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Show the preceding 25 years, per capita consumption had remained fairly stable. To indicate the magnitude of the change after 1935, it has been estimated that the increased food output per acre in recent years would have been enough to feed 50 million more people at 1935-39 consumption levels than were actually provided for during that period. Stated in another way, had production per acre continued at 1935-39 levels, over 100 million additional acres in cropland would have been required to provide the 1945-49 farm output. Population Trends The size and location of the population will have a marked effect on future agricultural re- quirements. The increase from 132 million in 1940 to about 151 million in 1950-nearly 15 percent-marked a reversal of the previous de- cline in trie rate of increase. The Bureau of the Census, in current medium* projections, forecasts a. population of about 170 million in 1960, and 190 million in 1975. An important aspect of population growth is the migration of millions of people toward the West Coast, and into the Intermountain Region. The six Far Western States-Washington, Ore- gon, California, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona- have individually gained from 25 to 52 percent in population since 1940, while the largest gains east of the Mississippi have been about 15 percent. The existence of these large populations in relatively undeveloped areas will require new farm production, as well as industrial produc- tion in nearby locations. The new production 1 Using different assumptions as to future levels of mor- tality, fertility, and net immigration, projections are made for low, medium, and high forecasts. The Bureau of the Census forecasts for these three levels for 1960 are 161, 169, a,nd 180 millions, respectively, and for 1975 they are 165, 190, and 225 millions. J. S. Davis, The Population Upsurge in in the United States, War-Peace Pamphlets, ^No. 12. Food Research Institute, Stanford University, December 1949, and J. S. Davis, Agriculture and the Net*) Population Outlook, paper read before the National Agricultural Credit Committee, Chicago, 111., January 30, 1950. can be developed smoothly, if plans for it are formulated promptly. Such plans should be carried out under the basin development plan- ning which the Commission is recommending. The American Diet Changes in the American diet must also be considered in any water resources program de- cisions involving projects which will increase agricultural production. The increase in per capita food consumption in recent years has al- ready been noted. This has also involved changes in what Americans eat, as shown in table 5. TABLE 5.-Source of calories in the United States diet 1909-50 Period Percent of total obtained from- Total Animal products i Grain products and potatoes Fruits, vegetables, and sugar 1909-14 ______ 36 37 37 41 41 41 42 35 32 31 29 27 22 28 31 28 30 32 100 100 100 100 100 100 1925-29 1935-39 ................. 1942-45 ............... 1945-49 1950 > i Includes poultry, dairy, and fish products. » Preliminary. Source: Bureau of Agricultural Economics, TJ. S. Department of Agri- culture, Consumption of Food in the United States, 1909-48. Misc. Pub. No. 691, August 1949. These changes in diet will greatly affect crop- land requirements for the future. The propor- tion of grain products and potatoes has declined by about a third, while the proportion of live- stock products has risen slightly, and that of mis- cellaneous products-mainly fruits and vegeta- bles-has gone up about 50 percent. The con- sumption of livestock products was stable for 20 years after 1910; the increase has occurred since 1930. Livestock and dairy products, plus potatoes and grain, together supply nearly three-fourths 156 |