Evening star., 1943-09-10
Milk Producers See
Rationing Here if
Price Is Not Boosted
Cost Hos increased 81
Per Cent in Washington
Area, Secretary Says


producers in the Washington milk
shed for a 70-cent-per- hundred :
weight price increase, B. B. Derrick,
secretary Of the Maryland and vir-
ginia Milk Producers Association
told an Agriculture Department
hearing today that Washington
faced milk rationing unless farmers
could be induced to increase their
production.
Mr.. Derrick said the cost Of pro-
ducing milk In. the Washington area
has increased by 81 per cent and
that the farmer has been given nc
added inducement to boost his pro-
duction.
Asserting that the current price
Of $4.35 per hundredweight for milk
will not bring forth an adequate
volume to supply the expanding
Washington market, Mr.. Derrick
said that the drought, together with
higher production costs, make ii
absolutely necessary" to obtain an
immediate rise in milk prices SO
that dairyman can meet his ex-
penses.
Since January, 194l, Mr.. Derrick
continued, the total cost OF produc-
tion has gone up 81 per cent while
fluid milk and cream prices have
risen only So per cent.
Demand to Grow.
Mr.. Derrick said that Washington
and the suburbs will require more
milk in 1874 than they do this year,
though the supply Is decreasing
steadily. Last month, he said. the
production per farm in the Wash
ington milk shed was IL per cent
below that Of last year.
Prices received for most farm
products other than milk in this
area have increased about IS per
cent" Mr.. Derrick said. "The dairy
man cannot understand why his
wholesale product has been allowed
to lag so far behind other foods"
Mr.. Derrick pointed out that since
January, 1941, fluid milk and cream
prices to producers have increased
SO per cent. But, he said, the prices
OF farm products generally through
out the United States increased 81
per cent; the price for all dairy
products increased 60 per cent; prices
received by local farmers for most
farm products other than milk in
creased IS per cent; the wholesale
price of butter increased SO per cent,
and the wholesale price of dry skim
milk went up 122 per cent.
Retail Prices Mount.
In comparison, he said, the retail
price Of all foods In this area in
creased As per cent. Butter went up
57.6 per cent, potatoes, 140 per cent
canned tomatoes, 704 per cent; lard,
47.3 per cent; cabbage, 1888 per
cent, and wheat flour, 62.5 per cent.
Mr.. Derrick said available labor
is ineff1ecient, resulting in damage
to equipment and cows. II this
factor could be figured, he added
the increase in farm wage rates over
that of January, 1941, would be
between 125 and $50 per cent.
Pointing out that the supply of
milk in England during the war has
increased Is per cent because of a
80 per cent increase in price, Mr..
Derrick said Washington will be
assured enough milk, not only this
year, but for years to come, If farm
ers are paid prices commensurate
with those being received for other
commodities.
"On the other hand" Mr.. Derrick
said, highly specialized dairy
farmers will turn to other and more
lucrative farming operations If they
do not receive adequate income. A
downward trend in milk production
cannot be stopped in q month or
two. Only an increase in the price
of the product he sells will prevent
the dairyman from restricting his
operations"
Drought Relief Lacking.
Mr.. Derrick said relief to farmers
in the drought area, promised by
the Commodity Credit Corp. still is
only in the talking stage.
He said none of the estimated
100000 tons of hay needed in the
area, and only "a trickle" of the
grain which CCC was to release has
begun to flow into the drought area.
He said In addition to costs which
farmers must bear in purchasing
seed, they also face considerable
loss from fertilizers and seeds for
crops killed by the drought. While
there was little or no harvesting ex-
pense, he said, the cost of preparing
crops which were not harvested was
considerable.
The hearing, held in the audi
torium of the south Agriculture
Building. was presided over by
Glenn J. Clifford. hearing COM
missioner. 1t was attended by
dairymen, wholesalers and con-