(ITije Commontoealtt) of 0isii^sit\^ntitttfi 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER 



Present Status of Massachusetts Agriculture 



The business of farming in Massachusetts is progressing satisfactorily. 

 After many years of depression, it takes time to fully recover. The local 

 demand for high-grade products has stimulated their production. A grad- 

 ual change from general farming to the production of high quality special- 

 ties is taking place. Our best apples, eggs and poultry, truck crops and 

 milk find a ready market. 



The change from a long depressed industry needs capital and trained 

 men and women. The Massachusetts Agricultural College and agricul- 

 tural schools, as well as the members of boys' and girls' clubs, are sup- 

 plying the latter and the banks should be aroused to more readily supply 

 the former. The great outstanding educational achievement of the time 

 is the enthusiastic work of the graduates of our county agricultural 

 schools and members of the 4H Boys' and Girls' Clubs. There seems to 

 be more young people going on the farms from the city than in the other 

 direction at the present time. 



New England Council and New England Marketing Conference 



The New England Council initiated by the Governors of the six New 

 England States is doing a very notev/orthy work for Massachusetts, es- 

 pecially in agriculture. It recently arranged for and organized a New 

 England-wide marketing conference. This conference has accomplished 

 immediate results. All of the New England States are co-ordinating their 

 marketing activities. Each of them has introduced into their respective 

 legislatures a bill which, if enacted into law, will give uniform grades, 

 standards and packages of farm products. A bill recommended by the 

 Commissioners of Agriculture was introduced into the Massachusetts 

 legislature and several slight modifications were made by the Committee 

 on Agriculture. The bill passed in the following form. (A similar bill 

 was introduced in the other five legislatures.) 



An Act to provide for establishing grades and standards for farm 



products. 

 Be it enacted, etc., as follows: 



Chapter ninety-four of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking 

 out sections one hundred and seventeen A to one hundred and seventeen 

 F, inclusive, and the heading "Onions", inserted by section one of chapter 

 four hundred and thirty-eight of the acts of nineteen hundred and 

 twenty-two, and inserting in place thereof under the heading "Farm 

 Products", the six following sections: — Section 117 A. The commissioner 

 of agriculture, in this and the five following sections called the commis- 

 sioner, may establish and promulgate ofllicial grades and standards for 

 farm products, except apples and milk, produced within the common- 

 wealth for the purposes of sale, and may from time to time amend or 

 modify such grades and standards. Before establishing, amending or 

 modifying any such grades or standards the commissioner shall hold pub- 

 lic hearings in such places within the commonwealth as he shall deem 

 proper. Notice of such hearings shall be advertised in a newspaper or 

 newspapers of general circulation within the county where the hearing 

 is to be held for three successive weeks prior thereto, and shall specify 

 the date and place of each hearing and that it is to be held for the pur- 

 pose of obtaining information with a view to establishing grades or stand- 



