Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-12-14
3 CONCERNS CONTROL MILK
Fix Prices for Boston Bound
Product, Says E. S. Brigham.
state Health Board Publishes In run
Address Commissioner Recently
DcIivcred--"Distinctiv Milk
at Distinctive Price,,

". s Brigham, State commissioner of
agriculture, in an exhaustive article on
The Milk Situation in Vermont pub
liShed in the just-issucd quarterly bulle-
tin of the state health board, urges the
Improvement of conditions in the State.
The article gives in full the address he de-
livcred before the health officers school
in this city a few months ago The Free
Press published the features of the adj
dress at the time.
Says Commissioner Brigham
1T Is my opinion that the milk situation
in Vermont may be improved in three
ways:
81. The limitation or the requirements
Of health boards to those things which
are necessary to safeguard the public
health.
80 The payment for milk on basis
which will make a distinction in price
between good and poor milk
''&. The securing for tho producer of
price which will enable him to make
reasonable profit in his business.
REASONABLE REGULATIONS.
Tho amount Of regulation which bust
ness will stand is in proportion to the
profits in that business. If my atemcnts
in reference TO the profits in the milk
business are true, there is especial need
for US TO rct down to the essentials in the
way of requirements, else an adequate
supply will not he forthcoming
| so far, it seems to me, that a dairy
mans fitness to produce milk has heen
determined too much by his equipment.
too little by his methods and hardly at
all by his results.
/ 1T is Of course important that cows
be housed in reasonably clean, well-light-
| cd quarters, but We must take into con-
! sidcration that some of our Vermont barns
were built almost "A century ago. Tho re-
modelling of these barns to conform to
present regulations would cost the pro-
Queer large sum OF money. If this is
necessary, we'll and good but il those are
right who contend that clean milk can
he produced even in poorly appointed
i,ldr7iS ny such methods as keeping the
cows clean. the use of small topped pals
and prompt cooling Of tho milk, then
should not the inSistence bo placed more
: upon methods than upon equipment and
should not the standard of judgment he
tho condition of the product delivered by
the producer?
IF poor milk as commodity Of com
morCc commands tho same price as good
milk" says the commissioner unde' means
OF Improvement No . quoted above. and
tho milk supply to tend TO approximate tho
poorest quality which health officials will
allow to he sold
Under Securing Fair Price MI
/ Brigham declares that the milk shipped
from Vermont to Boston, which is our
principal market, is handled by four con-
Germs, two Of which arc one in all intcnts
and purposes except name.
! "ThcsH concerns have bought up cream
cries and cheese factories and now con-
trol the method of disposal Of dairy prod
Uctg in most Of the important towns sit
uatcd upon our railroad lines
The methods of price determination
used by these concerns was probably fair
~ stated by tho president Of ono ri them
at tho recent hearings in Boston before
tho Interstate commerce commission, when
he said 'U effect that, like good mere hants
his concerns bought milk in Vermont as
,chCaUly IS possible in competition with
the matchmaking Crcaincries and cheese
act oricS, While in some States of New
England, which have been favored by 9
cheap transportation rate, contracts arc
made for six months at certain price
no such contracts arc made here and Yer.
mont is made surplus territory by fix.
ing the prlrc 50 low that milk may b,
shipped during a time of shortage or made
into butter or cheese when the dcma ne
falls off in the city"
MIX Of a distinctive quality" for "a
, distinctive price" is the goal which. in tn.
duccrs ought to set before themselves