Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-01-16
COUNTY FARMERS
ARE ON A STRIKE
Milk from at Least 5000 Cows
Cut of from New York City
in Effort to Make Dealers Pay
the Price Demanded-M0re
Butter Being Made

The milk strike with the dealers OF New
York city Is having a big influence on the
farmers of Chittenden county and 1t was
stated yesterday that the supply of at
least 5000 cows had been cut off from
New York city. The farmers to a man
are on strike in Underhill, Jericho, Essex,
Wflliston. Colchester and Hinesburg, and,
while they are losing money at the pres
ent time. they have all given their word
that they will stay with the Dairymen's
League t. the finish. AS a result. about
a ton and n half more butter is being
manufactured in the county than before
the strike and the local creameries are
enjoying a great boom of prosperity for
the farmers, instead Of sending their milk
away, are separating it themselves and
giving 1t to the creameries here.
r.. j. Wool and w. w. Church OF Essex,
g.. M. Baldwin of Hinesburg and A. H.
Packard Of Underhill nave just returned
from the convention or the ~Dairymen's
League, which was held in Utica, N. Y.
and at which more than 1000 milk produ-
GERS were present. They state that the
greatest enthusiasm existed there and the
Nermonters pledged the support of their
territories.
The producers lave not had much OPP
portunity to put their side of the story be-
fore the public except in the way of pub
lie meetings. They were in December
getting A.10 per hundred pounds for three
per cent. milk and the dealers propose to
cut this down to 1850. The producers re-
main firm at &.01, however, and the re-
duction of nine cents Is all they will
make. While the dealers desire to reduce
the price of milk to the consumer, they
themselves also desire to make as large
a profit on a pound as formerly. accord
Ing to the farmers side of the story. In
New York all the farmers are trying for
Is eight and a half cents per quart and
the milk is selling for II cents. The deal
err. therefore, gets as much for handling
1t as the farmer does for producing it. In
Philadelphia the margin allowed for
handling the milk is but four cents per
quart.
AS a result of the strike the farmers are
getting only three and a quarter cents per
quart but are given back the skim milk
which they are feeding to the young
stock. The skimmilk is not worth the
difference in the receipts but the farmers
here take the stand that If they give in
now there will be no let-up to 1t.
The Bordens have been taking the bulk
of the milk supply in the county and that
company is one of the big ones in the
present struggle for prices. Since the
strike began last Sunday, the supply OF
milk received at the plant in Richmond Is
estimated to have fallen of 80 per cent.
The company still keeps the plant open
and all s%ubstations are In operation In the
hope that farmers will weaken and give
them the milk.
Not all of Chittenden county Is affected.
for Milton sends it's milk to Boston. South
Burlington, as we'll as a part of S%helburne
and st. George, depends mainly on the
Burlington market. Richmond has Its
own cooperative creamery and Is not at.
fected as 1t did not give its milk to Borden
anyway.
The farmers claim that not only have
the members Of the league gone on strike
but many farmers who did not
belong have entered the ranks. The strike
In the opinion of the creamery men and
the farmers, will not influence the price
Of butter locally in spite of the fact that O
ton and a half more is being manufac'
tured a day, for the price IS made by the
Boston Chamber of and the
surplus will be put into cold storage be-
fore there is any great reduction in price