Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-12
Milk Controversy

and Virginia Milk Producers
Association proclaims the
truth" about the dairy
farmers plight" and urges
District area consumers to
ask carefully phrased ques-
tons Of certain parties to
the current controversy. With
four growing children, my
family has an important
stake in the outcome Of this
controversy. We have been
overwhelmed via the press,
radio and television with milk
association advertisements
Astounding with innuendo. and
half truth.
The advertisement in The
Star of March 6. lamenting a
two cent reduction in the
blend price to farmers be-
tween 1852 and 1858 (which is
a fact. referring to retail
increases of 1.3 cents per
quart since 1856 (which is
not a fact as to vast quanti-
ties of milk sold in this area
and implying that those nasty
middlemen the milk distribu-
tors have pocketed the diff
ference between the two
prices (which is far from the
TRUTH is typical of the satu-
ration campaign being waged
to confuse consumers whose
interests are equal to If not
greater than those of the
producers or distributors.
While it is true that the
association farmer receives
less now than he did in 1852,
this plight" is largely of his
own making. In the first
place. the association has
admitted that 1t sold almost
three times as much milk as
surplus in 1858 as it did in
1852: the associations over
production has weighted
heavily the surplus element
OF the blend" price and
CORRESPONDENCE reduced it.
Secondly. the association has
lost Class I sales as dealers
have turned to other sources
with more realistic prices and
as the public has increased its
patronage of such dealers.
Thirdly. the association in
1858 was retaining earnings
from its plant operations
and setting them aside for
later payment to members; it
was not operating plants and
making such reductions in
1852. Since the members will
eventually receive the
amounts set aside, it is
obviously improper for the
association to compare the
actual 1858 payout with that
of 1852.
Introduction of milk in GAL
lon and half gallon con-
tainers at reasonable prices
by an independent dairy has
forced price concessions by
the Maryland-Virginia AS
ISOLATION. Undoubtedly this
has had some effect on its
blend" price. When the as
ISOLATION asks Did you get
one red cent of this lower
price?" it is insulting our in
telligence. The fact that the
purveyor of gallon jug milk
has expanded his sales so
tremendously is evidence that
consumers know a red cent
when they see one.
Patricia j. McManus.
I wish TO express my vehe-
ment indignation concern
ing the desire of Chestnut
Farms Dairy and Thompson's
Dairy to sacrifice high health
standards for the sake of
economy. 1t seems to be a
financial battle between those
who wish to purchase milk
at lower costs. with lowered
health standards and those
who wish 10 continue to pro-
vide milk at the same cost,
yet maintaining the Districts
necessarily high standards.
What are we coming to when
we allow profits which are
necessary to. the survival Of
any corporation to blind our
eyes to the need for strict
health standards?
We must not allow those
who would advocate such in
humanity to operate with
out protest. Notwithstanding
the Districts milk require
ments are extremely high as
far as health rules are con-
cerned, there are no stand
ards too high when it comes
to milk. its handlers and its
producers. Let the Commits
Sioners keep this in mind as
they seek to protect the con-
sumerS of this vital liquid
food, among whom are babies,
school children, sick and well
adults and the elderly.
Rena X. Arnold.