agricultural Adjustment Administration was established under the Agricultural Adjustment Act (48 Stat. 31), May 12, 1933. It was reorganized under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (49 Stat. 1148), February 29, 1936. It was redesignated the Agricultural Adjustment Agency and consolidated with the Sugar Agency, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, and Soil Conservation Service into Agricultural Conservation and Adjustment Administration by EO 9069, February 23, 1942. It was assigned to Food Production Administration by EO 9280, December 5, 1942; and to Administration of Food Production and Distribution by EO 9322, March 26, 1943, renamed War Food Administration by EO 9334, April 19, 1943. Its functions reverted to the Secretary of Agriculture when War Food Administration abolished by EO 9577, June 29, 1945. It was subsequently assigned to the Production and Marketing Administration by Secretary's Memorandum 1118, August 18, 1945.

The Office of Labor was established in the War Food Administration (WFA), effective June 23, 1943, by Administrator's directive, June 21, 1943. It administered wartime farm labor activities of the Department of Agriculture. It was abolished concurrently with the WFA by EO 9577, June 29, 1945. Its successor agencies were the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture (July-Aug. 1945), and the Labor Branch, Production and Marketing Administration (PMA, Aug. 1945–1948).

References

External links

War Food Administration officials
from the 1945 United States Government Manual

Wessel's Living History Farm
{{DEFAULTSORT:War Food Administration 1943 establishments in Washington, D.C. United States Department of the Interior agencies Government agencies established in 1943 1945 disestablishments in Washington, D.C. Defunct agencies of the United States government