33G ANNUAL KEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGlUCULTUiiiS. 



two exceptions. These two are inspected, but less frequently, owing 

 to the irregularity Avith which they operate and to their location. 



The general plan of inspection is to enforce satisfactory sanitary 

 conditions in the factories and to inspect the materials used in the 

 manufacture of renovated butter. Improvements have been made in 

 manj of the factories, and as a rule the owners of the plants are 

 willing to comply with any reasonable requests that are made with 

 the view to improving conditions. Reports are made monthly by 

 inspectors in regard to sanitation and weekly in regard to character 

 of materials and product. Any butter containing an excess of mois- 

 ture (16 per cent or over) is reported to the revenue officers of the 

 Treasury Department. Of 1,041 samples tested during the year only 

 42 showed an excess of moisture. 



As the law authorizes condemnation of packing stock only when 

 it will be deleterious to health in the finished product, it is difficult 

 for inspectors to determine when it should be condemned. A chemical 

 investigation of this matter has been in progress for a year, but it 

 has not removed the difficulty thus far. 



The condition of containers for packing stock when shipped is 

 often unsatisfactory, being neither clean nor tight; in hot weather 

 the butter melts and leaks out on the surface. 



Experience shows some defects in the renovated-butter law, which 

 is a part of the act of Congress of May 9, 1902. The Secretary of 

 Agriculture is required to cause to be made a sanitary inspection of 

 all renovated-butter factories, but the law does not give him authority 

 to make the regulations necessary for the enforcement of sanitation. 

 The ap2)ropriation bill for the ensuing year provides this authority 

 for one year. The Secretary of Agriculture must approve all brands, 

 labels, and marks (except ordinary shipping marks) used on man- 

 ufacturers' packages of renovated butter going into interstate com- 

 merce. There seems, however, to be no such authority when the prod- 

 uct is taken from the original package by others than the manufac- 

 turer even though it is sliipped interstate. Authority for condemning 

 and destroying for food purposes packing^ stock which is unfit for 

 food is not provided. The manufacturer is permitted to use either 

 of the names " process butter " or " renovated butter." " Process 

 butter" has no significance whatever to the average consumer, while 

 " renovated butter " indicates exactly what the product is. 



These defects and other minor defects in the law make it impossible 

 of proper enforcement and render the inspection imperfect and un- 

 satisfactory. A new law throughout is needed, covering the points 

 enumerated in this report under the heading " Needed legislation." 



FUTURE WORK. 



New work planned for the coming year by the section of dairy 

 manufactures includes the study of butter markets and the methods 

 of marketing butter, with a view to determining the difference be- 

 tween the prices paid to the producer and paid by the consumer; 

 the investigation of the manufacture of ice cream, particularly at 

 creameries; the careful study of the manufacture of creamery by- 

 products on a commercial basis; and the giving of more attention to 

 the commercial operation of cheese factories. 



