The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-05
ALL VIRGINIA OYSTERS
ARE TO Be CERTIFIED
State Oyster Beds Have Been Charter
ed AND n e-:- Shipments May Be
Made From Polluted Areas
STATE FOOD DEPARTMENT
RENDERS GREAT SERVICE
Biyalves From Virginia Waters viii
Have Prompt Access To All Mar
kcts. Greatly Increasing Industry's
Opportunity For a Banner season.

The State Dairy and Food Depart
.f4ct1t rag just completed a thorough
inspection of the oyster beds and
oyster packing houses of the State.
i Commissioner Benjamin l. Purcell
says that after personal inspection
OF the conditions surrounding the
oyster industry. he is satisfied that the
Virginia oysters found on sale this sea-
son In the State, or in the markets of
other States. may he accepted by The
buyers with confidence that the
product IL pure and wholesome
Every precaution has been taken to
insure the public against getting Viz
,sftia oysters that come from polluted
areas. or that may he prepared In un-
ga uitary shocking or packing houses.
or that have been handled In packing
houses that employ other than APP
proved methods This assurance has
been brought about in part through
the ACTIVE cooperation Of the United
states Public Health Service and
state Commissioner of Fisheries. Mr..
Parsons. with the Dairy and Food De-
! partment.
! Makes General Inspection.
/ Surgeon II. S. Cumming. Of the
United States Public Health Service a
Firginian, has devoted practically all
Of HIS time for the past year to ex-
EXAMINATIONS az the oyster beds water
and oysters Of Virginia As result
Of his work the polluted areas have
been charted and marked The State
Food Department has notified the
oystermen that oysters cannot no
taken from the polluted beds and
with the assistance Of Mr. Parsons
Commissioners Of Fisheries. the polut-
ed beds Will be constantly poisced. and
Parties found violating the law will be
vigorously prosecuted.
commissioner Parsons has a large
fcrce of oyster inspectors. who are
provided with motor boats and who
patrol the oyster beds during the en-
tire oyster season. These men and the
state food inspectors viii he on the
Job all the time. and there will be
but little opportunity to evade their
vigilance, There are about fifty thous-
and people directly and indirectly con-
nected with the oyster industry in
virginia. The majority of these are
dependent on this industry for live
lihood Millions OF dollars are invest
ed in the business by Virginia growers
aud packers, and since the volume Of
the Virginia oyster business comes
from the demand outside OF the State,
the Food Department has adopted for
the protection OF the buyers In and
iout OF the State. form OF certi-
hcate Of purity and cleanliness, which
VIII be issued 10 growers and packers
entitled To secure II. Copies of these
certificates will be used hy the pack
ers and shippers as labels on their
packages Of oysters and will certify
that tho oysters contained IN the pack
age come from beds free from pollu-
ttion. and that they have been handled
and packed in sanitarN packing
house and In accordance with the
state requirements. Virginia oysters.
when truthfully labeled as indicated
above, Will pass without molestation
by the authorities OF other Statea.
Certificates to he Accepted.
Arrangements have been made by