Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-05
DAIRY TRADE COST
REDUCTIONS URGED
Head of Supplies Company
Stresses Need for I'M
proved Methods.
BY BRADLEY w. TRENT.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, october 5-Reduction
of unit costs today is an outstanding
consideration of the dairy food indus
try, the value of whose products, If
market milk be included, ranks ahead
Of such manufactures as automobiles,
meat packing and iron and steel, &C
cording to H H. Miller, president of the
Dairy and Ice Cream Machinery and
Supplies Association.
Mr.. Miller was in New York today
making preparations for the Dairy IN
duStries Exposition to be held at At
lantic City, N. j., late in October.
The milk food producers everywhere
seem to realize," Mr.. Miller said, that
before another year is past they must
put themselves in position, with the
necessary equipment and with the
necessary improvement in methods gen.
orally, to turn out their products and
to get them through the intermediate
expense per unit"
Conflicting Factors.
Turning to prevailing economic con-
ditions with reference to the dairy food
industries, Mr.. Miller remarked upon
number of conflicting factors which
prevented a clear analysis of the pres
ent trend. While the dairy food indus
try is a basic one. he pointed out, 1t
was inevitable that, along with other
industries, it should be affected by the
decline in consumer purchasing power.
Reflection of the business depression Is
found in a limited decline during the
present year of consumption of bulk.
bottled and condensed milk and ice
cream.
THE decrease of consumption of
these dairy foods" Mr.. Miller explained,
has not been so marked as has been
the decline in the consumption OF
products of other major industries.
Moreover, there are a number OF I'M
usually heartening tokens.
THE latest national figures available
indicate that for the first eight months
of 1881, as compared with the CORE
spending period OF 1880: the output OF
creamery and farm butter, cheese and
condensed and evaporated milk showed
an increase of l per cent. Again,
stocks of all dairy products, except
skim dry milk, showed as of September
/ a marked reduction as against the
same time last year.
IF these figures be considered in light
of the fact that production and sales
have continued without the really dis
witnessed in number of the countryS
important industries. and if it be con-
Sidered that the dairy markets continue
to occupy strong position generally,
it must be conceded that this conSti-
tutes an altogether hopeful sign, not
only for the dairy foods industries but
for business as a whole, in that it is
indicative of significant stability
Rating of Industries.
''The significance of the strength here
indicated is heightened if the relative
Importance of the dairy foods industry
be considered. According to the census
of manufactures. the leading manu-
featuring industry in 1929 was motor
vehicles, its production being valued at
S3,717,996,553. Meat packing and the
iron and steel products industries were
second and third. Products of the
dairy industry we're valued at $685.
186,441. This latter figure, however,
excludes market milk. If a reasonable
value is placed on all milk, bottled and
bulk. going into household and similar
channels, the estimated total for the
dairy products industry would be more
than S4,150,0 100000"
Copyright, 1919