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With this end in view, many of the countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations have adopted national standards of quality and packing, which, if harmonized both as to nomenclature and definition, would greatly facilitate trading, encourage goodwill and increase consumption. It is believed that if a greater degree of uniformity were obtained, a degree of qualitative control would result which would be beneficial to all concerned. The Sub-Committee therefore recommends that the countries comprising the British Commonwealth of Nations should work towards the adoption of uniform standards for those agricultural products which experience has shown most readily lend themselves to standardization. This recommendation is in accord with the resolution which was passed by the Research Committee of the Imperial Conference, 1930, in the following terms:— " The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference desire to draw attention to the assistance which might be rendered to intra-Imperial trade in certain agricultural commodities by reasonable uniformity of standards or grades, and urge that those responsible for formulating regulations of this character in each part of the British Commonwealth of Nations should bear this aspect in mind." The Sub-Committee has considered a suggestion that has been placed before it to the effect that, in view of the great importance, from the producers' standpoint, of maintaining public confidence in a product, it would be helpful if the United Kingdom Government would legislate to require all wholesale trading in suitable commodities (eggs, for example) to be conducted on the basis of Commonwealth standards. This suggestion does not rule out the use of marks of identification in addition to the grade specified, but inasmuch as it would apply not only to produce from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, but to foreign produce as well, the suggestion becomes of international significance. The Sub-Committee appreciates the merits of the suggestion, but recognizes that important questions of policy and administration are involved. In any event, it is possible that, in the course of time, the objective may be reached by another route, namely, through some form of commodity-organization. The Sub-Committee recommends that the proposal be further explored. On the general question, the Sub-Committee is of opinion that, in order to facilitate the unification of Commonwealth grade-standards, arrangements should be made for the exchange of memoranda describing in detail the gradestandards in existence in the different countries of the British Commonwealth. This could usefully be followed by a further conference representative of the Dominions interested. Standard Containers With regard to containers, the Sub-Committee is further agreed that the maximum results from standardization of grading can only be attained if the containers in which agricultural products are marketed exhibit as high a degree of standardization as to size, quality and appearance as possible. The SubCommittee realizes that countries comprising the British Commonwealth of Nations have given much attention to the matter of standardizing containers used for the shipment of agricultural products and recommends that, in so far as the characteristics of the product and the materials available for the manufacture of containers will permit, efforts should now be made to standardize containers as between different parts of the Commonwealth. The Sub-Committee suggests that this matter be made the subject of further study in such mannev and at such time as is provided for the carrying forward of the program of unifi cation of grade standards referred to above. A. W. Street, Chairman.

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