Putnam patriot., 1917-02-16
MILK PRODUCERS
vindham County Farmers Formed Into
Tswu Units Of New England Milk Pro-
ducers Association
The CeutraI Association Will Meet and
Make Plans TO Handle Mix From All
Members

memUtfS
Edward o. Colby of Whitefield, N.
H., president of the New England
MIX Producers association, has beeD
conducting a series of farmers meet.
inxs in every town in Windham
county this week ffor the purpose of
organizing local units of the New En-
gland Milk Producers association. The
final meetings will be held in Putnam
at half past ten O'Clock Friday morn.
ing and at Jewett City in the evening
OF the same day.
These meetings ha re been arranged
and supervised by County Agent Ben
jamin w. Ellis OF the Windham
County Farmers ass ,ciation, the as>o-
citation having come TO the conclusion
that the interests of the milk pro
aucers Of the county may best be
served by afiiiiating with the New En-
gland organization.
At each of these town meetings
president, secretary and treasurer were
elected and nearly every farmer pres
ent joined and also promised 10 bring
in other farmers MS members. On
Saturday at eleven O'Clock In the
morning a meeting Of all these town
presidents will be held ut the rooms of
the Farmers association, in Union
Block, Putnam. This meeting will
also elect u president and secretary
and the president so elected will be-
the New England Central association.
The Central Association will hold u
meeting in Boston February 22nd to
make plans for selling milk produced
by the members for the year. Ii is ex-
pected that the actual work of hand
ling the milk will begin by April LIST.
The purpose of The organic ,lion is
to make more liberal contracts for The
farmer with the buyer. 1t is claimed
that for years milk has been pro-
duced at II loss and that many farmers
have been driven out OF the business
or 10 reduce their herds. This has
been sad blow to the farms of Wind
ham county, for much of The success
, of the farm has depended on the sue
cess of The dairy.
The association will also give atien
tion TO the producing of better quail
ity of milk. II hss long been urged
shat milk should be graded SO that the
farmer producing better quality pro-
duet should gel more for 1t than one
producing nm inferior quality Here
tofore The price paid for both qualities
has been The same, which is consider
ed unfair to the tanner who goes to
the extra expense of producing bet
ter article. An advertising campaign
to produce an increased consumption
Of milk is also contemplated. In fact
the association will work solely for the
purpose OF making the dairying indus
try n profitable industry TO the farmers
of New England.
Tie plan has been under considera
sion for some time. Meetings have
been held in every county In New En-
gland and matters pertaining TO the
projeci discussed. Milk surveys have
been made and the pulse of the pro
ducers has been noted. The present
work however is the first actual getting
down 10 business to bring ABOUT the
plans form ulated and the theories ad
vocated and now the real practical
work along the proposed lines is about
70 begin.
That the plan as about to be carried
cut appeals tot the farmers of Wind.
ham county is denoted by the way
they are accepting the opportunity to
become members of an organization
that will contract 10 market their
product. 1t is apparent at a glance
that state association would be of
little benefit TO The farmers of Wind
ham county where The market is in
ether states, the market being in Bos-
ton and Providence. This New En-
gland wide association is therefore just
such an organization MS suits this
eounty's needs and ii has therefore
been endorsed by The county farmers
organization and by the farmers in
dividuslIy.
This agitation for better prices for
milk is nothing new. IL has been
aired so frequently that almost every
one, in whatever walk of life, is famil-
fsr with it. But while meetings have
been held and there have been at
tempts made TO gel down 10 m actual
working oasis, SO far, no actual step
has been taken to relieve the situation.
The custom of years is we'll known. The
city contractor has made the price and
sent the contract 10 the farmer TO sign.
He could sign IL or return It. II he
refused TO sign his market was at
ence cut of. The contractors leased
ears that carried milk TO market.
There was no other way for the farmer
to ship his milk. IL is n situation with
an apparent one-sided aspect.
After light made by various In
teresied organizations, headed by the
agricultural department of the Boston
Chamber OF Commerce. the situation
was reviewed before The interstate
CONNIE rec commission.
The commission considered the evil
dence furnished and declared that the
leased ear system was illegal and or
5ara.3 n h,lf.had A. far - aan ha