CHEESE—NOT BUTTER

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 6 May 1925, Page 7

CHEESE—NOT BUTTER

THE JERSEY CONDEMNED

Air. Coleman Phillips, of .AVairarapa, writes as follows:

I regiet to take exception to those fanners who maintain “that New Zealand prosperity depends solely upon the marketing of our produce, and not upon its manufacture.” I contend that many dairymen will lie ruined unless our wliole process of manufacture is altered. Bor over 30 ye,ars, I have steadily and consistently warned them ot the error of their ways, and now they "are face' to 'face with the penalty. Butter prices arc down considerably, while cheese prices remain firm and good. The cheese factories are paving cut 3d a pound' more for butterfat than the buiter factories. Jt is evident, therefore that New Zealand has no business whatever to manufacture the huge quantity of butter it is exporting. It takes 2-V gallons of milk to produce lib of butter, whereas the same quantity of milk will make 2jlo of cheese. Banners are therefore, face to face with the heavy loss in manufacture they are now experiencing. The next great error dairymen have made, is the use of the Jersey cow, whore milk sliold not bo used in cheeso manufacture at all. JYe have the excellent report of the three special delegates of the Dairy Control Board, who were, sent to inquire into this matter, and they condemn the use. of the Jersey. They say, “Theoretically, cheese from Jersey milk should secure. a better price. Actually, we sec no prospect of it doing so.” Holland and Denmark skim the milk, (even Friesian), they use in cheese making. The very poorest of our milk is too good for tho cheese these two countries maufacturo for export. Tho London market shows that cheese made from rich Jersey milk looks greasy an dmost uninviting. I had the .honour of proposing and establishing at Greytown North, in 1880-1831, the first co-operative dairy factory in the .Umpire, and 1 have steadily warned dairymen since not to make butter, but to stick to cheese. Also to improve then 1 Briesian herds, as Canada is doing, by selecting good milking strains of that breed with reasonable buttcrlat test. This is what they should have done, and now have got to do. It. is the London market that demands this step and' we must do what London wants. Saftev tor dairymen lies far more in tho future manufacture of our produce, than in its marketing. Nor can T listen to those who may say our lands are not suitable for the Friesi.an. New Zealand is the cheese farm of the Empire, not its butter producer. Jt is going to pay oft' its huge debt chiefly from its cheese export, produced on a 3.G to a 3.3 test, and have nothing to do with butter export under 4.3 test. If butter falls to 110 s (as it may) Heaven help very many of the dairymen. A (rood, firm, unrich, safe-keeping cheeso is what New Zealand wants to export, leaving a dozen other countries, which cannot make cheese, to supply the butter.