Orange-US-Food-Stamp-1939.jpg


Summary

Description

Design for the orange 25 cent non-transferable food order coupon issued in 1939 by the Department of Agriculture as the first food stamp in the United States

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    "A March 14, 1939 article in the Washington Post described the food stamp program as a farm recovery program — the unemployed would eat the Nation’s surplus food. Under the sub-headline '$1.50 in Food for Dollar,' the Post explained:
    The plan provides the grant by the Government of $1.50 in food orders to the beneficiaries for each dollar of the WPA wages or dole money they expend. For each cash dollar, an unemployed person would get $1 in orange stamps and 50 cents in blue stamps.
    Orange stamps are good for any grocery item the purchaser elects, except drugs, liquor, and items consumed on the premises. Blue stamps, however, will buy only surplus foods — dairy products, eggs, citrus fruits, prunes, fresh vegetables, and the like."
Date
Source Source
Author Federal Surplus Commodies Corporation ("F.S.C.C.", upper left), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Permission
( Reusing this file )
Public domain
This image or file is a work of a United States Department of Agriculture employee, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government , the image is in the public domain .

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