DAIRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 223, 21 June 1928, Page 11

DAIRY INDUSTRY

IMPROVING FARMERS’ METHODS CREAM GRADING AND CHECK TESTING REDUCING TRANSPORT COSTS Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, June 20. A number of important questions affecting the welfare of dairy farmers were dealt with by Mr. W. M. Singleton (director of the dairy division of the Department of Agriculture), in his address to the National Dairy Association to-day, on “Some Aspects of the Dairy Industry.”

Speaking generally, said Mr. Singleton, the industry had latitude to develop the farm dairy instruction work very considerably, and this would assist the economic welfare of the dairy farmers and the Dominion. The general grading of cream had been undertaken with less disabilities than might have, been anticipated, ami further experience would doubtless tend towards greater uniformity in the carrying out of the work, Finest butter and “finest” cheese were evidencing their merit over “first” grade, and prices more generally in favour of ’bnest seemed a reasonable expectation for the future. The problem of satisfactoiy storage for New Zealand butter and cheese in the United Kingdom was being dealt with in a way which should be of great assistance in the direction of placing our dairy produce in a more satisfactory condition before consumers, lhe United Kingdom’s regulation respecting no preservatives in butter appeared to be working out in a manner favourable to New Zealand. The check testing of milk and cream samples indicated that there was room for improvement in the manner in which this work had been carried out at some dairy factories. It was expected that the dairy division would be giving additional attention to this matter next season. Cream transport was causing costs which were excessive, due to overlapping of cream lorries in some districts. It appeared to be a matter which suppliers should take up through their dairy companies, since it was the suppliers who suffered the losses incurred; Farm Dairy Instruction. Mr. Singleton remarked that a resolution was carried at the annual meeting of the association a year ago approving of farm dairy instruction being placed on a Dominion basis. Since then the matter i had received further consideration. It was recognised that North Island dairymen knew fairlv well what the service meant, and that they appreciated the fact that the farm dairy instructors acted as instructors rather than as inspectors seemed evident from the fact that last year s resolution was carried practically unanimously. Less farm dairy instruction had been undertaken in the South Island than in the North Island, and the dairymen in the south did not realise the benefits which resulted from the service as did the dairymen in the North Island. Cream Grading. The present season had been the first full season throughout which all butter producing dairy companies had graded cream on the compulsory basis and paid differential prices according to grade. Generally speaking, the work might be said to have proceeded smoothly and satisfactorily and with less irregularities than had been anticipated. With few exceptions cream graders had done their work conscientiously and well. The cooperation of these graders, their companies, and managers was gratefully acknowledged. The Dairy Division was hoping that next season it would have the full co-operation of each and every company, manager, and cream grader in its endeavour to get this work on as nearly uniform lines as was humanly practicable?

Check Testing Butter-fat Tests. In regard to check testing, Mr. Singleton said the Dairy Produce General Regulations had made the position such that the Dairy Division could give more attention to the testing of milk and cream in dairy factories. One officer had been employed in connection with this duty since last November. He assisted the butter instructors in connection with cream grading during that portion of the ten-day testing period when no samples were available for check testing for butter-fat. The work of this officer was deemed so important that the Dairy Division was expecting to have an additional officer apnointed for this work next season. Special attention had been given those dairy companies which had highest yields during the preceding season. It was intended to follow this work up even more assiduously next season. These officers would work under direct instructions from Wellington so far as the check testing was concerned. This arrangement was to safeguard the good feeling existing between factory managers and dairy instructors. The Department did not want factory managers to get the impression that butter and cheese instructors were inspectors. Up to the present the Dairy Division could scarcely get the managers to, realise that the check tester was an inspector. One factory manager actually requested a visit of the check tester. It appeared to be evident that the inspector would find little, if anything, wrong at that factory. Excessive Cost of Cream Transport. Dealing with the cost of cream transport to factories, Mr. Singleton remarked that last year he had made reference to this question,- quoting a rough estimate o£ the loss accruing to the industry through the overlapping of lorries of companies competing for cream supplies. There had been a little improvement in certain districts since then, while in other districts there appeared to be a tendency to make the position worse. Probably only when suppliers came to a more definite realisation of what such overlapping was costing them would a move be made towards reducing the loss. It would appear that many proprietary and co-operative companies were more or less equally blameworthy with respect to this matter. He had stated at the National Dairy Association conference last year that these excess costs to the jndustry were probably as much as £35,000 a year. Surely this was an amount worth much effort'to save. There had been a general lowering of prices since the war, and such factors as the regaining of the gold standard and unemployment had produced results which operated in that direction. The dairy farmers of New Zealand could use the money represented by excess cost of cream transport to much better advantage, and for their welfare it was hoped that they would soon recognise the loss they were sustaining.