Millers Will Not Pay For Baking Tests Of Wheat

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30348, 25 January 1964, Page 5

Millers Will Not Pay For Baking Tests Of Wheat

“It has been made clear to both farming interests and the brokers’ organisation that millers will not pay the cost of the baking test on samples says a statement from the secretary of the New Zealand Flourmillers’ Society (Mr J. B. Taylor) Commenting on the resolution of a combined meeting of representatives of United Wheatgrowers (New Zealand), Ltd., Federated Farmers, and brokers from North Canterbury, Ashburton, and South Canterbury. The resolution, which was forwarded to the Wheat Committee, urged that, until a decision is made on the apportioning of the 5s a sample charge, the charge be held in abeyance. “The farming interests considered the previous regulations governing wheat grading were too onerous, and as a result of negotiations the New Zealand Flourmillers’ Society agreed to certain variations of the regulations which gave the farmer relief as regards the definition of standard milling wheat, and to these variations the farmers’ representatives agreed,” Mr Taylor’s statement said. “The present regulations, which incorporate the variations mentioned above, now set certain minimum stand-

ards regarding baking quality and sprout damage, and the only means by which it can be ascertained that a sample of wheat complies with these standards is by the baking test being carried out by the Wheat Research Institute.

“The regulations say that the miller may require that the results of a Zelany or other test shall accompany each sample as a guide to the baking quality of the wheat.

“In view of the standards now set by the regulations, millers require that a result of the baking test be supplied in respect of each sample offered them, so that they can be assured of the quality of the wheat and that it is good for the purpose for which the farmer is offering it for sale,” the statement said.

“The millers consider^if is the duty of the farmer to obtain, pay for, and present the result of such test, just as in turn the miller obtains and pays for the test on his flour so that both he and the baker can be assured the flour is good for the purpose for which the miller offers it for sale. “It seems opportune to remind farmers that care should be exercised tu provide a truly representative sample, as the bulk supplied must be equal in quality to the sample,” Mr Taylor’s statement concluded.