Connecticut western news., 1920-09-16
MILK DEALERS MAY
 CLOSE ALL PLANTS Dairymen's Market Threat ened by New York
 Dealers

Dairymen again face a very seri- ous situation in the milk business. The New York Milk Conference Board has just served notice upon the Dairymen's League that on and after October 1st, no manufacturer will buy any milk at any price until such times as milk market conditions improve. This means if carried out to the letter, that large number of the members of the Dairymen's Lea gue will be without their regular market for their product and that the market of every other. dairymen will be seriously affected.
 The reason which the dealers give for this unprecedented action is that ! there is no market either foreign or domestic, for manufactured dairy products and especially for con- densed milk, evaporated milk and milk powder. In American markets the dealers report that there is little or no buying of dairy products, and that everyone seems to be waiting for lower prices. This situation has continued for several months with the result that dealers claim to have great surplus on hand and enough to supply their trade without further manufacturing for a number of months. Because money has become increasingly hard to obtain from banks and interest rates are becom- ing higher and higher, dealers insist that they must either get rid of some of their surplus stock without accu- mulating more or get out of business entirely. They say that it is not question of price now, but that they do not want the milk at any price.
 The distributors of fluid milk in New York market say that there has been no shortage of milk this sum- mer, and because there have been frequent rains throughout this terri tory, keeping the pastures in excel lent condition, production is not de- clining as it usually has at this period in other years. Notwithstanding the fact that there has been a larger supply of milk produced this sum- mer than ever before, the fluid mar ket has been good because people are evidently consuming more milk than ever before. The increased consum- ption of fluid milk is probably due to prohibition and also to the various campaigns conducted by many diff erent agencies encouraging larger use of milk.
 The situation as far as dairymen are concerned could hardly be more serious. Probably the, best that can be done for time at least, is to manufacture this unmarketed milk into butter and cheese. Some of it may be sold in fluid form but of course the fluid market cannot any where. near absorb all the rest.
 The dealers have said that they would be glad to keep their plants open, put in apparatus for manufac- turing butter and make the dairy mems milk into butter and sell it as trustees for the farmers. What the League will decide to do cannot be told at this time and will depend upon the wishes of the membership.
 This is another one of the many serious situations which are contin- ually developing in the milk business emphasizing the need of the dairy men owning and operating their own plants and thereby providing thena- selves with a regular market for their product.
 The Dairymen's League Directors are to meet Friday and Saturday, September 10th and 1th, to consider plans for meeting the present situa- tion.