Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-01-20
A State Brand for Dairy Products.

A State Brand for Dairy Products.
J The following is an address by COM
missioner of agriculture, E. S. Brig
ham before Vermont Dairymen's asso-
citation held at Burlington recently.
The dairy cows of Vermont earn each
year from 5000. 900 to 20.0OO,OOO
and the money is distributed so that all
classes of people are benefited thereby.
While we may with profit develop
other lines of agricultural activity it is
highly important that the dairy indus
try be encouraged because it enables
US to keep up the fertility of our
farms, to obtain profit from our rough
pasture land. and to provide productive
employment during the winter months.
The four milk hearings recently held
in cooperation with the Boston cham
Der of commerce show that our farmers
feel that prices are too low to afford
reasonable profit above cost of produc-
ton. We should not think of going out
of the dairy business for this reason
but we should should take such wise
and concerted action as will make con-
ditions better We may better condi
tions by decreasing the cost of produc-
ton and we should look to the state
agricultural college and experiment
station to show us how to do this.
We may also make dairying more
profitable by improving marketing con-
ditions.
The shipment of milk to large cities
and its distribution is a complicated
problem, and while the Boston cham
her of commerce and the New England
Milk Producers association may be
able to assist US in getting a better
price for milk, yet the price will prob
ably be governed by supply and de-
n1and and contractors will buy milk as
cheaply as farmers are willing to sell
it,
We can only improve conditions by
devising a system whereby those who
participate in the production and man
ufacture of butter both farmers and
creamery men, may receive a reward
for careful work As solution of this
problem we should adopt brand. safe
guarded bv legislation and bearing the
seal of Vermont, which creameries
. complying with regulations prescribed
by the commissioner of agriculture will
: be allowed to use.
. Denmark and Holland have given
their dairy products a worldwide rep
utation by the adoption of a govern
ment brand. In this country the state
, O. Minnesota has adopted a brand and
+ the states of Iowa, and South Dakota
are about to do so. The requirements
for the use of the brand are briefly as
follows:
|. Score of butter to be "a nine times
out of twelve at scoring conducted
by the state agricultural college.
g. Score of butter never to be below
2 90.
E g. Factory to score 80 or better.
a. Farm dairies to score 60 points
according to score cards provided by
the commissioner of agriculture.
5 Cream pasteurized in accordance
i, with directions.
t 6 Cream received must be sweet
Z and shall not test over e per cent acid
t 7. NeutraliZers not allowed,
2 8. When license is granted list O:
d patrons must be furnished with ad
S dress.
: 9. Factory must report numbers O.
e pounds manufactured each month.
e 10. Brand to be used only at fac
n tOrv
: II. A representative of the com
: missioner of agriculture to be allowed
: access to the creamery at anv time TO
S PURPOSES of inspection. supervision O.
J. testing of cream or milk samples, O.
y examination of accounts.
Z The compliance with these require
- ments by number of our creamerie
: would raise the quality of Vernon
5 butter to the highest standard. woult
3 add to it's price in the market and woult
lead to the development of a health.
= competition which milk contractor;
o would have to meet and would there
r fore. increase the prosperity of all tn
!. dairymen of Vermont.
For the purpose of giving the mill
s contractors more competition and put
d ting the farmers in position wher
d they can have voice in the price they
: will make for milk. our creamerie
l. should be developed and strengthened
more butter made and the skim mill
ii used to grow calves and pigs.
e Our creameries may be developed b
improving the quality of butter mad
J. and finding market for that butte
e which will pay the highest price. ]
e is said that the quality of Vernon
Is butter has deteriorated under the pres
l. ent system of running farm separators
l. There is no doubt but that carelessnes
in handling cream results in loss
Is Vermont farmers annually of a sur
l. which would make the increase i
IS state expense seem insignificant i
u comparison. At very little eS
n pense of time and money this could b
l. Obviated but farmers say that it doe
II not pay them because under the pres
le ent system of creamery managemer
u good cream and poor cream are mike
y" together and bring the price.