DAIRY PRODUCE

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 232, 28 June 1945, Page 5

DAIRY PRODUCE

Review Of Guaranteed Price Urged CHANGED CONDITIONS In view of changed economic conditions, the National Dairy Conference, in Wellington yesterday, decided unanimously to ask the Dairy Board to arrange for the Dairy Industry Council to give early consideration to a review of the basic guaranteed price for butter and A remit to this effect was brought forward by the Federation of Taranaki Cooperative Dairy Factories. A remit, from Morrinsvillc, suggesting that the Dairy Industry Council be asked to give further consideration to the question of the butterfat.production standard in the guaranteed price (2501 b. a cow) was withdrawn after several speakers had expressed the view that it would be dangerous to attack one specific factor in the guaranteed price structure. In support of the Morrinsville remit, which opened the discussion, it was slated that wartime farming conditions had made the standard impossible of attainment, as was shown by the effective average production figures circulated by the Dairy Board. Mr. Alexander (Morrinsville) said that, even since the standard had been instituted, the industry had been unable to measure up to it. Producers, as n result, had been £4,000,000 out of pocket each season for the last four seasons. If they did not take action now to secure a review, they would continue to be £3,000,000 to £4,000,000 out of pocket each year. “We will be falling down on the job of protecting farmers’ interests if we continue on an unsatisfactory standard any longer than necessary,” he said. Another delegate, in support, said that, as a result of the standard set up by decision of the Government, in 1938, the dairy • industry had been dragging behind the rest of the community.

Questioning the wisdom of adopting the refnit, Mr. W. Marshall said he thought it was wrong to single out one standard. It was the one standard about which the farmer could do something himself. Good husbandry could increase the production per cow. A more general approach, he considered, showed a better prospect of securing a price adjustment for the coming season. Mr. 11. E. Blyde moved the Taranaki remit as an amendment, and the Morrinsville remit was then withdrawn. A Cambridge remit, suggesting that the Government be asked to review the labour reward in the guaranteed price, in order to bring the reward to dairy farmers into line with that received by other sections of the community, was also withdrawn.

For similar reasons, a Masterton remit, urging that, in view of changed circumstances since the basic prices were fixed, the guaranteed price for butter be brought more in line with that for cheese, was withdrawn.