The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1918-10-17
DAIRY PnOGLEMS
| ARE COMPLEX
Consumers Are CounseIIed Not
To Decrease Use Of Milk Nor
Complain Of Prices.

UNLESS means are quickly found TO
remedy conditions existing In the dairy
industry as we'll as in other classes
OF livestock. serious menace TO both
ndustries-which are allied--may be
forecast"
This Is the statement Of Assistant
Federal Food Administrator, w X.
| Newell
"wlth the dairymen selling their
| businesses as fast as they are able 10
find purchasers" said Mr. Newell
with an Increasing volume Of sales OF
heavy calves, both male and female,
and with already n worlds shortage
OF beef the outlook for future supplies
Is not as rosy as one might wish.
1T has been charged in some
quarters that the price OF milk end
other products OF the dairy have been
elevated to such an extent at all
Pacific northwest points that the dairy
Interests should be making profit and
well satisfied with their lot.
: s'Taking only the retnll price as a
basis-that which most vitally affects
the coneumer--the price Of milk today
IN Portland is l5c per quart.
Even with normal prices milk is
generally sold retail at 10 cents n
quart here. therefore the advance is
not nearly as marked as In many
other lines OF foodstuffs.
"The dairyman today Is paying more
than double the wages OF normal years
for his hired help. lie is paying more
thaa double for his requirements Of
hay and a very con1idarnhle advance
over the normal for his bran and
Ghcrts
"Tho cost OF milk cans and other
dairy utentiis Ia practically double the
normal The cost OF bottles has scared
10 euch heights as TO make one diazy
10 think OF Il. The cost OF producing
milk today In therefore more than
double that OF normal periods even
without considering the fact that this
has been very abnormal season and
the productions OF milk and cream per
COW Is far below the normal.
Laws enacted during the last few
years force the dairyman TO add 10 his
costs as matter OF cleanliness. The
public is no longer willing TO tolerate
the quality OF milk generally marketed
a few years ago. All OF this costs
money and the dairyman has been
paying II while the full charges have
not been passed back 70 the consumer
ut has oftlmes been said that man
very seldom quits business where
liberal profits are available. The fact
that so many dairymen are quitting
that they are not making adequate
that they are not making adequate
profIts-if any at all.
THE killing OF dairy calves during
the present season has broken all
records simply because the country
producer could not afford 10 feed them
10 maturity. Suggestion has been
made In some quarters that the kill
ing OF female calves be prohibited by
law. This would indeed solve the prob
lem providing some means we're found
10 feed and keep the animala
Dairy experts have for years
preached the gospel OF getting rid OF
the star boarder-tbe COW that does
not pay her expense. That is the
situation just now. Few are paying
their board and there Is no improve
ment OF the situation In prospect.
similar conditions may be spoken
OF In regard 10 the future OF the beef
supply. Owing TO the shortage and ex'
treme price OF feed more lightweight
and unfinished cattle have been
markesed In the stockyards OF the
country during the last two seasons
than ever before known. The country |
cannot afford 10 feed It's cattle even at
the present price OF beef apd the
journey 10 market Is therefore neces.
sity. In fact the government has re-
Gently requested that the public pur
chase beef from tight weight animals
because the stock must be marketed
This means that many thousands OF
animals that are today coming TO
market Weighing around 500 TO 1000
pounds. would have showed a weight
OF at least a third more II allowed 10
fatten properly. This means an
enormous loss In the meat supply for