CREAM GRADING.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 3173, 2 December 1927, Page 5

CREAM GRADING.

MUCH DISCUSSION AMONGST

DAIRY FARMERS.

LACK OF UNIFORMITY IN

GRADING.

MEETING BEING ARRANGED

As some of the dairy factory directors and cream collectors have good cause to know, there is great dissatis faction amongst cream suppliers in the district at present over the grading of cream, particularly round about Lakeside and. Brookside. There appears to be a lack of uniformity in the matter of grading between the various factories, some being more exacting than others, and naturally when a supplier finds that he is given only first grade, instead of finest, Jie is rather sore about it. Each factory has its own grader, who hold's a Government certificate, and an officer from the Department of Agriculture goes round at intervals and proves the work of the factory graders with respect to all butter for export.

It has been pointed out on many occasions during tlie past year or two that if New Zealand is to hold its own on the Home market against Danish competition the quality of the produce sent to England must be improved. In view of this the Government officials who grade the butter for export are more strict than they used to be. Pos sibly the lack of uniformity in regard to factory grading is due to some factories having made all the cream received thus far this season into butter for consumption within the Dominion, while others have been manufacturing for export. , But whatever the reason may be, it is very desirable that the same standard should be insisted upon all round, or some companies will be placed at such a disadvantage as may result in the loss of suppliers.

Mr E. G. Bishop, president of the Ellesmere branch of the N.Z. Farmers' Union, has taken the matter up with Mr Clayton, of the Dairy Produce Division of the Department of Agriculture, and is hopeful of being able to arrange for an officer of the Department to come out and meet dairy farmers at Leeston next Friday to discuss the

position with them. A definite announcement will be made in Tuesday's Guardian, In the meantime dairy farmers should realise that what is being done "by those factories which are having grading done in accordance with the latest Government standard is in the best interests of the dairying industry. Unless New Zealand can hold its position on the Home market the bottom will drop out of the industry in this country. Preference for Dominion produce will not count for much if the quality is not up to the m c ark.