Evening star., 1954-08-05
Virginia Studies
Plea for Prompt
pa 5ve
Milk Price Rise
Commission Asked
To Withdrew From
Arlington Area
spseioI Dispatch 10 The s,ar


RICHMOND, Va. Aug. ST.
The Virginia Milk, Commission
today will begin the study Of
evidence presented in a two-day
public hearing on proposals to
increase milk prices in the Old
Dominion.
Commission Chairman Mark
w. Turner, who lives near For
estville in Fairfax County. said
the commission will give con-
sideration to a request by Har-
rison Mann, Arlington County
delegate to the General Assem-
bly,. that the commission with
draw from the Alexandria-Ar-
lington area.
The commission fixes both the
retail and producer prices of
milk in the Northern Virginia
area. and Washington dairies
usually follow the prices fixed
by the commission.
Would Lower Prices.
Mr.. Turner said Mr., Mann
argued that. if the commission
withdrew from the Northern
Virginia area, certain stores
would then reduce the price OF
milk to the consumer.
The chairman said it was pos
sible under the law for the COM
mission to disregard consumer
prices and still fix prices paid. to
producers. ~,
If the commission decides to
withdraw from the area, Mr..
Turner said, a public hearing first
will be held in the area to de-
termine if withdrawal is in the
public interest.
Mr.. Turner said the commits
sion'S decision will be announced
at a later date. '
Ask Prompt Increase.
During the two.day hearing
a large number OF. producers
turned out to petition the three
man commission to grant an i'm
mediate increase in the price OF
farm-to-dairy milk.
Some distributors said they
would be willing to go along with
higher producer prices provided
the increases were passed on to
the consumer. But a few dis
trihutors objected with the ar
gument that producers are al
ready getting enough and the
public mood is such that higher
retail prices would mean reduced
consumption.
The highlight of yesterdays
hearing came when H. F. Wall.
Norfolk and Newport News dairy
operator, said the farmers were
| using the drought as an excuse
to get the commission to raise
prices.
Doubts Drought Claim.
"This business about the
drought - there's absolutely
nothing to it," said Mr.. Wall.
who told of seeing little evidence
of dry conditions on his trip to
Richmond.
He said distributors had diff
culties as well as farmers. but
they weren't always running to
the commission seeking a price
rise.
AS things are now, said Wall.
the dairy operators are Slaves"
to the producers and their as
sociations. These associations.
he declared. Ought to be told
where to get off and told by the
commisSionS
The producers generally want
prices restored to their levels
prior to the spring when the
commission ordered cuts that
amounted to one-half to one cent
at the retail level.
They said the drought, third
in a row for the Old Dominion,
had caused them to dip into their
grain reserves because of parched
pastures. The result. they con-
tended, will be higher operating
costs because additional feed
will have to be bought.
Expect Approval.
Dairymen predict the commits
sion will grant the producers
immediate higher prices-with
the result that consumer prices
will advance a half-cent pei
quart. NJ NJ
Under last springs orders
some areas are slated to return
to pre-May prices october any,
way. If the. commission accede.
to the producers wishes. the
return to the old prices will be
speeded up.
q