Evening star., 1950-06-23
Eastern Shore
DairyFarmers
SeekD.C.0 Outlet
Scores Act to Qualify
Under New Rulings Of
Capital Health Agency

/ ~
Scores of dairy farmers in this
area were moving today to qualify
for shipping milk to the Washing
ton market after July /, effective
date of the ban on milk importa-
ton from farms, not inspected by
the District Health Department.
The Health Department said it
had received inquiries from ap-
proximately 100 producers. mostly
from the Eastern Shore of Mary
land, since the Commissioners yes
terday decided to allow permits
to farmers using chemical steril-
ization methods.
Until yesterday, local regula-
tions required sterilization of
equipment by steam. This cut off
many producers who were not set
up for that method.
Test Charts Lacking.
Health officials said the farmers
inquiring about applying for per-
mits to ship here did not have the
required tuberculosis test charts
to submit with their applications.
Many of these charts are on file
with the Maryland Health De-
partment. and the producers
planned today to obtain photostat
copies. These farmers potentially
could add some $4,000 gallons of
milk day to the District market.
The Health Department expects
to start sending out inspectors to
these farms Monday.
The ban effective July l will
cut off some 10000 gallons of
milk a day from the District mar
ket. 1t ends a wartime measure
adopted in 1912.
Miller Asks Easement.
Meanwhile, Representative Mil
Ter, Republican, of Nebraska yes
terday introduced bill in the
House to permit importation of
milk from any point in the coun-
try where the product conforms
to the requirements of the United
States Public Health Service.
That bill would repeal the pres
ent District milk law. 1t would
authorize new regulations which
Mr.. Miller said would permit the
Health Department here to ac-
cept inspections of dairies by
health departments of other
States.
He declared milk consumers
here "are the victims of a pro-
ducer monopoly. which gives
Washington one of the highest
milk prices of any comparable
city in the country"
The Agriculture Department re-
ported the April average price of
milk over the country at $4.38
q hundred pour@,s, he said.
The District price was $3.50:
in Chicago it was 1851, in San
Francisco, $4.22; Detroit. $4.20:
New York, $500; Pittsburgh, $4.53.
The decision to permit chemical.
as well as steam, sterilization came
as a temporary measure, pending
public hearing at the District
Building July 10 on various new
regulations on milk proposed by
the Commissioners.
These regulations. officials said
are designed to insure an ADEQUATE
supply of quality milk produced
from sources inspected by the local
Health Department.
The chemical sterilization pro-
vision is one of the new regula-
tions. If it should receive strong
enough opposition at the public
hearing. the Commissioners could
decide against the provision.
Miller Explains Stand.
In introducing his bill. DR.
Miller said: There seems to be
no valid reason why milk should
necessarily be pasteurized within
the District of Columbia, nor is
there any reason why steam
should be the only method used
in the sterilization of equipment.
There are now 80 States which
accept milk conforming to the
United States Public Health Serv-
ice code. They all use chlorine as
method of sterilizatio The
use of steam is not prohibited.
but it should not be a rigid re-
quirement."
DR.. Miller said he was asking
for an early hearing on the bill
with the hope that the public
hearing will be of some help in
assisting the Commissioners in
writing regulations which will be
in the interest Of the consuming
oY1h1in -