Evening star., 1955-07-10
|DairyFarnlers
Fear Changes
In Controls
BY MARY LOU WERNER

BY MARY LOU WERNER
The dairy farmer is convince,
that any change In the mill
situation will be to his dis
advantage.
Farmers around Washington
for the most part hope to SCI
price controls retained at leas
at the producer level-the pricI
the farmer receives.
Without some established pricl
level. the dairy farmer fears h
might experience still furthe
reductions in his annual income
which already has taken som,
nosedives in the past three years
Vernon Leigh, who has a 20
acre farm on Route 7 in Fair,
fax County. ships an average O
100 gallons Of milk a day t,
Thompson's Dairy In Washing
ton. He's been shipping mill
into the District for 80 years
His father. grandfather anc
great grandfather before hin
were farmers in the same genera
area Of the county.
Sees Need Of Efficiency
"A man has to be efficien'
these days to make o dairy farm
pay around here" commentee
MIR. Leigh as he discussed thu
approaching milk hearing. "Yo,
must have good cattle, raise a,
much Of your own feed as pos.
sible. and keep repairs to 9
minimum"
But sometimes repairs aren't
enough and new equipment /.
needed. That's where today.
dairy farmers feels the squeeze
I'm getting about is cents 6
gallon less for my milk than
did two or three years ago." ex.
planned Mr.. Leigh. "Yet ever,
piece of equipment I buy is much
higher. It costs more to hire
extra help when I need 1t. Ever
the feed bills are higher"
Mr.. Leigh does not think dairy
farmers can produce milk al
lower prices and survive.
High Enough to Public
II do feel milk is high enough
to the public" he added. III
only there was some way they
could bring the cost Of produc-
ton down."
He favors a continuation of
price controls by the milk COM
but If the distributors
can sell 1t cheaper than their
present prices they should be
allowed to do So"
One Of the issues involved In
the present milk controversy is
that daires sell milk cheaper In
the District than in Virginia be-
cause the price minimums pre-
vent them from selling at the
same price in Virginia.
IF they do away with con-
trolls. It eventually will backfire
on the farmer" warned Mr..
Leigh.
He Is a member Of the Mary
land and Virginia Milk Produc-
ers Association, and expects the
association to represent him at
the milk commission hearing.
Howard J. Lowe. an independ-
ent shipper who operates q dairy
farm on Route Z near the Leigh
farm. also fears any price reduc-
tions would come back on the
farmer.
Always Comes Back
ut always does. We already
are getting considerably less than
we did two or three years ago"
said MIR. Lowe. "Of course, I can
sympathize with dairies. They
have to pay their drivers more
nowadays. I get about IS cents
q gallon for my milk. The dairy
sells 1t for around "a cents a
quart. That's q right smart
difference"
Mr.. Lowe believes milk prices
need some kind Of regulations,
but is not certain exactly how
they should be imposed.
Like Mr.. Leigh. he also ships
about 100 gallons a day into
Washington. He does not belong
10 the producer association, but
gets the same price for his milk
rs association members, he said.
The rising costs Of operation
are his biggest headache.
"Just a few years ago used to
BUY q three-pound jar Of steriliz-
ing powders for 80 cents" said
Mr.. Lowe. Nov / pay $2.25 for
the same size jar. Milk cans are
higher, too. The law allows the
dairies to make q certain margin
Of profit on their investment, but
the farmers don't have that kind
Of guarantee"