Missouri State Dairy Association. 397 



ing, backing it up with the practical business side of this quality 

 proposition. 



The warning is this: Do away with ideals and meet this 

 question on the ground instead of in the clouds. Remember 

 that today we are dealing with cream not whole milk. Re- 

 member also that a horse may be led to water but that, he can 

 not be forced to drink. Farmers are not producing cream 

 at a handsome profit and will not meet ideal requirements. 

 If forced to choose between them and going out of the business 

 they will do the latter. It is not sufficient to answer that he 

 will get more money for better quality. If he is going to get 

 more money for better quality then the consumer will have to 

 stand the bill, and this the consumer will not do. He is already 

 protesting against the high prices of dairy products, and any 

 movement looking toward forcing the consumer to pay in- 

 creased cost of production is dangerous. One has but to study 

 the growth of the oleomargarine industry to gain this truth. 



There will always be a sufficient demand for good, whole- 

 some butter to insure a price to the farmer for his cream that will 

 enable him to stay in business, providing we don't force upon 

 him unnecessary expense, and providing further that we don't 

 try to make the consuming public pay for a lot of frills and fads 

 that it has not been educated into, and never can be. 



We believe absolutely in protecting public health, we believe 

 absolutely in laws that require wholesomeness in food products, 

 but when these have been accomplished we believe just as 

 strongly that the producer's interests, from an economic stand- 

 point, is the important thing to consider, and along this line the 

 work of our educational department has been directed. 



We have also been giving considerable attention to the 

 question of cream markets in our educational work. We have 

 felt that it is essential that the farmer understand the market- 

 ing of his dairy products as well as understanding their pro- 

 duction. The cost of production, of course, remains the same 

 no matter what market the farmer may patronize, and the 

 difference in cash between a poor market and a good one is all 

 clear profit to the farmer. 



There are several distinct types of markets for dairy prod- 

 ucts, all of which we endeavor to clearly explain to the man 

 who has cream to sell. These may be summed up under the 

 following heads: 



