Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-04
Turner 10 Back
Virginia Milk
AgencyStudy
Chuirmun Comedies
Commission Changes
Muy Be Desirable
BY the Associated Pres.

RICHMOND, Va, Aug. A.
Mark Turner, chairman of tho
State Milk Commission, said
today he would support a legis-
lative study to determine
whether any changes would be
desirable in the agency's oper-
atoms.
At last winters session of the
General Assembly. a strong dairy
bloc killed a proposal by a city
group for a full-fledged study
Of the 20-year-old commission.
The agency has been subjected
to frequent criticism from some
city legislators who contend it
has outlivied its usefulness. But
all attempts to curb the COM
missions powers have been de-
feated in the Legislature.
Mr.. Turner was asked whether
he thought the commissioners
up to stabilize the Virginia milk
market-was needed now.
II think it is," he said, "but
it's possible some changes may
be needed to improve it."
Mr.. Turner said the commits
sion, for one thing. is in need Of
better public relations.
Price Hearing Continues.
Thee Virginia Agricultural
Conference Board last week
adopted a resolution calling for
expansion of the staff Of the
commission to enable it to rem
der better service.
Meantime, the three man
commission continued its hear
ing today on dairy farmer re-
quests to raise the producer
price to Offset losses suffered by
the States third successive
drought.
Representatives of producers
and diaries serving the Alex
dria-Arlington market, which
affects District prices, were
among those who asked for res
toration of minimum prices that
existed before May even though
most of their prices have been
restored voluntarily to the pre-
May / level. Virginia law per-
mits the sale of milk above min
imum prices fixed by the COM
mission. but not below them.
A brief filed by the Maryland
and Virginia Milk Producers As
ISOLATION declared that "any-
thing short of the full restora-
ton of prices in effect prior to
May can seriously impair pro-
duction Of an adequate supply
of milk"
M. H. Burchell, president Of
Alexandria Dairy, and Maurice
". Dawson, representing Chest
nut Farms-Chevy Chase Dairy,
also spoke in behalf of restor-
ing pre-May l levels.
Affects Only Store Sales.
Arthur B. Hanson, attorney
for Safeway Stores which sells
Lucerne milk, renewed his plea
for the milk commission to step
out of retail price fixing in the
nearby Virginia area. Mr.. Han
son said Safeway Stores could
sell Lucerne milk at prices below
the State Milk Commission
minimum.
If minimum prices for the
Alexandria Arlington market are
restored to the pre-May level,
only the price of milk sold in
stores will be affected in nearby
Virginia. This is because diaries
increased the price of home de-
livered milk in July back to the
pre-May l level due to CORE
spending increase in wholesale
prices, but left the price of milk
sold in stores at the same level
The commission effected cuts
generally ranging from Is to so
cents at the wholesale level in
the spring. Retail prices dropped
a half cent in most localities.
In some Of the localities. prices
are scheduled to go back 10 their
former levels October /. The
producers asked that they be re-
stored Immediately.