Catalogue description Board of Trade: General Department: International Beef Conference

The International Beef Conference was set up by the Prime Minister in 1937 under a 'Scheme for the Control of Beef Supplies to the United Kingdom Market' with Sir Henry Fountain as Chairman. Its members were nominated by the United Kingdom Government and the governments of other Empire and foreign countries interested in the supply of beef to the United Kingdom market and parties to the Scheme.

The main object was to ensure, in the interests of producers and consumers alike, an orderly adjustment of supply to demand having regard to, among other matters, the seasonal fluctuation of supplies from all sources, and the production potential of each country.

The Conference was required to make recommendations with regard to the total quantities and types to be imported into the United Kingdom, and to the proportions to be exported from each country.

The first meeting was held in 1937; the meeting held in September 1939 shortly after the outbreak of World War II indicated that the Conference would next meet in January 1940. No minutes however, are available.