1218 New Yokk State Agricultural Society 



There is no subject pertaining to agriculture of greater impor- 

 tance than those relating to our dairy interests. The production 

 of dairy products of various kinds constitutes bv far our largest 

 agricultural ac-rivity. J\lore people earn a livelihood from it, more 

 capital is invested in it, than in any other branch of agriculture. 

 The value of the dairy products produced on Xew York State 

 farms is nearly $100,000,000 per year, and the supply is barely 

 keeping jiace with the ever increasing demand. Greater Xew 

 York consumes two million quarts of milk every day in the year, 

 and the other cities, towns and villages of the state require a pro- 

 portionate quantity. If the milk, butter and cheese consumed by 

 the people of our state is hereafter to be produced on Xew York 

 farms it is necessary that the production of these necessary 

 articles of food should be stimulated bv every means within the 

 power of the state. Better methods must be devised and pro- 

 mulgated, the standard of the dairy cow must be raised, the small 

 producers of our dairy herds must give way to those more pro- 

 ductive; in fact, all the problems must be studied and solved in 

 order to increase production without adding unduly to the cost. 

 And these are some of the things that the state is attempting to 

 accomplish. 



Important as it is that we should be sure of a stable and 

 generous supply of dairy products, it is perhaps of even greater 

 importance that such supply should be kept pure and wholesome, 

 ensuring the health of our citizens and of a standard as to quality 

 that will protect them against fraud and deception. And so the 

 state has by legislative enactment established standards and pre- 

 scribed rules and reo'ulations coverimi' the conditions under which 

 our dairy products must be produced. These are deemed neces- 

 sary not only for the protection of the health of the consumer but 

 ('(|iially t'oi- ilie j)rotection of the honest produi-er. If all milk 

 dealers woidd keep ihcii- cjins, boitlcs ov otlici- receptacles clean 

 and wholesome tliere would lie no need ou ihe i)art of the state of 

 ihcir iiispeciiou. It' ;ill milk wei'e proiliiced iiinlcf ordinary sani- 

 tai'v conditions and (jclixcfcd to the consumer in the same condi- 

 tion as when drawn li'dni the cow ihci-e would be no need of 

 sanitary inspection or chemical analysis to detect adulteration. 

 It is by reason of the fact that a comparatively few men, both 



