CHEESE GRADING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19325, 2 June 1925, Page 8

CHEESE GRADING

TOO MUCH BUTTER-FAT REQUIRED DAIRY FARMERS’ PROTEST An emphatic protest against the percentage of butter-fat in cheese required by the Government standard was voiced recently al the annual meetiug of the Rangiotu branch of the Dairy Fa rmers' Union. Mr W. H. Gimblctt, president of the branch, who presided, stated that a remit had been sent by them to the provincial conference concerning the amount of butter-fat in cheese. All knew, he said, that at present factories put an unnecessary amount of butterfat into cheese, and that, when no extra price was realised, meant a serious Joss to the dairy farmer. The butter-fat was produced, yet 4 or 5 points of but-ter-fat were put into New Zealand cheese without proper payment for if. The average amount of butter-fat in Danish cheese was 3.33 to 3.fi; in Cana dian cheese 3.5 and in New Zealand 4. He thought that the Government should no longer ask for so much butter-fat in cheese. The speaker read a letter from Mr Singleton, of the Dairy Division, stating that it was unlawful to send cheese for grading unless it contained 50 por cent, of solids. It was an offence to attempt to export cheese not coming up to ihe liigh standard. The Government regulation might have been all right 30 years ago, but now they used richer and better milk and the industry was unnecessarily penalised. He advocated lighting the attitude of the Government very strongly and to pursue the matter through the winter. Replying to Mr F. C. Raikcsj the chairman said that it had stated that 75 per cent, of the New Zealand dairy farmers were going in for Jerseys, and if they were going to produce the richest milk, and yet be askea Io make cheese of such high butter-fat content, the industry could not stand it. The competitors of New Zealand were not making cheese of such high butter-fat content, yet got 10s,. ,15s and 20s more for it. New Zealand cheese stood high in the world’s market and was regarded as better than Canadta’s. Air Ferguson said that, if cheese was properly stored, 3.5 w’as an adequate test. “Wc are in a now age now and things must alter—the Government must not adhere to old standards,” staid the chairman, adding that if they could not succeed to a great extent in influencing the Government they could do a vast amount by advertising their cheese. A visitor to England said that all sorts of cheese but New Zealand’s were advertised at Home, where the Dominion’s product was sold as “English eheddar.” They now had the Dairy Control Board to act fnr them and New Zealand cheese would sell on its merits if given a chance. “T)n a. 3.5 test you get the highest yield and the test would vary at certain parts of the season,” said Mr Beard, who advocated the standardisation of milk and added that a test for solids might meet the position. It was agreed by Mr Dixon that standardisation was desirable and the chairman commented that the best cheese and the best keeping sort was that with 3.G butter-fat. Cheese with a greater proportion than that was not regarded as the. best on the market. The discussion then lasped. At the conclusion of the annual meeting. the matter was again discussed and it was decided to ask a Government officer to address the local farmers on the question of the amount of butter-fat required in cheese. j It is explained that the standardisation of milk referred to above means separating the rich milk of the fall of the year to bring its butter-fat content down to the required average.