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CONFERENCES A number of conferences of representatives of National FAO Committees of 16 European countries have been held in Europe to consider the needs of individual countries and Europe as a whole for food, including fish, and for agricultural implements and other equipment and materials needed to rehabilitate and develop food production in Europe. A conference on timber was held at Marianske Lazne, Czechoslovakia, to consider the needs of Europe and the extent to which these needs can be met from eastern, and northern European countries. On 9 July a conference of representatives of European countries and cereal-exporting countries was called at Paris to consider the import needs of Europe for 1947/48, and a means of utilizing the 1947 harvest to the best advantage. At the request of Asiatic governments a Rice Study Group composed of experts from the chief rice-producing countries, officials of FAO, and representatives of the United Nations and the International Emergency Food Council met in India. A report of the findings and recommendations of the group will be submitted to all member countries, and, if desired by governments, a world rice conference will be called to consider the report and if possible get agreement on an international rice policy. AD HOC TECHNICAL COMMITTEES Experts from different countries have been called together in ad hoc committees, special panels, and subcommittees set up by the Standing Advisory Committees to consider urgent specific problems and make recommendations for action. Such meetings have been held on veterinary and animal health problems, plant and animal breeding stocks, nutrition, salt fish, rural welfare, forestry and forest products statistics, forest products technology, and census and other statistical problems. A Committee on Calorie Conversion Factors and Food Composition Tables has reached agreement on factors which should be used by all countries. It is suggested that the Conference might approve the report of the committee and thereby give added authority to the use of these as the international factors and standards. REPORTS BY GOVERNMENTS According to Article XI of the Constitution, governments adhering to FAO agreed to submit periodic reports on the state of food, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries and on action being taken to achieve the aims of FAO. Nineteen reports have been received. The reports will be submitted to the Conference and a statement on the present state of food and agriculture based on these reports and on information from other sources will also be submitted. The Conference will decide what reports, statements, or analyses should be approved for publication. Consideration of the reports on the state of food, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries in the world, and the problems calling for international action, will become an increasingly important part of the annual FAO Conference.