The Detroit times., 1916-11-17
Experts Say Farmer
Can't Break Even
At Less
PRODUCERS ARE
WAKING UP
Refuse Longer to BE
Dominated by
Dealers
BY HOWARD W. BOWMAN

(Stdn Correspondent Detroit IfmcS)
OWOSSO, M.ch, Nov IL
Housewives OF Michigan When
your milkman or your grocer apol-
ogetically tells you he's sorry but
he will have 20 charge more Tor
milk than he dld In the past Just
tiy TO swile ~ you can-and ac-
cept Il az another evidence of The
High Cost OF Living
Three prominent men ~ the
state. who know milk and the dairy
business spoke here yesterday un-
der the auspices OF She Shiawassee
Mnk Producers association, nnit
or the state organization. They
were. P-of. A. c. Anderson, Of The
department OF dairy husbandry Of
The Michigan state Agricultural col
lege: Y. c. Reed, field agent OF ihe
Michigan State Milk Producers as
sociation, and c II thilson, chief
milk Inspector So the Detroit board
o' health They agreed that the
price OF milk was vi 10 stay In all
probability
I'VE most certainly cannot pro
duce milk Al the cid prices and
break even declared Field Agent
Reed
"That Is true" acknowledged
Prof Anderson
AS the situation stands today
there are few fe-mers in the state
who are doing more than breaking
even" said Mr. Reed I'VE divide
the farms producing milk In Michi.
gan into Two classes. First. he
producer who is losing money and
knows n. and second the produc.
or who 6 losin~ money and don't
know Il.
Tho hirh cost % other food
stuNs has naturally carried the cost
o. milk along with them MIN rs
one Of the most necessary products
~ the state and its advance IN price
should not be looked upon with dis.
favor when the cost of other com.
mOdities IL con sidercd
''The milk industry Is beginning
10 be recognized as one 90 the
greatest in tho country Tho farm
ers are awakening to that fact and
10 the fact thai IL placed4on a prop
or business basis The milk indus
try will bc In thor hands, not those
OF the large d.etators who nX tho
prices as they SAINT them.
"Congrossmen are being made 20
feel the seriousness of the situation
and efforts are now under way 90
obtain legislation that will regulate
tho milk industry 30 that tho Farm
or will receive ome benefit The
Borden people hold a whip above
tho heads of The farmers today
They say what prices shall be paid
the farmer and lie latter does little
else than congratulate himself that
he breaks even
High price ~ milk Is ineyiia-
hle.' stated Prof Anderson "one
investigation of tho high cost OF
production wo have made We find
that II is costing 500 q year
more this year 20 feed cattle than
il did last We ore at present con
ducting similar experiments at
Wcbberville and Howell"
Are 10 efarmers getting an in.
creased price or butter IN proper
ton TO what they are getting for
mnk?" the professor was quer.ed
II cannot answer that question
at the present time replied the
professor I'VE are making bu'
terfat tests AZ the college at the
present time. but the report IS not
vet available.
For two years the college ha
been conducting an investigafion
into the question OF the cost OF
production ~ milk The tabulated
report will not be ready for the
public until sometime In January
but can say - this time that 80
minutes should he devoted TO 81
COW TO produce The best and clean.
est milk under good sanitary condi
tlons
"The question Of the high cost OF
labor In another reason for the ad
vance I'm the price OF milk II costs
approximately so month more TO
day 20 obtain farm labor than It did
but short time ago. This with
tho cost ~ feed makes The high
prices. and can see no drop a.
this time and really cannot expect
one"
Above all Detroit ls hghting for
tho condition OF the milk admitted
to the city" said Chief Inspector
Thlson. I'VE aont want 10 threat
en or bully tho farmers or to at.
tempt to make a police department
out of our boaf1 Of health. First,
NO want milk that Is good clean
and safe. second. to keep ont milk
tIat comes from farms where dis
ease is prevalent. and third. 20
make good dairy men
There is one way 10 bring down
the food prices" said Agent Reed.
that Ia 20 plsce an embargo on