Milford chronicle., 1957-08-16
Appeal Made For Milk
Price Increase

An urgent appeal for a milk
price increase to farmers through
out the entire drOught-stricken
area was made in Philadelphia
this week at a meeting of the Board
of Directors of Interstate Milk
Producers Cooperative.
A. r. Marvel of Easton, Mary
land, president of Interstate, de-
clared such an increase is neces-
sary to cover increased costs in
Cured in replacing the drastic
losses of pasture and forage crops
suffered during the cure t
drought.
Inter-State's Board of Directors
directed its Executive Committee
to meet with representatives of the
Dairy Division of the Agricultural
Marketing Service, USDA, and the
Pennsylvania Milk Control Com
mission early next week, to ex-
plore possibilities of increasing the
farm price of milk as means of
reimbursing farmers for some of
the added costs of production di-
rectly traceable to these unpre-
cedented crop losses.
Marvel declared the drought in
his area on the Eastern Shore of
Maryland to be one of the worst in
his As years of farming experience.
He says many farmers, himself in
cluded, have for weeks been feed
ing hay that they put UP last
spring to be used for next falls
and winters feed supplies.
Similar experiences have been
reported by directors of Inter
State and other producers through
out southeastern Pennsylvania,
southern New Jersey and in Del
aware and Maryland, territories
from which Philadelphia milk
supply is regularly obtained.
Dairymen supplying milk to the
South Jersey, Wilmington, Della
ware, and Lancaster, Pa, markets
also have suffered severely from
the drought.
James e. Honan, assistant man
ager of Interstate, declared that
the feeding of next winters hay
and silage at this abnormally early
late is putting dairymen to unusual
expense. Reports from all parts of
the milk shed indicate that many
dairymen plan to continue present
operations as long as their home
grown supplies of forage last and
must then decide whether to Gull
their herds drastically or dispense
hem entirely and discontinue dairy
operations altogether.
HOnan pointed out that, although
here may be no immediate milk
| shortage, there is a real possibility
Of a serious curtailment next win
ter and early spring. He said that
only by adjusting the price to re-
imburse farmers for the extra
costs imposed by this loss of home
grown feeds can we be sure of an
adequate local milk supply.
Honan also stated that this price
| increase is necessary in addition
to any help that may be ohGained
for farmers under the drought re-
lief programs of the Department
0f Agriculture. This Federal help
has been requested by many coun-
| ty committees and state depart
ments of agriculture, who have
been supported by the Governors
Of these states through requests
TO Secretary Benson that drought
relief measures be taken at once.
These. it is stated, will provide
purchased feeds at reduced costs
and provide long-term loans at
special interest rates. for purchas-
ing feeds. Some of these benefits
it is understood, are available only
when other possibilities have been
exhausted by each individual dairy
man. These helps, all badly need
ed, will not begin to cover the add
ed costs dairymen are already fac
ing and will continue to face until
the 1858 pasture season arrives.
Honan declared.