BRITISH FARM PRODUCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16372, 21 June 1927, Page 7

BRITISH FARM PRODUCE

AN ADVERTISING SCHEME LONDON, May 0. An admirable suggestion has been made by Mr. J. Stoate, a member of the executive council of the Somersetshire Farmers' Union, namely that a national advertising campaign should be started with the object of securing a greater demand for British farm produce. Mr. Stoate asked the members of his committee if they would bo willing to pay a levy of stty 2d per acre towards a national fund for advertising British farm produce. He argued that if the milk producers of the country could raise £25,000 to £30,000, as had been done for milk publicity, it was quite possible for .125,000 members of the National Farmers' Union to raise £IOO,OOO aunually for the advertising of British beef, mutton, wool, cheesq, butter, and so forth. He advocated the appointment of a £IOOO a year advertising expert who should buy space and send out "copy" regarding every branch of agriculture. Plenty of support was received for these suggestions at a Taunton meeting, which was practically unanimous in the matter. Mr. Stoate is standing upon safe ground if he or the National Farmers' Union would start a campaign for the extended consumption of British beef. If consumers were taught the greater worth of the British-fed cattlo over the imported, and if the "cuts" wore explained and brought out with clearness, and their differing values for roasting, boiling, and other purposes were demonstrated, these two phases of propaganda alone would result in a better trade in British beef. With mutton and pork handled in the same way, those sections of 'the meat industry would correspondingly benefit. The butchers would no doubt assist the farmers in this suggestion, as they havo recently done in the United States of America, where an intensive campaign, teaching consumers the names and values of different cuts and joints, has led to a genuino appreciation of better beef mutton, and pork. At the root of the question in Britain lies, undoubtedly, the subject of tho use of better sires. If better bulls and boars were used —our stud rams are usually good wherever one inspects them—we should have better-fed carcases, and so better quality meat and joints. British cheese also needs' national advertising. Chcshiro has embarked upon its campaign to grade, improve, and advertise its product. The makers of Cheddar cheese have gone a certain distance upon the same road, but have halted over the grading. Tho gulf betweca the best and the worst grades in Cheshire cheese has never been so wide as it is in the Cheddar variety, which explains perhaps .the hesitancy manifest by the producers of the latter as to grading.