8 P.D. 123 



REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF DAIRYING AND HUSBANDRY 



Special Commission 

 The work of the Special Commission on Dairy Farm Inspection was completed 

 when their report was submitted to the General Court in December, 1931. The 

 report contained the following nine recommendations: 



1. That a Milk Regulation Board be created with power to establish and pro- 

 mulgate rules and regulations and uniform minimum requirements for the inspec- 

 tion of dairj^ farms supplying milk and cream for Massachusetts markets. 



2. That the Milk Regulation Board be empowered to act as an appeal board in 

 cases of disagreement on the issuance, revocation, and suspension of certificates of 

 registration to dairy farms, and permits to producers of milk to sell and deliver 

 milk in towns and cities. 



3. That the Director of Dairying and Animal Husbandry in the Department of 

 Agriculture be authorized to make and cause to be made adequate inspection of 

 dair3- farms producing milk for sale in Massachusetts as the basis of uniform 

 minimum requirements established by the Milk Regulation Board. 



4. That the Director of Dairying and Animal Husbandry be given authority to 

 issue certificates of registration to dairy farmers producing milk for sale in Massa- 

 chusetts when such farms show a satisfactory compliance ^ith uniform minimum 

 requirements. 



5. That the milk producers and dealers and distributors of milk and cream be 

 required to submit definite information regarding the production, distribution and 

 sale of milk, cream and milk products. 



6. That the consumers of milk be guaranteed a safe, healthy, adequate supply 

 of milk and of cream from sources that can be inspected most effectively and eco- 

 nomically. 



7. That a bond be required of milk dealers and distributors to properly protect 

 a continuing supply of quality milk from the producer to the consumers. Dealers 

 and distributors of known financial responsibility should be exempt from the bond 

 requirement. 



8. That the regulatory enforcement of the present law relative to the weighing 

 and testing of milk or cream as a basis for payment in buying or selling should be 

 placed in the Department of Agriculture. 



9. That the present Grade A and Grade A Massachusetts laws be repealed, and 

 a new legal grade be made for a high quaUty milk produced in Massachusetts. 



Most of these recommendations were adopted by the Legislature and were enacted 

 into law. 



Milk Regulation Board 



The Milk Regulation Board, created by this law, is made up of the Commissioner 

 of Agriculture, acting as chairman, the Commissioner of Public Health and the 

 Attorney General. This Board is empowered with authority to establish and 

 promulgate rules and regulations, including uniform minimum requirements for 

 the inspection of dairy farms producing milk for distribution, sale or exchange in 

 the Commonwealth. The enforcement of the act is placed with the Director of the 

 Division under supervision and control of the Board. 



Two pubUc hearings and ten meetings were held with milk producers, milk in- 

 spectors and milk dealers to draw up a set of regulations for the production of milk. 

 Information regarding milk regulations was secured from Providence, Rhode 

 Island, Hartford, Connecticut, New York City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 

 Newark and Trenton, New Jersey. 



Milk Quality Improvement Work 



The problem of improving the quality of the milk produced on Massachusetts 



farms is one of the most important that the Division is now working on. During 



the year 844 milk dealers' plants were visited and samples of milk collected. These 



samples were tested for keeping quality b}'^ the methylene-blue test, and also by 



