DAIRY INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22046, 28 February 1935, Page 4

DAIRY INDUSTRY

i NEW CONTROL METHODS t GOVERNMENTS MEASURES BY PAX These are stirring times in the history of New Zealand's dairying industry. The old order ehangeth, and new methods of control are being adopted with the intention of placing this great primary industry upon a better working basis. The governing bodies being established to bring about this desirable state of affairs will bo charged with very onerous and farreaching responsibilities. Apart from the routine duties of attending to ocean transport and insurance, the problems of improving the quality of our dairy products and of marketing them to the best advantage will demand their hardest efforts. But, while the question of marketing must remain the concern of the ruling body, that of the improvement and uniformity of our dairy exports will require the active co-operation of dairy farmers. For them, this is a time of mental stock-taking and critical examination of their methods, to ensure they are really doing their best to produce the finest quality milk and cream for the factories. Apart from the great question of the influence of feed upon flavour, which constitutes a serious problem in itself and must be dealt with brother agencies, there remains the question of shed hygiene, or cleanliness, which must always be the responsibility' of the individual suppliers. What are the motives which activate them and shape their policy in respect of this work? Is it a sincere desire to produce the finest quality raw material, or are they content with a level of excellence which only just earns the coveted "finest" grade mark? Again, is there any foundation for the statements one sometimes hears that a small number of suppliers occasionally agree to patronise a factory in consideration of certain inducements offered in respect of the grading of their supply ? Serious Rumours These whisperings are certainly disturbing, as the suggestion that a few dairymen are able to flout the requirements of farm dairy instructors owing to the presence of friends on dairy directorates, who are able to shield them. If there is any truth in such rumours, it is a matter of tremendous seriousness—for what shall it profit a supplier if he gain the highest grade by devious ways and lose his best market by so doing? Another subject for discussion is the need for changing the form of control of this great primary industry. At least one farmers' organisation is I spending time and money in an at-» i tempt to influence dairy farmers I against the new departure. Probably, if the root causes underlying the measures sanctioned by our Legislature were better understood the organisation referred to would cease its agitation and help, not hinder, this necessary reform To .exercise a sound judgment upon a matter of this nature, it is necessary to make a broad survey of the position and then follow our deductions to their logical conclusions, which, briefly, will be somewhat as follows: For quite some time the condition of our dairying industry has been causing concern to intelligent observers. From a preeminent position on the London market, due to high quality and sound marketing methods, our butter, which at one time commanded a price equal to, and occasionally exceeding, that of the best fresh Danish, has now receded to a place in the list where the price disparity with Danish fi sometimes equal to minus 80 per cent, and is always a long way below par. The position regarding cheese has been described as hopeless. The Greatest Asset Grave dissentions exist within the industry itself, and to obtain a reasonable degree of unanimity on any subject discussed seems to be quite impossible. The rank and file are as sheep without a shepherd, and know not which faction to follow. Lot us not too hastily blame the Government for the drastic measures taken to rehabilitate the industry. , Our dairying industry is one of our greatest assets. It exports largo quantities of a valuable product, the proceeds of which are available in London to meet our commitments there. It is therefore, very necessary that it be i kept in a state of the highest efficiency i as much in the national interests as ; in respect of those actively engaged in I the production end of the business. As I tho dairying industry has signally ' failed to produce men capable of j achieving this desirable end, it be- | came the duty of the Government to . intervene. This drastic step is resented j by a number of men prominent in the i industry, but the responsibility for the j change must, in the last analysis, rest j upon them.