Women Wanted : To Can the Crops : Goulburn Valley - URGENT : To Feed the Troops : Their health depends on You...

Australian Second World War poster, produced by the Commonwealth Food Control, for the Goulburn Vallery in Victoria, depicting two images. The first is of a woman canning fruit, the second of soldiers enjoying the canned fruit in the jungle. The poster relates to women's work during the war and canning and preserving for the war effort. During the Second World War, Australia's war-time food production and control occured under two phases. The main effect of the outbreak of war was to raise problems of surplus food production. The onset of the war found Australia well prepared and farmers were able to continue production without interruption. Australia began in 1938 to prepare for food control in the event of war, not only to safeguard the economy, but also to ensure that essential supplies moved quickly to the United Kingdom. During the second phase, the possibility of Japan entering the war was considered, and in 1940 the Emergency Supplies Plan was adopted to take care of civilian food supplies in the event of invasion, hostilities on the mainland, and the consequent dislocation of internal transport. Reserve stocks of selected foods were placed in all grocery stores throughout Australia and special Government stores were established in many places for civil or Service use. The Establishment of the Commonwealth Food Control in May 1943, under the Minister for Commerce and Agriculture, was to develop the machinery necessary to cope with the war situation and to implement a thoroughgoing food policy.