The progress of the Jewish farm movement in the United States was described in the twenty-second annual report of Gabriel Davidson, General Manager of the Jewish Agricultural Society.
The Society, through its Farm Loan Department, has granted 8,360 loans, aggregating $5,310,215.00, since 1900. Last year loans were made to 454 individual farmers located in 18 states. The financial service extended by the Society is based on business principles, though loans are made on marginal securities, and their payment is spread over a long period of years.
The Society’s Farm Labor Department placed 588 men as farm workers during last year. Farm employment was obtained by the Society for 15,510 Jewish young men since 1908.
During the past nine years 9,213 Jewish men and women desiring to buy farms, applied to the Society’s Farm Settlement Department for advice and guidance. Farms were found for 848 families of whom 398 received loans to help finance their purchase. It established the farm settlement at Toms River, N. J. Recently a new Jewish farming center was established at Farmingdale, N. J.
Agricultural experts from the Society’s Extension Department visited 1.718 Jewish farmers during 1926. During the period 1920-1926 these experts visited 10,801 farmers in 44 counties of 12 states. They held 962 meetings demonstrations, field days and extension schools. In addition, advice and aid were given to 10,326 farmers who sought individual consultation at the Society’s central office. This department also gave scholarships to the sons and daughters of Jewish farmers; 295 such scholarships were granted for courses held at the State Agricultural Colleges in 12 states. The department also maintains a Service Bureau for the purchase of supplies and materials. The department conducted an agricultural night school, gave a correspondence course and published the “Jewish Farmer”, the only Yiddish agricultural magazine in the world. It also published agricultural text books.
In 1926 the Society’s Sanitation Department inspected 789 farms in Jewish farming districts in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
The Society also made loans for the erection of synagogues and community houses and has promoted and supported rural religious education. The Society cooperates with the National Council of Jewish Women and with the United Synagogue of America in advancing the social and religious phases of rural life.
The Jewish farm population in the United States has grown from barely a thousand in 1900 to an estimated population of over 75,000 in 1927. One million acres are being farmed by Jews and the real estate and personal property value of their holdings are over $100.000.000.
Perey S. Straus is President of the Society; Lewis L Strauss, Vice-President; Francis F. Rosenbaum, Treasurer and Reuban Arkush, Secretary.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
