DAIRY CONTROL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 July 1924, Page 7

DAIRY CONTROL.

COMMENT BY FARMERS’ UNION PRESIDENT. In the course of his annual address, the President of the Farmers’ Union said: ' ‘Fhe passage of the Dairy Control legislation and the election of a sympathetic Board is another milestone on the road to co-operative- marketing of our produce. I am more than ever satisfied that this great movement is absolutely sound and that it will prove a weapon of defence against the attacks of our trade competitors in future times. Proofs of the soundness of dairy control are accumulating. 1/ was greatly struck by the statement of Mr G. D. MacFarlane, after a. careful study of conditions at Home in connection with the butter and cheese industry. ‘lt is admitted generally here amongst the wholesale merchants that something must be done to eliminate the enorniicus amount lof speculation that is going on in New Zealand butter, and any system that would destroy this would be beneficial to the producer and the seller. The war experience of storing has largely assisted in giving an impetus to this speculation. Buyers have the knowledge that New Zealand butter can be stored for long periods without impairing itg quality to any appreciable extent, and, as this connot be done so successfully with any other butter, it lias meant that specualtion has become rife in our butter.’ But that is not the only reason for dairy produce export control. Other countries are moving along similar lines. We have practical if not ahsohite control in Denmark and ‘control’ is the key-note of the new American marketing movement. Mr MacFarlane, in his vaduable criticism of the situation at Home,, informed us that Siberia was actually considering similar control methods to ours, and that other dominions and the Mother Country herself, would he compelled to follow suit. The fact is that production is increasing. Siberia is expected to heat its pre-war output in a very few years, and the recovery of the Russian trade is extraordinarily rapid. Only by control methods can we insist on the high quality that will save us in the future. It is not so much a question of getting the highest price -as of turning out the highest quality in the most economical manner. I imagine that the Dairy Board will work along such lines as these. If it does so, and concentrates on removing difficulties, and increasing the popularity of our butter, it will do a great national service to the Dominion. Possibly it may be able later on ta encourage production at tliis end as well, as by devoting, if such be possible, some of its funds to this purpose-.