52 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



of the buying system. It was brought about that prices should 

 be made as of market dehvery from every part of New England; 

 that deductions from the city price should be made represent- 

 ing the actual cost of moving milk from every railroad station; 

 and that the price at such stations should be the price at the 

 city less the actual cost of getting it there. In addition, a 

 liberal extension of the territory where milk is bought on 

 weight and test was made, and a uniform test basis of 3.5 

 per cent instead of 3.7 per cent to 4 per cent was established. 

 The rate for butter fat was raised from 3 cents per point to 

 3| cents. Lesser reforms were accomplished, but the most 

 sweeping revision and standardization of buying systems ever 

 made in New England was made August 1, 1917. In fact, it 

 was the only general revision ever made, for previously the 

 system had, like Topsy, "just growed." Personally, I regard 

 the reformation of the buying system as the most important 

 and profitable work the organization has done for the dairy 

 farmers of New England. 



The history of recent activities is too familiar for rehearsal. 

 Suffice it to say that though under pressure from local and 

 Federal authorities we have once been held for two weeks 

 without gains, and once set back a half cent for two months, 

 subsequent developments have proven the wisdom of the asso- 

 ciation in both cases, and to-day New England milk producers 

 are in our judgment far better off than they would have been 

 had they defied authority, asserted their rights by main strength, 

 and incurred the financial and other losses that would have 

 followed a fight. 



But what of the future? No wise man will value his accom- 

 plishments by the past alone. What he has done should fit him 

 for doing more and better things. And in this view may we 

 not for a moment consider the nature and importance of a few 

 of the problems this organization of farmers must tackle and 

 solve if it is to be hereafter worthy of the start it has made? 



First. — Strong in every State, the Milk Producers Associ- 

 ation should have a legislative policy in every State that 

 would dovetail into the general scheme of marketing milk in 

 the city centers. This program should include standard and 



