Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-03-02
GRADES FOR FARM PRODUCTS
BENEFIT BUYER AND SELLER

Farming by rule of thumb is be-
coming obsolete. But many farmers
still want to be shown the value of
grading fruits and vegetables and
certain othcr farm products. With
out commonly accepted standards for
many products a considerable part of
the profits due to systematic agricul-
ture is lost.
Benefits of Standard Grades
The bureau of markets, United
States department of agriculture, in
pointing out the Importance of
grading a larger number of farm
products, summarizes the benefits as
follows:
1t would encourage better meth
DDS Of production and handling.
1t would provide a standard trad
ing basis.
1t would enable the buyer to pro-
cure a stock of any size and quality
desired.
It would aid in eliminating fraud,
thereby promoting confidence be-
tween producers, dealers and con-
sumers.
The federal grain and cotton
standards have come to be generally
recognized as desirable, and the war
time potato grades, though no lonS-
err compulsory, are still widely adj
hered to-a fact that is good evil
dence of their value. Several states,
including Pennsylvania, New Jersey.
California, Texas, Wisconsin and
| North Carolina, through their own
| marketing bureaus, are establishing
| or have established standard grades
| for one or more products. The fed
| eral bureau of markets has been
| glad to aid those agencies in various
! ways, having made an extensive
| study of the problem and accumulat-
| ed much valuable data. 1t is pre-
| pared to offer helpful suggestions to
any state or trade organization in
| terested in establishing standard
| grades for the following products:
! Irish potatoes, onions, sweet pota-
| Toes, apples, fresh tomatoes and
| cabbages. 1t also has investigations
| under way dealing with several other
| products.
| Grades a Universal Language
Students of present-day complex
| methods of distribution assert that
| it is Impossible to have adequate
| market quotations until farm prod
| ucts are sold according to commonly
| accepted standards. Terms used III
| standard grades are in effect uni
| versal language. They, permit eacr
| agent in touch with the market To
| sneak and be spoken to with clear
and full understanding of the sort OF
| products under discussion.
The total value, for the United
| States, of such representative Items
as eggs and poultry indicate the
MAGNITUDE of the interests now SUI
| fering from lack of adequate grad
| ing practices. These products tor
| 1919 were estimated to be worth
| more than $1,000,O 100000.
Various attempts have been made
| to establish egg and poultry stand
ard grades but the various eX-
| changes are not in agreement regard
| ing grades, and the trade has been
| handicapped because of resulting d.
| verSities.
The difficulties constantly arising
because of the lack of common stan
dards are illustrated by the expert
nnce of a New York broker who
made a bid to a western shipper Tor
carload of eggs classed Jas ''refrig-
Grated firsts." The offer was ac-
canted and when the car arrived it
could not be discovered that these
eggs fitted any known grade OF re-
frigerated firsts." In the rather
heated discussion that followed the
western shipper finally announced
that he had graded the eggs accord
ing to q standard of his own!
These are days when American pro-
ducers are looking to foreign mar
kets. Abroad, even more than at
home, recognized grades are an as
set. Again eggs may be used as an
Illustration. Prior to 1914 the larg-
est amount of eggs exported to the
United Kingdom by this country was
less than 100000 dozen in a year
Since 1914 it has varied from 4,9OO,'
900 dozen to 100000 dozen The
way has been opened for the deVel-
Opment of this immense trade be-
cause there have been small imports
from continental Europe. But, in
spite of the lead given US by the
war, Canadian eggs have been bring
ing from to cents more in the
British market than American eggs.
Nor was it a question of sentiment
with the Englisfmen. The Canadian
shippers, anxious to continue mer-
chandising connections established
during the war, have been grading
their eggs, and that fact has appeal
ed to the discriminating British
public.
Standardizing Is Fundamental
The lesson to America is obvious.
1t applies not only to eggs, but 10
many other farm procucts. a repre-
sentative of the bureau of markets
has stated the case thus: standard
ization is fundamental to progress
in every field of effort-in the arts
and sciences, and in industry and
commerce as WE'LL
Coal is sold on grade. Grade of