Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-11-10
What Does a Quart OF Milk cost7

Wudt LOGS u OuorI VI MIN SOots
QUESTION TO BE DISCUSSED UNDER
GOVERNMENT AUSPICES.
The cost to the Maine farmer OF pro-
ducing a quart of milk and the problems
pertaining to the reduction of this cost
will be the subjects of investigation at
there bearings to be held at
Grange Hall, Newport, Wednesday,
Nov. II, at 1880 A. N.
State House, Augusta, Thursday, Nov,
II, at 1890 A. NJ.
Auburn Hall, Auburn. Friday, Nov.
IS, at $50 A. n. under the auspices OF
the United States Department of Agri-
culture, Maine Department OF Agricul-
ture, the State College of Agriculture,
the State Grange, and the Boston Cham
Der of Commerce. 1t is hoped that by
determining Just how much 1t costs each
farmer to produce his milk day by day,
facts relative to the business Of milk pro-
duction will be collected, and when these
facts are boiled down and put into us-
able form, the farmers will be given the
opportunity to benefit by the experience
of those of their number who are pro.
ducing milk on the lowest and most
profitable basis.
The New England Milk Producers
Association recently asked the Boston
Chamber of Commerce to look into the
milk situation with view to making rec
ON mendatiops as to how the situation
could be bettered. On July /, meet
ing was held in Boston by the Chamber
of Commerce at which were present rep
resentatives from the Department OF
Agriculture, Agricultural Colleges and
oranges of each state and the United
States Department of Agriculture. Ii
was voted TO hold hearings in each state
TO collect statistics op which recommen-
dations for the improvement OF dairy in
terests and the preservation of the New
England COW might be made. Hearings
similar to those 10 be held in this state
are to occur all over New England
throughout the fall.
The milk situation in New England
has changed greatly during the past fif-
teen years. In New England there are
2l0 cities and towns of over 5000 popu-
lation, with total population OF over
five million persons.
Fifteen years ago most of the cities
and towns received their supply OF milk
from the immediate vicinity. Now
throughout New England the railroads
handle sixty cars of milk day or over
half million quarts of milk, some OF 1t
coming from distance of over 300 miles.
transportation charges and icing, To-
gether with more modern demands for
pasteurization and more cleanly meth.
DDS in the bandliog and production of
the commodity, required by the state
boards of health, have created q prob.
lem in management and accounts which
many of the farmers do not understand.
Fifteen years ago practically no milk
was bottled or pasteurized. Now prac'
tically none of it escapes either process.
The ordinary individual does not believe
that il costs the farmer money to daily
remove the piles Of manure which be-
fore the present day regulations went
into effect could stand for season, or
to ice the milk, or to pasteurize It, or
provide modern equipment of various
description. Perfect pasteurization
means heating the milk and holding 1t
at 143 degrees to l45 degrees from 20
minutes TO half an hour.
Under the old methods it was q COM
paratively easy matter for the farmer to
keep his cows and milk them and then
sell the milk, with little or no regard
for what it was costing him for feed
One hardly needs To be told now, how
ever, that in these days when food stuffs
are mounting higher and higher in
price, 1t is vital that the farmer know
exactly what il is costing him to pro-
duce his milk per quart, that be may ad-
| Just his expenses to work profitably and
80 economically. This is an age Of sci
entific management when every item OF
expense must be placed where it belongs
or the balance sheet will come out awry.
To bring out the facts that those in
charge of the hearing desire to know, as
we'll as to bring these facts home to the
persons interested, the questions asked
will be framed along the following
lines:
What price is received for milk, wheth-
or as butter fat, or at per can or hundred
pounds basis, for certain months OF the
year?
What does ii cost the farmer to pro-
duce milk as he figures 1t?
What does il cost to keep COW per
year?
Is the milk weighed and is there a COW
testing association in the vicinity?
Are other lines of farming carried on
in connection with the dairying opera
ton?
By determining the original cost Of a
barn, the length of time it will last, cost
of repairs each year and striking off 10
percent for depreciation, the cost OF
housing the COW per year can be deter
mined and the same analysis OF feed
costs will show the feed cost OF cows.
The great trouble now, resulting in the
CRY frequently heard that farmers can
not produce milk at profit, is due to
the fact that proper charges are not be-
ing made to the milk account and ire
queutly this account is bearing more
than its share of the burden. Or, again,
the farm may not be giving the best re-
suits, or certain products which night
better be sold for profit are being fed to
the cows. That the farmer does not
usually know what his milk cost Is per
quart was shown at hearing not long
ago when estimates for the cost of pro-
duction OF q quart of milk ranged all the
way from 20. to lac.
In the same way the costs Of trsnspor
,ation and distribution will be snalyzed
and the results finally published in pam
phlst form and distributed for the infor-
nation of those concerned.
A representative each from the Maine
Department of Agriculture, College OF
Agriculture, State Grange and from the
Committee on Agriculture Of the Boston
| Chamber Of Commerce will conduct the
hearings all of which will commence at
1880 A. N. and continue throughout the
lday.
tits necessary, II the bearings are to
be of real benefit to the producers oi
milk in Maine, that every farmer urge
his nsighbor to attend the hearings and
contribute bis store OF knowledge to the
common fund, that the plan may sue
ceed, and that thereby, the rapid de-
crease In the dairy business, which has
been noticeable throughout New Eng
land for the past few years, may De stop
ped. After all, there 10 no more impor
iant industry than agriculture, and this
r,ora hainO imDr0e60C