DAIRYING PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 219, 12 June 1933, Page 3

DAIRYING PROBLEMS

Lack of Organisation in Vital Industry REMEDIES SUGGESTED The lack of effective organisation in the management of the dairying indusI try is again coming into considerable I prominence and important suggestions to improve matters will come before the annual conference of the industry which is being held at Hamilton. Commenting ou these proposals, Mr. F. H. Anderson, chairman of the Cambridge Co-op. Dairy Co., who was for two years chairman of a committee set up by the industry to deal with the I question of reorganisation, states:— I “An improvement in organisation ! should bring about substantial improvements in quality and it is to be hoped that those responsible for making the conference’s decisions will weigh very carefully the merits of any proposals for a greater measure of efficiency and co-ordination of the different units of the industry. The economic condition of the industry (and the country’s dependence upon Its welfare) demands that no opportunity should be lost to minimise the inherent weaknesses of the present dual system of political and self-government of the industry.” Industry’s Units, and Board. Outlining the proposals, Mr. Anderson said that the primary object was to establish the principle that all units of the Industry should work up to the Dairy Produce Board and that the board itself should be the point of contact with the Government, thus obviating the present system of individual units making their representations through Government channels. Whether the Dairy Board under its present constitution of the democratic vote should be given that responsibility was of course a controversial issue, but the larger issue was that there was an urgent necessity which should be faced up to immediately by the industry and that was to co-ordinate its efforts through its own existing organisations so that it could quickly reach that state of efficiency In quality matters that its customers overseas demand. The existing regulations under the Dairy Industries Act and the new regulations just gazetted for the improvement of quality could in the ultimate best be applied to the industry through the co-ordination and backing of its own organisations rather than under the present system which carried the handicap of political control. Work of Dairy Division. - It was recognised that the Dairy Division must always exist for inspection and grading purposes, but the Dairy Board as a co-ordinated body could help materially in enforcing internal regulations and insisting on fair play among the manufacturing units of the industry. As a typical instance of ensuring this fair play the Dairy Board should be able to have access to and publish for the benefit of the industry the annual average gradings of each factory’s produce, so that the privilege of the national brand may not be misused by exporting units. “Denied such publication,” states Mr. Anderson, “the industry finds itself in the position that there is no necessity for factories to bestir themselves, as all produce realises to the factories about the level of the market for the national brand; consequently it is the level of lowest grading factories which must be definitely raised and the present system of administration has not been capable of bringing that about. Research Work Essential. “Research work in dairying problems is in urgent need of co-ordination with the producing ami manufacturing sides of the industry, and it is interesting to note the commendatory remarks expressed throughout the industry on the very excellent treatise issued by Professor Riddet, of the Dairy Research Institute, and Dr. Marsden, of the Research Department. "The necessity for such co-ordination is freely expressed by these scientists throughout their publication, and it seems imperative we should not only commend their criticism but act, and that quickly, on the progressive lines they have indicated. . “It is exceedingly regrettable, however, that the industry should find itself in such a position that its leaders welcome such a fearless criticism of it as has' just been referred to. "Research work to be successful must be freed from the irksome system which is at present hampering it so far as the dairying industry is concerned, and that would appear to be possible were the Dairy Research Committee an incorporated body working uinder the Dairy Produce Board. Present System, or Change. “The main point at issue is whether the industry is going to stick to its present system of organisation—a system which is getting it nowhere —or decide for some definite reorganisation which will raise the standards of efficiency and quality. If we decline to have anything to do with quotas we must resolutely make up our minds that the quality of our produce is going to be such that it will favourably compare with the best quality of dairy products imported by Great Britain, and also the production of the Home producers. “There may have to be compromise in the industry on minor issues,, but these, must not be allowed to stand in the wav of the all-important question of. an effort to raise the price level by improving quality. It is to be hoped that. the industry can in a conciliatory spirit face up. to the task of the reorganisation required. ’