COMPULSORY CREAM GRADING

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3286, 4 March 1926, Page 6

COMPULSORY CREAM GRADING

Majority of Companies ; Already Grading 1 r STATEMENT BY MR 1 W. M. 'SINGLETON t - V i The question' of grading all T cream lor buttcr.maldng ancl paying for same on a quality a basts Is one that lias caused eonslderahlo comment In Interested dairy circles. Although, many ~ butter factories have already . inaugurated such a scheme, it j is felt, that nothing hut the f adoption of a standard scheme r embracing the whole of the New . Zealand factories will have the s desired effect and show adequate j, results, «1 0 It Is gratifying to note from various statements made by officials of j. the Dairy Division, that the quality v of our butter-at least, shows a steady upward movement, a fact duo, no doubt, to a general improvement of the raw material as g well as more up-to-date methods in its manufacture. Great credit is due to the system of farm' instruction encouraged by the " Dairy Division; as well as to the system of cream grading adopted by a, large number of factoriese. At the same time, it must bo obvious to anybody : in close touch with the Industry, that there is still a haphazardness about both these systems which greatly minimises the good results obtained in individual cases. Both farm instruction and cream-grading should be uni- _ versally adopted and until such time, as they become just as much I part of our general .-system as the grading of our butter and cheese, the New Zealand dairy industry will £ never reap tho full benefits from these splendid measures. .: It is satisfactory to find that the Director of the Dairy Division is coming round to the Same way of thinking, and in his New/ Plymouth address the other day foreshadows the compulsory grading of all cream for butter making. "It is pleasing to be In a position to state,” said Mr Singleton to the conference of factory managers assembled at New Plymouth, “that many dairy companies—and this includjes their managers,—have this J season made successful endeavours to improve the quality of their butter and cheese. There has probably been no period' that I can recall when producers, dairy company directors and managers, have given the question of quality so much attention, and have co-operated so heartily in doing something tangible in this direction. This has been evidenced -by the -extension of cream grading and the' payment of differential prices for different grades of cream, and linking up with this grading, the giving of instruction on the farm in the care of milk and cream. "Some of us are hopeful that £ 'next season it will be obligatory on c all dairy companies to/ grade cream c for."the manufacture of butter, and ‘ to vary the prices according to grade,” he continued. ‘‘There is a ( general consensus' of opinion amongst t dairymen and those connected with r tho industry, that an companies t should adopt this practice. The ma- c jority of dairy companies are al- i ready grading, and it is known that [\ many of those not grading would i welcome compulsory grading. As matter-of -fact, I know of only one g dairy company which has registered, v an objection, although I shall be 1; agreeably surprised if we do not i receive an objection from at least r another company,” ■ '' I