FARMERS’ BETTER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18572, 26 November 1920, Page 4

FARMERS’ BETTER.

NO SUBSIDY POSSIBLE. [Fbom Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, November 25. When the Government decided to pay a subsidy of sixpence per pound for factory butter retained in New Zealand for local consumption, a request was mado that supplies of “ farmers’” or home-made butter might participate in the distribution. The matter was referred to the Department of Agriculture by the Prime Minister, and nothing further was heard of it during the session. I learn that the question of giving some subsidy to the farmers’ butter was carefully gone into by the officers of the Dairy Division, but it was found impossible to evolve a fair basis of payment. The subsidy is paid on butter made to the export requirements. Farmers’ butter admittedly falls short of this standard, and as "grading would he necessary before the subsidy could be paid and it would be impassible in the majority of cases to send the butter to a grading centre, it _ has been decided not to pay the subsidy to this class of butter, but as the farmer is said to lie getting 2s per pound for his home-made product, he is probably fairly well 'satisfied, as this butter always sells for less than the > export quality.