Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-09-24
THE DA1RYMEN AND THE MILK
COMPANIES.
To the Editor of the Free Press:

10 the Editor or The Free Press:
Rhode BLAND milk producers. at an in
vestgaton conducted by the Boston
chamber of commerce recently, asserted
that the dairy depa rtmcnts Of their farns
were profitless under present conditions.
The foregoing is proof Of the fact that
the discussions Of the past few vears
between the milk producers and buyer,
over the price to be paid the former has
some foundation IN fact Surely the lead
Ing question that confronts the Vermont
dairyman to-day Is How can ] dispose
OF my milk to paying advanta ge? How
will IT be settled? This point has brought
out many Ideas but none has as yet
been adopted by the dairymen In a wav
that will produce the results desired that
or securing better prices for milk.
Time was when cooperative and indie
pendent creameries were to be found IN
all parts of Vermont, but within the past
10 years every available corner Of the
state has been pre-empted by some one
Of the large milk companies Of Boston
and New York. This has been accom-
plished very carefully and skillfully in
such manner Is to avoid any possible
competition with each other. When CO.
operative creameries did not readily yield
TO the overtures. a majority of the stock
was quietly secured and very soon tho
doors of that creamery were closed. The
proprietary or private creamery has been
| Fought out Of business, until to-day, III
most cases along the railroad lines and
in some towns far back the dairyinea
have no option. but must sell to the milk
/ company at the price they may see At to
offer
no y,rin v,aGl To
make milk producing a paying PROPOSE
ton Is the claim of dairymen They hold
that to produce milk through the winter
months-frorn the middle Of October 10
the middle Of May--is a losing game in
Vermont to-day. Long before the cows
are out Of the barn beyond the grain
feed the price for milk is crowded down
until the profits Of the year are gone.
| Through June the price is kept to ths
! lowest point. Starting In July the prics
| Is carefully advanced until in December
! II reaches the highest point of the year.
From the buyers standpoint this scale OF
prices is made to appear consistent. Hs
does not consider at all the cost Of pro-
ducins milk. He does not need to for h.,
has found that he can get the milk at
the price he offers. He is a keen student
of the situation. The creameries are out
Of the way.
The buyer always has a large number
of receiving stations. He does not get
near as much milk at any one Of them
as they can handle But that does not
matter as his profits will care for that
He will continue this game as long as 1t
works, and It is bound to work for some
vet; of that he is confident land his con-
hdence Is not misplaced for he knows
| that the dairYmen lack that adhesive
quality necessary for thorough organiza-
ton and cooperative work. He has
grown rich, IS independent, lays down
his rules and the dairymen must live I'D
| to them or get out. When the milk fails
to come In sufficient quantity l expect a
quiet meeting Is called and the entire
situation looked over, the result being
that the price will be advanced 'ust
enough to make the milk come again. 1t
looks like a shrewd business dodge
The inquiry now going on In Massa-
chusetts and Connecticut reveals some
facts that are Interesting. The price paid
there is said to be four cents a quart in
summer and six cents In winter. or 50
and 50 per 100 pounds, has failed to pay
the dairyman, so he has quit. How about
Vermont dairymen? They are getting 81
per 100 for month or two. thence taper
ing down to $40. s165, $3.50. s145 s115.
S10, and 90 on. The average for the
year will be around $50 or 50. This
| means about three cents quart.
Do we hear Of consumers in the cities
getting any favors? Do the retail prices
recede toward spring? From reliable
sources we understand that much of the
milk from Vermont Is sold in 90 so and
1ptc
advance to small dealers or peddlers,
Now as a remedy for all this I would
suggest the formation of a milk pro-
ducers association, to include the entire
State Of Vermont That IL be formed
and conducted on business principles !
That keen and competent men be put
at the head to look up what should be
done and arrange some form of coop
era tive work. Such an organization could
work a revolution in the handling of mill
and benefit both the city consumer and
| the dalryman.
Figure out the cost of farm help, grain
etc. to-day and see what it means to tht
dairymen Of Vermont If they can secur.
a just share of the profits now going I
the m!ddlemah.
A milk producers association would b
deserving of State aid because il would
benefit one Of the States leading indus
| tries.
The foregoing statement of existln
| conditions can be borne out by invest
| cation. 1t Is UP TO the dairymen OF Ner
mont to say whether they want T. bette
| their condition or not The only way
! accomplish It Is through organic ton, an
pulling together. in the same direction
the same time. Organize and then yo
can arrange TO sell direct TO consume
and thereby secure an increased revenu
that will make milk producing n payn
proposition,
A MILK PRODUCER.
Shoreham, Vt, Sept. l6. 1914,