Evening star., 1932-09-27
68 Montgomery Producers
to Reduce Shipments
5 Per Cent.
MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA
UNITED ACTION is URGED
Association Official Sees Danger of
Forcing Shippers to Other Cities
by Market Drop.

Steps to escape the milk price war
spreading over the Eastern and South
ern sections of the country were taken
today by the Maryland and Virginia
Milk Producers Association through
curtailment of the supply to the Wash
ington market.
Sixty-eight producers in Montgomery
County, Md, already have planned to
reduce shipments per cent, and others
in Maryland and Virginia have been
urged by the association to take similar
action to avert break in prices.
John McGill, jr.. secretary-manager
Of the association. which provides
Washington with approximately "a per
cent of its milk supply, pointed out that
the existing price level must be main
tanned to avoid the widespread milk
price war and its accompanying short
age of supply. Action of the producers.
he said. was predicatsd on desire to
continue supplying the Washington
market with the present high grade OF
milk in sufficient quantity to meet all
demands.
Overproduction Blamed.
Overproduction in recent weeks Nc
Gill said, caused the surplus on the
Washington market. which distributors
have found difficult to handle at price
satisfactory to the producers. Should
explained, producers would ship to
other points and deprive Washington
Of an adequate supply.
Milk prices in Washington, according
to McGill, are at present higher than
any place in the country. due to the
high quality of milk required by stand
ards of the District Health Department.
These requirements, he said, are so
strict that the Washington market lost
296 shippers in the last four years,
which placed the burden of making up
the shortage on 1851 shippers, COM
pared with 1857 in 1923.
These shippers met the demand for
increased supplies through enlarged
herds, which will now be reduced, If
necessary, to eliminate the surplus. This
excess in supply, McGill explained, is
temporary, and is due largely to notices
sent shippers in July to increase pro-
duction in September and avoid a po-
tential shortage in event of a prolonged
dry spell.
The wholesale price Of milk on the
washington market IS 81 cents a gallon
for per cent butterfat grade This
is 6 cents a gallon lower, McGill said.
than the wholesale price year ago. In
the same period the retail price has
been cut l cent quart to 13 cents.
Pints are cents.
Any reduction in the wholesale price,
McGili declared. might force shippers
into other markets. even at prices lower
than those in washington because milk
standards on other markets are not as
high. A shortage then, he said, would
De inevitable.
Cut Voted At Meeting.
The 68 Montgomery County produc-
ers voted the 5 per cent curtailment in
shipments at meeting in Rockville yes
terday afternoon after McGill had out
lined the seriousness of the milk situa-
ton. Producers in other sections of the
area covered by the association, are to
meet this week to act on the request
for per cent reduction in supply.
Milk distributors in Washington are
not contemplating any reduction in the
retail price because of the temporary ex-
cess In supply. Dairymen pointed out
that retail prices are governed by the
wholesale price, and if the producers,
through their association, do not order
a reduction, they cannot profitably
make cut.
The average daily consumption OF
milk on the Washington market is 58,-
$40 gallons.
Fowler Watches Situation.
DR.. William C. Fowler, District health
officer, is following closely the milk
situation in Washington as we'll as in
other sections of the country in prepa-
ration fer any eventuality.
so far as / can see there is no indi-
cation of trouble in washington, and
don't anticipate any trouble" he said.
THE Washington market is good one
and the producers are getting a good
price,"
DR.. Fowler made 1t plain. however,
that If shippers outside the present
Washington production area make ef-
forts to unload surplus supplies in the
District. his department will be ready
for action.
THE quality of milk is one thing that
I can control" Dr.. Fowler declared,
Continued on Page 2, Column D.