Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-03-14
PASSING THE BUCK
Or ASkOV American:

EOltOT ASkOV American.
Minnesota farmers must improve
the quality of their eggs if they are
to expect better prices for their pro-
ducts" This was the high note of
the speech by Mr.. Trovatten, state
commissioner of agriculture, at
meeting of cold storage men in st.
Paul, who hailed from all over the
United States. Passing the buck to
| the farmer. 1t would have been bet
| ter had he said that the Commissioner
of Agriculture will enforce the laws
governing the traffic of eggs in Min
nesota, thereby helping to bring our
prices in line with other states in
the Union. Minnesota eggs are as
high in quality as any other eggs
produced in the United States.
Mr.. Trovatten should know this
and should not have attacked the
egg producers of Minnesota, rather
he should have dragged up" our
products to these people Why is
Minnesota the dumping grounds for
the Northwest? The reason is we
do not enforce our cold storage laws
and these eggs are offered every fall
in competition with our fresh eggs.
In February, 1887, delegation met
with Mr. Broderick who was at that
time head of the egg department and
we asked if that section of the law
could not be enforced. This was his
answer: "I1l admit it should be, but
| l would have six of the large egg
packers in Minnesota on my neck in
five minutes" Don't the farmer and
consumer have something to say in
Minnesota?
| The cold storage clause was en-
forced when Governor Christensen
was in office and eggs had to be
labeled so that the housewife knew
what she was buying. There is
place for cold storage eggs and we
are not saying cold storage eggs are
not fairly good eggs, but the ques-
ton is that so long as other states
| in the union are trying to help the
farmer by enforcing the fresh egg law,
thereby giving the public the right
to know what they are buying, why
should we not? If we are to in
crease the consumption of eggs in the
Twin Cities, which is a market of
almost million people and a mar
ket that should belong to the Min
nesota farmer, we must see that our
laws are enforced and that the house
wife buys strictly fresh eggs that
are produced on our farms every day
in the year at the same price she
is now paying for inferior eggs that
are shipped into our state on account
of the laws in other states that pro-
hibit their sale. If you want to in
crease the sale of a commodity, you
have to have quality or all the adj
vertising in the world will not do it.
The Produce Packer, issued March
8, listed Minnesota's egg market the
| lowest of all states making a report.
MIR. Trovatten should read this and
then try and find out what's wrong,
instead of telling the world our eggs
are of poor quality.
Farmers know it is as important
to take care of eggs as cream and
| are delivering a good product to
the market, but their responsibility
must then cease 1t is then when the
merchants, buyers and shippers must
do their part to continue holding that
good quality until the consumer re-
ceives them. That is the secret of any
farm product that we wish to increase
the sale on. Eggs and butter repre-
sent the payroll of the Minnesota
farmer, the largest business in our
state today. 1t is now sick, let's
all help make it we'll.
ART HALVORSON.
Sandstone, MINI.