TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI 485 



While the general tendency in the past has been toward the amalgama- 

 tion of small dairies into one or more large market milk plants, the past 

 year has seen practically no consolidation of this kind. Iowa still con- 

 tinues to be a state where small milk men predominate. Most of our cit- 

 ies, even large ones, still obtain their milk supply from small dealers who 

 either produce the milk themselves or buy from one or two neighbors. 

 While this practice usually results in the milk being placed in the hands 

 of consumers a short time after being produced, there is on the other 

 hand, the objection that small dealers seldom possess the equipment to 

 safe-guard the milk supply, which is found in large plants. From an in- 

 spection standpoint a city milk plant is much more easily controlled than 

 numerous small individual farm dairies. These statements are made not 

 with the intention of showing any favoritism toward the larger plants but 

 merely to attempt to bring out some of the difficulties presented in pro- 

 perly controlling a milk supply coming from numerous small sources. 



As stated elsewhere, a conservative estimate of the money expended for 

 market milk in the state during the past year is very nearly twenty-nine 

 millions of dollars. This figure may fall considerably below the amount 

 actually consumed each year in the form of fluid milk. As a matter of 

 fact it probably represents only something over one-half of the annual 

 consumption of milk since it does not take into account the enormous 

 amount used on the farms of the state. The three hundred and eighty- 

 seven reports from which figures were compiled, include only the milk 

 sold for consumption in cities and towns. Because of the fact that a 

 great proportion of these reports were received from small dealers, dup- 

 lication and other mistakes have probably made the figures a trifle high, 

 but as stated when the total consumption is considered, it probably falls 

 short of the actual mark. 



Because of the unsatisfactory manner in which many of these reports 

 were returned, it has been almost impossible to tabulate careful statistics. 

 Only a very small number of the small dealers keep accurate records and 

 in many instances the report of receipts received from the sale of milk 

 and cream, and like questions, were apparently very poor guesses. None 

 of those reporting appeared to be modest about their claims for an aver- 

 age fat test of their milk. In checking over a large number of these 

 figures with those received from the city milk inspectors it was found 

 that the tendency was for each man to give himself credit for richer milk 

 than he was actually delivering. 



As was expected, most of the dealers had a surplus of milk in the late 

 spring and early summer months and suffered from a shortage during 

 the winter months. Only a very small percentage of Iowa's market milk 

 is pasteurized according to the reports. An attempt to obtain figures re- 

 garding the number of cows furnishing milk for this purpose, proved 

 decidedly unsatisfactory. In general, it was found that the milk was paid 

 for on the Babcock test basis by the larger plants and by the gallon by 

 the smaller dealer. While automobile delivery is apparently growing in 

 popularity a large number of horse drawn vehicles are still in use, a num- 

 ber expressing the opinion that the frequent stops and starts necessary 

 in retail delivery making the use of an auto truck too expensive. 



