P.D. 123 9 



for the production of their product within established requirements ; the regu- 

 lating of the dealers or handlers of milk; checking their supplies for quality 



and condition of handling, etc. This section requires the full time of eight 

 men, a supervisor, four full time clerks, and three other clerks, most -»f their 

 time. 



Totat Inspections December 31, 1936 to November 30, 1937 



Inspections Yes No Reinspections Yes No 



1936 



December 247 203 44 18 14 4 



1937 



January 679 563 116 40 21 19 



February 587 465 122 53 37 16 



March 1,009 792 217 54 37 17 



April 742 555 187 132 98 34 



May 777 566 211 230 154 76 



June 823 415 408 253 155 98 



July 1,191 613 578 252 155 97 



August 772 392 380 548 355 193 



September ... 845 336 509 388 306 82 



October 901 461 440 683 540 143 



November . 522 262 260 464 342 122 



Total 9,095 5,623 3,472 3,115 2,214 901 



Inspections 9,095 Other Farms Visited 1,987 



Reinspections 3,115 Hearings 159 



Refusals 152 



Total 12,210 



Certificates Issued : 25,200 



The men employed in this service further assisted the Director in carrying 

 out special functions in connection with the various Fairs, Expositions, group 

 meetings, and in connection with National Milk Week. They also have been 

 pei-mitted to attend certain meetings of value held in Vermont and elsewhere, 

 while at work in areas adjacent to the said meetings. 



Bonding Work 



The Bonding section is directly responsible to the Commissioner for the 

 manner of protecting the producer for the payment of his milk from the 

 dealer or handler. This section was in the hands of temporary help during 

 the entire year, yet carried out its work without any serious complaints, and 

 in many cases adjusted differences which saved the farmers many thousands 

 of dollars. It requires the full time of two men. A more detailed report 

 follows. 



The Massachusetts Milk Licensing and Bonding Law took effect in March 

 1934. The purpose of the law was to protect the Massachusetts farmer for 

 the milk that he sold to dealers. Available information shows that the 

 average return to the farmers of this State is twenty-eight cents per hour, 

 and his income is shattered if the dealer does not pay him for his product. 

 The farmer usually is not protected by selling to several dealers and, there- 

 fore, non-payment by one dealer represents only a percentage of his income. 

 He usually sells to one dealer only, and if this dealer does not pay, the farmer 

 is oftentimes ruined. The farmer is protected for one payment period. The 

 law has had another effect as has been pi'oven recently by reports from 

 several dealers. It has forced them to keep certain quick assets in the hands 

 of the Commissioner. If they had not done so, the money may have been 

 spent on improvements which would have been unwise at the time, and their 

 ability to pay promptly for the milk purchased in this period of economic 

 depression would be sorely tried. 



