ARS Administrative Memoranda, 1957-01 - 1957-04

This subseries encompasses many types and titles of documents, including bulletins, checklists, circulars, directives, handbooks, instructions, memoranda, notices, orders, regulations, and reports. In addition, some of the memoranda have attachments or exhibits that may include other memoranda, organization charts, forms, pamphlets, reprints from the Federal Register or Code of Federal Regulation, and other documents.

The majority of the memos in this subseries were issued by agencies of the USDA. (See list of agencies below.) They contain directions for staff concerning the mission and programs of the agency, as well as information on a variety of administrative topics such as benefits, personnel assignments, and employee conduct. Among memoranda from over 30 agencies, this subseries includes AMS Instructions and Notices from the Agricultural Marketing Service, 1953-1972; ASCS Notices, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, 1961-1973; and CSS Memoranda, Commodity Stabilization Service, 1953-1961.

A few memos are included that were issued by agencies outside of the USDA, such as regulations and orders of the National Production Authority, part of the Department of Commerce. These memos are interfiled with USDA materials, under the issuing agency name. A complete list of agency names is included at the end of this scope and content note.

Two other agencies, also not part of the USDA, whose records are included here, are the Office of Price Administration (OPA), which operated during World War II, and the Office of Price Stabilization (OPS), established during the Korean War. The orders and regulations of these offices, along with the records of the War Food Administration (WFA), a WWII agency within USDA, provide a detailed view of the regulation of prices, production and distribution of agricultural products and services during wartime.

The War Food Administration was the product of a series of Executive Orders from 1942-1943. It included both new branches and agencies as well as pre-existing agencies that were subsumed by it during this time. Chief among these were the Food Distribution Administration and Food Production Administration, both of which had been established in 1942, combined in 1943, and ultimately underwent a name change to become the WFA. Other agencies included in the WFA were the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Extension Service, the Farm Credit Administration, the Agricultural Marketing Administration, and the Agricultural Adjustment Agency.

Agricultural Adjustment Agency: see War Food Administration (WFA) Agricultural Economics, Management Operations Staff Agricultural Marketing Administration Agricultural Marketing Service Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Division of Farm Management and Costs Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Division of State and Local Planning Business and Defense Services Administration Commodity Credit Corporation: see War Food Administration (WFA) Commodity Stabilization Service (CSS) Consumer and Marketing Service (CMS) Consumer and Marketing Service, Food Stamp Division Defense Production Administration Defense Transport Administration Economic Research Service (ERS) Food and Nutrition Service National Agricultural Mobilization Committee National Finance Center National Production Authority (NPA), Department of Commerce Office of Defense Mobilization Office of Price Administration (OPA) Office of Price Stabilization (OPS) Production and Marketing Administration (PMA) Production and Marketing Administration, Fruit and Vegetable Branch Production and Marketing Administration, Shipping and Storage Branch Rural Electrification Administration (REA) Salary Stabilization Board USDA USDA Library USDA War Board Wage Stabilization Board War Food Administration (WFA) WFA, Agricultural Adjustment Agency WFA, Commodity Credit Corporation WFA, Food Production Administration WFA, Office of Distribution WFA, Office of Price WFA, Office of Production WFA, Office of Requirements and Allocations