Annual Report - 1 - 



The function of the Division of Markets is to create the beat 

 possible climate for the state's agricultural products and to help 

 with a variety of programs aimed at insuring that these products move 

 through marketing channels in an orderly manner from the farm to the 

 consumer. 



This is no small responsibility. The marketing of farm products 

 in Massachusetts involves cash receipts to farmers of more than 170 

 million dollars and an agri-business worth five billion dollars 

 annually, making it the second largest industry in the state. The 

 Division of Markets role includes providing certain essential market 

 information, shipping point inspections, timely product promotion, 

 consumer protection and regulatory control. 



Our personnel are qualified for many kinds of inspection, 

 investigation and market reporting, thus making for both economy 

 and efficiency. These services include all fruit and vegetable 

 inspections at shipping points and at retail stores, purity blue- 

 berry inspections, wholesale price reporting in Boston and Spring- 

 field city markets, editing Special Apple Market Reports, retail 

 price reporting for the Greater Boston area, Milk Flavor Programs 

 and Crop Reporting Programs operating under Federal-State matching 

 funds, inspection and certification of approved controlled atmosphere 

 storage rooms, seed, feed and fertilizer inspection and administration 

 of their inspection laws, including cooperative work with the U.S.D.A. 

 in regard to the Federal Acts. 



We are also charged with the administration of the apple, potato 

 and "native" labeling and grading laws, with the gathering of statis- 

 tical marketing data, and with acting as a clearing house for all press 

 releases issued by the Department. 



