Joint Statement With the Prime Ministers of Great Britain and Canada Concerning the Combined Food Board.

THE PRESIDENT of the United States and the Prime Ministers of Great Britain and Canada issued the following statement today:

We announced on December 10, 1945 plans to terminate two of the combined supply boards but stated that the food shortages continued to be such that the Combined Food Board could not then be dissolved. It was thought at that time that the Combined Food Board might finish its work by June 30, 1946. More recently we have decided that this Board should be continued until December 31, 1946, because of the deterioration that has occurred in the world food situation in recent months and the need to continue to control the distribution of many foods with a view to preventing widespread suffering and starvation. The question of whether it will be necessary to continue the Board beyond the end of this year will be reviewed after the food outlook for 1947 becomes clearer.

The recent deterioration in the world food situation has been due primarily to drought in many countries and to the fact that grain was consumed during the latter half of 1945 at a faster rate than was justified by actual supply. These developments came at a time when the food situation had already been undermined by factors attributable to the war. During recent months it has become apparent that serious shortages of basic foodstuffs probably will continue beyond the coming harvest. Under these circumstances it is essential that the Combined Food Board should continue its operations in order to promote the best possible utilization of world food supplies.

The commodity committees, which carry on the day-to-day work of the Board, consist of representatives of major exporting and importing countries. These committees provide a forum in which the greatest possible measure of agreement is sought concerning the maximum of food which can be made available for export and the pattern of its distribution. The Board and the committees will continue to provide a forum for the integration of national programs and the assembly of the fullest information on supplies and requirements for the purpose of recommending allocation to the governments affected.