Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1920-01-04
ESTABLISH GRADES
FOR|DAHO.PRODuCTS
BY MARKETS BUREAU
1874 Warehouses in State Are
Bonded and Licensed Under
New Laws-6329 Cars Po-
tatoes and Fruit Inspected.
BY H. A. LYON.

BY II. A. LYON.
Director Farm Markets Bureau.
The bureau of markets, which is a
subdivision of the Idaho department of
agriculture, began it's activities under
the commission form of government
April l, 1919. The bureau in reality is
the old farm markets department re-
organized and operates under the farm
markets laws. The activities of the
former farm markets department have
been carried on and many additional
enterprises have been undertaken. Pre-
viops to April the licensing of all
threshermen of the state and the COM
pilation of grain production statistics
from threshermen's reports, together
with general assistance to producers
in marketing their crops, had occupied
most of the time and attention of the
markets officials.
1874 WAREHOUSES;
In addition to carrying on practically
all the activities Of former years the
present bureau of markets has the en-
forcement of the bonded warehouse act
and all warehouses doing a storage
business are bonded and licensed as
are warehouse managers. At present
1874 warehouses are bonded and Ii
censed. while "a warehouse managers
have been licensed by the bureau of
markets.
The most important activity of this
department for the past few months
has been the establishment of grades
on farm products and the inspection
of the products to see that they con-
form to grade. Official grades have
been established on apples prunes, po-
tatoes. alfalfa, hay and leguminous
seeds, and the law makes 1t a INSIDE
meanor for anyone to pack for sale
offer to sell. or sell any farm product
which does not conform to these
grades.
ALL CARS INSPECTED
Practically every car of hay pota-
toes and apples shipped from Idaho
in 1919 has carried a certificate of
grade issued by bureau of markets in
spectors. a copy of this certificate be-
ing attached to the bill of lading. 1t
is generally conceded that the inspec-
ton service has had phenomenal sue
cess for the first year of its operation.
Shippers and growers alike have gem
orally supported the same and have
been pleased to avail themselves of
description of their products by an i'm
partial official. which will hold good in
any of the courts of Idaho. The sue
cess of the system is due principally
to supervise the inspection of each
commodity These chief inspectors
have been able to carefully instruct
local men and to make experts of some
65 local inspectors throughout the
state. Nothing so defines the success
of his work as inquiries from innum-
cradle states for full explanation of
how the job was DONE" and from
eastern markets which report that
nrndtyrts ha Aa III
name for Idaho during last year.
GET GOOD PRICES
Also one of the important features
is the extraordinary prices which pro-
-ducers in Idaho have received for their
1919 output. Our prunes and apples
have been eagerly sought while the
Idaho potato has had no superior on
the markets Of the entire country. The
year just closed Is the first year that
this condition has obtained
Up to Nov. 10, 3545 cars of po-
tatoes had been inspected, 1861 cars of
apples, 141 cars of peaches, 240 cars of
prunes, cars of pears, Is cars of
mixed fruit and from all this number
there has not BEEN to exceed IL or Is
complaints on the certificates of grade
issued by state inspectors.
Although immediate financial benefit
has come to every grower and shipper
of Idaho products under this inspection
system, yet the reputation which has
been established and the future of our
farm business is most important TO
consider. for state which ships out n
commodity of real merit IL bound to
have no trouble in marketing its crops
to good advantage.
PUBLISH MARKETS
One of the duties of marketing bu-
reau or department should be the dis
tribution of accurate market informa-
ton among producers so that they may
have proper knowledge OF what their
product is worth before selling. Far
mers of Idaho as well as OF other
states have fallen very short OF max
tmum returns i'm years past because of
the fact that they were unable to avail
themselves of reports from the princi-
pal market centers.
The Weekly Markets Bulletin pub
lished on Friday of each week by the
bureau OF markets gives general infor-
ton on the various products of the
farm Such information coming from
impartial officials who are constantly
striving to make the reports more ac-
curate Is invaluable to the producer
and from complimentary letters TO the
director of the markets bureau this
service is meeting with general APP
10000 susec RIeeRs
testimonial Of the Appreciation OF
this service II the large mailing list
Five thous3fA tnkcnlbeH by the first
OF January 1920 had been the goal to-