N.Z. Not Yet Milk Conscious

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 204, 30 August 1938, Page 4

N.Z. Not Yet Milk Conscious

IMPORTANCE OP TRADE STRESSED 4 'The liquid milk trade in New Zealand is far more important than tho trade in butter and cheese/' declared Professor W. Biddet, director of the Dairy Research Institute at Massey Agricultural College, in his opening address at a course for city milk suppliers which opened at the college yesterday. “Too many people/' added Professor Biddet, “attach all the importance to butter and cheese and overlook the increasing importance of the liquid milk trade." The course, which is being attended by about one hundred representatives of milk supply concerns, will continue with sessions morning and afternoon until the end of the week, with sessions also <m Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

The subject for Professor Biddet ’a opening address was, “What is Milk Quality!" and he proceeded to explain how New Zealand lagged behind other countries in its recognition of the liquid milk trade. “We seem to think that because we export our butter and cheese to Great Britain we are a greater dairying country than Great Britain, "he said. That was not so. In Britain there were 4,000,000 milking cows compared with our 2,000,000, and the British Milk Marketing Board handled no less than a billion gallons of milk a year, 70 per cent, of it being consumed in the liquid form. In the United States and on the Continent the con- | sumption of liquid milk was looked npon as a matter of national importance, while New Zealand, proud of her dairy industry as she might be, lagged behind.

“We are too intent on our export trade—it certainly has to be looked after—but there is no need for us to worry about the excesses of production until every man, woman and child in the country is getting sufficient milk to drink according to modern thought/’ Professor Biddet declared. “We are not as ‘milk conscious’ as we should be."

The day had now arrived, the speaker continued, when we thought of food in terms of quality and not in terms of quantity, and the food value of quality milk was becoming more and more recognised, particularly in the United States, where the milk consumption per year was 35 Imperial gallons per head of population. “If you go into most restaurants in New Zealand and ask for milk you have to do so almost apologetically, but in the United States it is served attractively and is regarded as an essential part of the diet," stated the professor. Ten years ago, when he left England, tea or coffee and even beer were served with meals, but to-day there were milk bars everywhere, the speaker proceeded. Tho people were milk conscious because leaders of public thought had proved that the people who consumed milk as a regular practice enjoyed better health and were more vigorous. The Scandinavians were the great milk drinkers in the world and as a consequence the general health of the people was on a high plane. “There is a great opening in New Zealand for expansion in the consumption of milk,*' Professor Biddet aid. “We are known to be big consumers of meat, lamb and butter, but our milk consumption is lamentably small.'*

A “Drink Milk" educational campaign was advocated, but before it could be successfully launched those in the milk trade—whether producers or distributors—had a duty to see thai the milk they sold was sound, safe and on all occasions above suspicion. What was the definition of milk quality! the speaker asked. Ten years ago milk rich in butterfat, milk of high test, was regarded as a quality product. To-day much more than that was required. Firstly the milk had to be clean; secondly, it had to bo attractive in flavour; thirdly, it had to be of good keeping quality; fourthly, it had to be safe; and fifthly, it had to be of high food value.

These aspects were each dealt with in detail by the speaker, who said that during the course various lecturers would discuss them further.