believed by British officials that the Italian POWs were less likely to cause problems with the British rural communities than the German POWs. In 1943, Hudson's work together with Lord Woolton and Lord Leathers was lauded by the Canadian journalist Robert Thurlow as a "success story". Thurlow wrote: "This is the story of three men who supply, and operate, what is probably the world's biggest store". From 1939 to 1943, the amount of arable acreage in Britain increased from 12 million acres to 18 million acres. More importantly, by 1943, 60% of the food consumed in the United Kingdom came from British farms, which lessened the dependence of imported food while freeing up shipping to bring in other supplies. Hudson was created Viscount Hudson in 1952. Books References External links Hudson, Robert Spear, 1st Viscount Hudson, Robert Spear, 1st Viscount Agriculture ministers of the United Kingdom Hudson, Robert Spear, 1st Viscount British diplomats Hudson, Robert Hudson, 1st Viscount Conservative Party (UK) hereditary peers Hudson, Robert Spear, 1st Viscount Hudson, Robert Spear, 1st Viscount Ministers in the Chamberlain peacetime government, 1937–1939 Ministers in the Chamberlain wartime government, 1939–1940 Ministers in the Churchill caretaker government, 1945 Ministers in the Churchill wartime government, 1940–1945 Viscounts created by George VI Hudson, Robert Spear, 1st Viscount UK MPs 1924–1929 UK MPs 1931–1935 UK MPs 1935–1945 UK MPs 1945–1950 UK MPs 1950–1951 UK MPs 1951–1955 UK MPs who were granted peerages