THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 21 June 1928, Page 12

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

WORK OF THE DIVISION VALUK j;.' INSTRUCTIONS. NON IN IiVTTEIt. (.From Our Own Reporter.) 'Palmerston N., Last Night. Air. IV. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division, addressed the National Dairy Association here to-day, touching upon some salient points of the department’s work as they affect the dairy industry. Hns remarks elicited a great deal of interest and notice. Inter alia, he said: — A resolution was carried at the annual meeting of the association a year since approving of farm dairy instruction being placed on a Dominion basis. Since then the matter has received further consideration. It is recognised that North Island dairymen know fairly well what the service means, and that they appreciate, the fact that the farm dairy instructors act as instructors rather than as inspectors, seems evident from the fact that your last year's resolution was carried practically unanimously. Less farm dairy instruction lias been undertaken in the South Island than in the North Island, and the dairymen in the South do not realise the benefits which result from the service as do the dairymen in the North Island. A resolution was carried at the recent meeting of the South Island Dairy Association recording its sympathy with the suggestion and requesting that the matter be brought before South Island dairymen during the forthcoming season. Some work has already been done in this direction during the past season, and we hope that this work will be placed ou the Dominion basis as soon as there is a sufficient consensus of opinion amongst dairymen in that direction to ensure the permanent success of the change. CREAM GRADING. This has been the first full season throughout which all butter producingdairy companies have graded cream on the compulsory basis and paid differential prices according to grade. It was recognised at the inception of this system on the compulsory basis that there would be some irregularities to smooth out and the division’s . instructors in butter making have made this smoothing out work first call on their time. The fact that voluntary cream grading was so much in evidence prior to the initiation of the compulsory basis made the general position much more favourable than would have been the case otherwise. DIFFERENTIAL TRICES. During the 1026-27 season the differential advances made by the Dairy Produce Board proved a potent factor in stimulating effort towards improvement in quality of both butter and cheese. That factor was withdrawn, and during the past season there has been a tendency towards lessened effort in the manufacture of cheese, and as a consequence a smaller percentage of “finest” quality. On the other band, the percentage of ‘‘finest” butter has been maintained and the percentage of ' second” grade has been reduced. I am of opinion that the position. obtaining respecting butter has been largely safeguarded by the payment of differential prices for cream in accordance with grade. THE CHEESE POSITION. This has not been improved by offers of equal prices for “first” grade and “finest,” and it is known that some dairy companies had more regard for getting a few pounds more cheese of. a lower quality than they had for the good reputation of their factory brand or the Dominion’s produce. Our London officers advise that quality is the prime essential for success in selling. It is also essential that the quality of a brand should be not only good, but that it should be consistently good. There appears, however, to be a growing recognition that “finest” cheese is worth more money than “first” grade. It is also becoming more evident that “finest” butter is worth a reasonable premium over that classed as “first” grade. Were butter and cheese always paid for on the basis of their comparative value there would be less difficulty in improving the quality of New Zealand butter and cheese above the generally recognised high standard of to-day. STORAGE OF BUTTER AND CHEESE. New Zealand producers of dairy produce are, I believe, to be congratulated on the arrangements made by the Dairy Bouru iw cue better handling of our butter and cheese in London. Late advices indicate that final arrangements have recently been made for the butter and cheese to go into suitable storage on being discharged, from the ships. It is to be hoped that satisfactory arrangements for suitable storage at ports of discharge on the West Coast will also be realised. The handling of our produce in the United Kingdom hits hitherto left very much to be desired. This was most disappointing in view of the fact that dairy companies and the owners of the gazetted cold stores give such splendid attention in New Zealand. It is known that within the last few months New Zealand butter has been standing in a stack in London exposed to atmospheric conditions for a period of five or six weeks or more. The improved arrangement in London

was long overdue, and in my opinion the Dairy Board, and Mr. F. W. Granger who did such yeoman service in this connection, ace deserving of special commendation. It was only an organisation such as the board which *could carry through such a matter on behalf of the producers.

NON-PRESERVATISED BUTTER. Regulations making it illegal to sell preservatised butter in the United Kingdom became operative as from January I last. So strongly did the dairy division believe that our dairy companies would comply with the regulations of the United Kingdom that no attempt was made to make the export from New Zealand of preservatised butter illegal. Our confidence was fully justified by later experience. Tests have been made of the export butter of each factory for preservative and with negative results. The United Kingdom’s regulation appeared to cause some anxiety amongst importers of butter from the Southern Hemisphere. Many of these had not realised that they had in previous years handled large quantities of New Zealand non-preservatised butter with satisfaction. Some publicity was indulged in, in the United Kingdom, but it appears that this was not founded on deterioration of New Zealand butter, and that probably a good deal of the outcry originated with blenders who found grocers and multiple shops diverting to New Zealand butter from the blended article which would not keep in a satisfactory condition, without preservative, long enough to get to the consumers. It would appear from London advices that in some respects New. Zealand has gained by the debarring of preservatives and judging by remarks made at previous National Dairy Association Conferences, New Zealanders will be just as pleased if New Zealand butter goes to consumers direct rather than through the blending houses.

COST OF CREAM TRANSPORT. Last year I made reference to this question, quoting a rough estimate of the loss accruing to the industry through the overlapping of lorries of companies competing for scream supplies. There has been a little improvement in certain districts since then, while in other districts there appears to be a tendency to make the position worse. Probably only when suppliers come to a more definite realisation of what such overlapping is costing them, will a move be made towards reducing the loss. It would appear that many proprietary and co-operative companies are more or less equally blameworthy with respect to this matter. I stated at the National Dairy Association Conference last year that these excess costs to the industry were probably as much as £35,000. Surely this is an amount worth much effort to save. There lias been a general lowering of prices since the war, mid such factors as the regaining of the. gold standard and unemployment produce results which operate in that direction. The dairy farmers of New Zealand can use the money represented by excess costs of cream transport to much better advantage, and for their welfare it is hoped that they will soon recognise the loss they are sustaining. CHECK TESTING BUTTERFAT TESTS The dairy produce general regulations made the position such that the dairy division could give more attention to the testing -of milk and cream in dairy factories. One officer has been employed in connection with this duty since last November. He assists the butter instructors in connection with cream grading during that portion of the ten day testing period, when no samples are available for check testing for butterfat. The work of this officer is deemed so important that we are expecting to have an additional officer appointed for this work next season. Special attention has been given those dairy companies which had highest yields during the. proceeding season. It. is intended to follow this work up even more assiduously next season. These officers will work under direct instructions from Wellington so far as the check testing is concerned. . This arrangement is to safeguard the. good feeling existing between factory managers to get the impression that butter and cheese instructors are inspectors. Up to the present we . can scarcely get the managers to realise that, the cheek tester is an inspector. One factory manager actually requested a visit of the check tester. It appeared to be evident .that the inspector would find little if anything wrong at that factory. SUMMARY. In general the industry has latitude to develop the farm dairy instruction work very' considerably' and this will assist the economic welfare of the dairy' farmers and the Dominion. The general grading of cream has been undertaken with less disabilities than might have been anticipated and further experience will doubtless tend towards greater uniformity in the carrying out of the work. “Finest” butter and “finest” cheese are evidencing their merit over “first” grade, and prices more generally . in favour of “finest” seem a reasonable expectation for the future. The problem of satisfactory' storage for New Zealand butter and cheese in the United Kingdom is. being dealt with in a way which should be of great assistance in the direction of placing our dairy produce in a more satisfactory condition before consumers. The United Kingdom’s regulation respecting no preservatives in butter aq> pears to be working out in a manner favourable to New Zealand. The check testing of milk and cream samples indicates that there is room for improvement in the manner in i which this work has been carried out at.

some dairy factories. It is expected that the dairy division will be giving additional attention to thia matter next season. Cream transport is causing costs which are excessive, due to overlapping of cream lorries in some districts. Were this a matter which could be dealt with by the Government doubtless there would be considerable agitation in that direction. It appears to be a matter which suppliers should take up through their dairy companies, since it is the suppliers who sutler the losses incurred.