The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-12-10
Containers Used
Of Various Sizes
Program Outlined for Stand
ardization of Packages
for Shipping.
prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.)


A definite program for the standard
lzation of fruit and vegetable contain
ers TO eliminate the great confusion
that now exists on account Of the wide
variety of containers in use has been
outlined by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.
There is conflict between local and
state legislation, the department points
out, due to differences in container
regulation. Many states also have
weight laws in conflict with one an
other and with the federal law. The
weights are based upon heaped meas
ure and the statutes prohibit the sale
of standard baskets as bushel contain
ers unless they contain the legal
weight.
Abolish Legal Weights.
This results in unnecessary relabel-
ing of the weight or measure, the de-
partment says. 1t is impracticable to
weigh all perishable commodities, and
states should recognize the standard
bushel container when sold in the I'M
broken condition and should provide
for the retailing of its contents by
either weight or count, the department
recommends. Legal weights per bushel
should be abolished, the department
says, SO far as they apply to fruits and
vegetables.
Needed federal legislation with re-
gard to containers for fruits and vege-
tables, as seen by the department, in
clude repeal of legal weight per bushel
laws applying to fruits and vegetables;
establishment of standard shipping
containers not already standardized
and the elimination of all nonessential
or short-measure containers, and the
Standardization of containers as to
volume and dimensions. Volume stand
ardization, the department says, will
result in elimination of short-measure
packages, and dimensions standardized
ton will enable the basket manufac-
turer to keep larger stocks, sell at low
er prices, and to detect short meas
ures.
A recent survey made by the depart
ment showed that SO states and the
District of Columbia have passed laws
affecting containers for fruits and vege-
tables. Three other states have laws
comforting authority to establish stand
ards upon some state agency which
has as yet taken no action. The re-
naming nine states have no laws on
the subject.
Need Of Legislation.
Compared with similar survey two
years ago, the present survey shows
that two states have repealed their
container laws, three states which for
merIy had no laws have established
standard containers Of some sort, and
three states have made possible the es-
tablishment Of standard containers by
some state agency. This is net gain
of four states which recognize the
need Of container legislation.
The standards established, however,
the department points out, show that
no definite program OF Standardization
was in mind when many Of the laws
were passed. Only Indiana and Texas
have really comprehensive container
laws based on a definite program re-
lated to that developed by the United
States Department Of Agriculture.
Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey,
Ohio and Pennsylvania have followed
this program in part by re-enacting the
present United States standard con-
tainer act The remaining states have
legislated on types of containers which
happened to be of particular interest
to them at the time, without develop
ing any definite program on the sub
iect. Congress has established for
the District of Columbia standards for
the barrel, Climax basket, berry box,
till basket, hamper. round stave bas-
ket, apple boxes, pear boxes and onion
crates, but has given only the first four
the status of national standards.
The most popular subject for legis-
lation, the department says, has been
the berry box, "a states and the Dis
trict OF Columbia having standardized
this container. One other state has a
law on the subject, but 1t provides
that berry boxes must be of the liquid
quart and pint in size and such boxes
are Illegal for interstate shipment. The
United States standard barrel has been
adopted by 20 states and the District
Of Columbia. An interesting develop
ment shown by the survey is the adop-
tion Of the Northwestern apple box as
a standard container bv IA states and
the District Of Columbia.
The department has prepared a
mimeographed circular showing the
containers standardized by each state
and the title and address OF the enforc-
Ing official Copies Of this circular.
together with one outlining the depart
ment's program for standardizing con
tainers. may be obtained as long as
the supply lasts unon request TO the
bureau of agricultural economics. Unit
ed States Department Of Agriculture.
IVY Il. -