Frozen Food Locker Plants: Location, Capacity, Rates, and Use, January 1, 1950

Excerpts from the Foreword: The frozen food locker industry, especially during the past decade, has been most important in improving the processing and storage of locally grown perishable foods. The 11,600 locker plants, operating in mid-1950, widely dispersed throughout the United States, are largely located in towns of 5,000 people or less. These plants have an estimated 80 million cubic feet of gross zero space, which is equivalent to nearly one-half of all commercial sharp freezer storage in the country. Space is provided for approximately 5.7 million lockers. During 1949, the industry processed about 1-1/3 billion pounds of perishable food for some 16 million people, or more than 10 percent of our population. It is believed that with a minimum of change in present plant facilities, the volume of processing could be nearly doubled. The locker industry represents an investment of from 325 to 350 million dollars, and employs between 30,000 and 35,000 persons. This survey, made at the request of the National Frozen Food Locker Association, an organization of locker operators, was conducted by the Farm Credit Administration in cooperation with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, with funds provided under the Research and Marketing Act. It is closely in line with recommendations of the RMA Cold Storage Committee. The study, conducted in the early part of 1950, deals with location, capacity, patronage, services, volume, and rates and charges in locker plants, and furnishes information as to the importance of low temperature home cabinets in relation to locker plant operations.