Agriculture in the United Kingdom fund the purchase as a mortgage. The Council could not refuse without the Minister of Agriculture's permission. In 1919 the Board of Agriculture and the Ministry of Food were merged to form the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, which later became the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). MAFF was in turn the predecessor of DEFRA. Before the Second World War started, Britain imported 55 million tons of food a year. By the end of 1939, this had dropped to 12 million, and food rationing was introduced at the start of 1940. It did not completely end until July
Energy rationing Energy rationing Energy rationing primarily involves measures that are designed to force energy conservation as an alternative to price mechanisms in energy markets. Because of its economic consequences energy rationing is used as method of last resort, often at times of emergency such as during an energy crisis. Examples of energy rationing include fuel rationing and the use of ration books or ration stamps to restrict personal consumption. Energy rationing may include penalties such as surcharges and disconnection from electrical supply for those who choose not to reduce their demand voluntarily. Load shedding is a common form of energy rationing