406 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



not for the one they offer. They are fully entitled to just and fair 

 treatment. So long as we are at the head of this department its 

 policy will be "a square deal to all and favors to none." 



We have been much surprised within the last year to find that 

 in practically every case where there was sufficient dairy sentiment 

 aroused so there were prospects of a plant being built, the price 

 of butter fat was advanced by buyers for the centralizers from three 

 to four cents by the time the creamery was ready to begin business, 

 and that twelve or fifteen miles distant the same old prices were 

 paid. It is apparent that the motive behind this is a desire on the 

 part of the big plant to kill off the local creamery. We believe this 

 unfair and unbusiness like and that if they can pay these prices in 

 competition to a local creamery they should pay them where this 

 competition does not exist or where they come in competition with 

 other centralizers. This is our fifth report since taking the office 

 of commissioner, and we have never been obliged to refer to troubles 

 of this nature in our former reports. We had hoped that the rather 

 unpleasant relations that existed several years ago between these 

 two branches of the dairy industry was a thing of the past. 



When the position of commissioner was tendered, it was accepted 

 without entanglement or obligation to any set of men or interests. 

 We expect to direct the efforts of the department along lines, 

 that in our judgment will be of greatest benefit to dairymen 

 and farmers. If by helping to organize a creamery in a community, 

 the dairyman may be benefited to the extent of an increase of from 

 three to six cents a pound for his butter fat, we expect to render 

 this assistance even though the centralizer may lose the business. 



COST OF MAINTAINING THE DEPARTMENT. 



In looking over the laws under which this department was or- 

 ganized, there is nothing that we find that gives reason to believe 

 that it was the intention of the Legislature to make the depart- 

 ment which is a law enforcing body, self supporting. 



The Government appropriates many hundred thousands of dol- 

 lars yearly for the enforcement of the Dairy and Food Laws. 



