Annual Report 39, 



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

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

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

 move through marketing channel phases in an orderly manner. 



The marketing of farm products in Massachusetts involves cash 

 receipts to farmers of more than 200 million dollars and an agri- 

 business worth five billion dollars annually, making it the oocond 

 largest industry in the state. The Division of Markets role includes 

 providing certain essential market information, shipping point inspec- 

 tions, timely product promotion, consumer protection and regulatory 

 functions. 



These services include all fresh fruit and vegetable inspections 

 at shipping points, processing plants and at retail stores, wholesale 

 price reporting in Boston and Springfield city markets, editing 

 Special Apple Market Reports, retail price reporting for the Greater 

 Boston area. Milk Flavor Programs and Crop Reporting Programs, a 

 Foreign Trade Section, inspection and certification of approved con- 

 trolled atmosphere storage rooms, seed, feed and fertilizer inspection 

 and registration and administration of their various laws including 

 cooperative work with the U.S.D.A. in regard to the Federal Acts cover- 

 ing these commodities. 



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. 



