Argument For Raising Quality Of Raw Milk

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32312, 2 June 1970, Page 8

Argument For Raising Quality Of Raw Milk

Raising the standard of raw milk and the products made from it could earn dividends for New Zealand, according to Mr N. F. Reynolds, chairman of directors of the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company. “We have the opportunity in New Zealand to set a standard for raw milk at a level which would guarantee that products made from it would command higher prices than any of our competitors could achieve in the markets of the world,” Mr Reynolds said in giving the opening address at the Massey University dairyfarmers’ conference. The quality of raw milk in New Zealand, he said, had not sgniflcantly improved in 40 years. Those who had studied the problem closely knew that existing methods for testing milk-quality were hopelessly outdated and totally inadequate. At Rangitaiki Plains said

Mr Reynolds, after introduc- i ing a refrigerated farm vat to I every supplier and adopting I a new testing procedure— i which much more accurately < measured quality—they had I set a standard for milk ; quality which was the highest in the world, and resolved to I pay 2c per lb of fat above i finest for their new premium I milk. i They had started on August ! 1 with only 15 per cent qualifying for the premium : grade. It had been expected 1 that less than 50 per cent]’ would achieve the target over J the peak months of the year < and that this would fall off rapidly through the summer. ' But, in fact, the percentage 1 of premium milk had risen 1 higher each month, even dur- * ing the summer, with daily ' averages frequently more ’ than 90 per cent. 1 “If New Zealand adopted ' our premium-milk we would step ahead of the ' 1 t

whole world ... We have proved that it is practicable for the whole industry rapidly to reach this standard,” said Mr Reynolds. All their information was freely available to the industry. It would not be easy to transform the industry overnight, but with the co-opera-tion and financial support of the Government this could soon be achieved. Mr Reynolds suggested that ssm a year from the Government for the next five years would convert the whole industry to new standards of quality. The target could be reached in two steps. Government grants could be made available to all dairy companies establishing a premiumquality, raw-milk scheme to the satisfaction of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture. This grant, allocated at so much per lb of milk butterfat to the companies achieving this target, should cover the extra costs to the farmer, and provide him with an effective incentive.

The real test of high-quality milk was in the final product —and part of the finance should reward exceptionally high-quality dairy products. “It would cost a lot of money to reach the preeminent position in the world for quality, but we would then achieve higher returns. The nation benefits most when dairying returns are high,” said Mr Reynolds.