# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S676
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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676 FINANCIAL MATTERS

IV. The All-Lutheran Food Appeal

This appeal, in co-operation with Lutheran World Relief, has
been directed annually to Lutheran farmers of all Synods in the
“bread-basket” states of our country in the fall of the year.
Pastor Ove R. Nielsen served as director. Pastor Oscar C. Decker
served our Board on a part-time basis as field representative,
and many of our pastors and laymen served on the area or
county level.

Each harvest time, Lutheran farmers have shared the fruits
of their fields with the hungry of the world. During the last three
summers they have filled more than four hundred railroad boxcars
with wheat, corn, rice, cotton, and beans. Their generous gifts
have meant survival to many thousands.

On December 14, 1955, the United States Department of Agri-
culture announced that in addition to previous surplus commodities
released — powdered milk, butter, cheese, shortening, cottonseed
oil—it would also release wheat and corn to relief agencies
licensed for overseas operation. For this reason the All-~Lutheran
Food Appeal will not be projected in 1956.

V. Surplus Commodities

The United States Government has been liberal in donating
surplus agricultural commodities to the registered relief agencies
operating overseas. These are provided free at shipside in the
United States. Our cost in bringing these valuable food supplies
to the hungry people in various parts of the world is relatively
nominal.

During the past three years Lutheran World Relief shipped
52,839,192 pounds of powdered milk, butter, butter oil, cheese,
cottonseed oil, and shortening valued at $12,743,571. The approx-
imate portion for which our Missouri Synod is responsible is
estimated at 17,613,064 pounds, valued at $4,247,857.

Cottonseed oil and shortening were declared no longer avail-
able after July 1, 1955.

The President of the United States has authority to donate
other commodities which may be deemed in surplus from time
to time. As a result, Lutheran World Relief, with our co-operation,
was able to distribute also large quantities of special. food packages
and such items as boots, shoes, shoe soles, and shoe heels.

The decision of the Government to release also surplus grains
offers us an unprecedented opportunity to help feed the hungry
of our world at amazingly low cost. We need only cover some
necessary inland transportation and distribution costs. For every

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