The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-07-10
PLAN SURVEY OF
new ENGLAND'S
MILK PROBLEM
State : and. Federal Officials
> ,AIag gehambeP Of Commerce
at Conference


with the committee on agriculture OF
the Boston Chamber Of Commerce
adapted plans for a survey OF the New
England milk situation with refer
ence TO the problems OF production.
transportation and distribution by
hearings TO be held In each state be-
ginning the first OF August, the re-
suits OF these hearings TO be publish
ed and distributed in an endeavor to
educate both producer and consumer
to proper understanding OF the con-
ditions that exist
Representatives from each state
pledged their support and cooperation
In this movement, which II is hoped
will establish facts upon which can
be based reforms In the milk indus
try. which will in turn put the pro-
ducer OF milk on a Arm business ba-
sis and give the consumer the kind
OF milk he ought 10 have, and will
also arrest the great decrease which
has been evident during the past 10
years In number OF cows and In the
Industry as whole.
Walter h. Smith, a member OF the
committee on agriculture. presided.
Richard Pattee, secretary OF the
New England Milk Producers Asso-
citation. said: I'VE have an associa-
tion OF 1900 producers shipping TO
Boston. AT present the business is In
a chaotic state and the farmers feel
that thav ara making ,,oilk ~ m laaa
They felt there should be an investi-
CATION by perfectly independent or
ganization. one which could view tho
situation without bias and could come
to conclusions which would be based
purely upon the facts as they were
found to exist. We asked the cham
Der to conduct this investigation and
that Is the reason why we arc hero
today. The farmers only ask that
they be paid q fair and reasonable
price for their produce. and there Is
no disposition on their part TO raise
the price to be a burden on the con-
sumer."
The Plan Proposed.
John G. Orcutt, secretary OF tho
committee on agriculture, outlined
the plan thus:
Charts will be prepared showing
sources OF the present supply to the
metropolitan district, location OF
creameries and cheese factories In
each state and In the provinces OF
Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia
Hearings will be held In each state
In cooperation with the departments
Of agriculture, the state colleges and
oranges at such places that they will
be easily accessible to farmers from
all around
how milk Is transported from various
points and what the cost OF trans
portation in each case is; what tho
cost OF distributing Is in large and
small cities; the price paid for milk
delivered at residences, bought at
retail stores; the price paid by tho
retail stores for the milk, by hotels,
restaurants and bakers, and the per-
centage of the supply going to each
place.
When the facts have all been gath
cred, which should be by the end OF
the year. the information will be
checked and condensed by the diff
ferent agencies in each state and
published In pamphlet form and dis
tributed far and wide.
NeU EpoIand ESnsrts
Kenyon L. Butterfeld. president OF
the Massachusetts Agricultural Col
lege, said:
"A large percentage OF New Eng
land cows today are 'boarders'. This
means that the New England farmer
is not equipped with the proper kind
OF COW, and believe this Is fund
amental dlfficulty. The cost OF feed
is also high, and this might be met
by the raising OF alfalfa. We should
begin to develop a definite New Eng
land milk policy, which, however.
cannot be outlined from the start.
but which must work itself out from
the facts as they appear. We must
carry this survey forward In the
form OF an educational campaign"
A. L. Felker. commissioner OF az.
riculture OF New Hampshire. said he
was in favor or the plan and would
do all he and his department pos
sibly could.
Ebert s. Brigham. commissioner
OF agriculture OF Vermont. said:
From 1899 TO 1909 the cow popu,
iation OF Vermont decreased 72.0c0.
and this fact OF itself shows that we
need this Find OF an investigation.
The farmers are losing faith In the
industry and going out OF business,
and asaInvestigation like this can do
the dairy business great benefit"
Would Abolish Absttoir.
o. L. Martin, representing the Yer
mont State Grange, stated that hs
considered the surest way to preven'
the depopulstion OF the COW pasture
and the consequent decline in the
dairy business a New tEBgland
would be the abolition OF the, Brigh
ton Abattoir A number Of other per.
sons agreed thai the high price 81
veal, together With the greater pref
N which farue-s were finding fg