The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30

Situation: A group of sugar bee
growers in one Montana factory dis
trict were reported to be dissatisfied
with factory procedure on three
counts, namely:
l. The growers were asked to &C
cept company weights on the beets
as delivered at the dump.
g. The growers were asked to &C.
cept the tare figures as determined
by factory representatives using meth
cd outlined by the company.
3. The growers were asked to &C
cept the company analyses on sugar
content of their beets as final.
Question: A letter was addressed
to the director of the Agricultural Elk
pertinent Station in each of the lead
ing sugar beet producing states pro-
posing the following question: What
service, if any, is being rendered to
the growers of sugar beets in your
state either by the State Agricultural
Experiment Station, by separate serv-
ice agencies authorized by the state
legislature, by sugar beet growers
associations, or by other means, to
help solve such problems as men
toned above"
Answers: From the replies received
from the directors of Agricultural Ex-
tations are used by permission of the
directors of others concerned
| California: The Central California
Beet Growers Association, Ltd, with
headquarters in Stockton, Calf, "has
for past several years employed
chemist who makes it his business
each harvest season to visit each of
the factories operating n our terri
tory at least once each week to check
the methods used by the companies in
determining the sugar content dirt,
and crown tare in beets, etc. This
activity has resulted in material i'm
provement in these methods over a
period of years, and to the adoption,
too, of more uniform methods in the
different factories.
"The weight of the beets at the
dump is not being checked by rep
resentative of our group at the pres
ent time. You know, of course,
that the companies scales are tested
periodically by the State Department
of Weights and Measures, and that
the ordinary employee on the scales
is usually disinterested to the extent
that there would be no particular rea-
son for favoring the company as
against the grower in determining
net weights. +. At the present time,
we feel that the method in operation
in the various factory laboratories in
our territory is as satisfactory as any
where else in the United States"
Signed, Gordon Lyons, secretary.
Colorado: "The Experiment Station |
does nothing in the way of checking
weights, tare or sugar content. |
Neither is there any provision made
for such service by legislative act"
THE Beet Growers Association has
an agreement with the Great Western
Sugar Company that should they de-
sire, they may appoint man to check
any of these determination, and | am
told that in times past, this has occa-
sionally been done. AT present, how
sver the growers seem to be satisfied
with the companys records and there
S no attempt to check on them by
an independent agency" BY l. E.
Newsom, acting director, Colorado
Agricultural Experiment Station.
Idaho: 1.-THE growers committees
nave been active for several years
md have negotiated with the com
'anies on contracts and other mat S
ers affecting growers interests. The t
'nly requests for special help from '
he College of Agriculture have been l
concerned with the collection and S
of cost of production t
ata.' By E. ]. Iddings, director, i
IDAHO Agricultural Experiment Sta t
ion.
Michigan: "The Michigan State +
,ollege, through it's experiment sta S
ion, works on research projects and
re also have one full-time extension S
IAN working on sugar beets in an t.
EDUCATIONAL way. He does no regula- "
Dry work in connection with weights, Il
ares, sugar content and similar rela- o
ionships between the growers and t
rocessors. b
The growers associations are Il
ather strong in Michigan and they Il
lpervise the taking of tare and have II
ccess to all the companies records o.
18th reference to the quantity of sug- e.
: produced, sales, etc. They not c.
lly have representatives in each fac tc
Try but the growers associations b.
ave combined to employ represent Ell
i've to look after their interests &C
the state" (The growers til
ate representative is Mr.. Phil Gold as
NTH, Farmers and Manufacturers tn
eet Sugar Association, Saginaw, &C
ich. By H. c. Rather, head Farm ne
ops Department, Michigan State tn
,llege. gr
Montana: 1.-THE Montana Agricul- to
raj Experiment Station does not IN BIZ
rtake the checking of weights, tare, Gu
sugar content of sugar beets for
ontana growers. Neither has the so
ate legislature made any provision Oh
r such service to growers of sugar 10
cts. Sc
TO the best of my knowledge, the ma
overs Associations have not en- a
Dyed representatives to check with co
sugar factories on weights, tare, sol
sugar content of the beets" By err
yde Mckee, director, Montana Agri- tin
tural Experiment Station. GU
l.