Z MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 173. 



Prices have risen since 1915. Labor and supplies of all kinds are higher. 

 Just how much the increase has been cannot be stated with accuracy. 

 Retail food prices have advanced nearlj^ 30 per cent. Perhaps 25 per cent, 

 will fully cover the advance in milk-distributing costs. 



Assuming the increase to be 25 per cent, the cost of retaihng milk in the 

 fall of 1916 would probably average 3.30 cents per quart for all distributors 

 here cited and 3.49 cents per quart for the milkmen investigated in 

 Springfield and Worcester. The authors will not, however, vouch for 

 these figures. Actual present costs may be Mgh'fer or lower than 3.30 

 cents or 3.49 cents. 



Introduction. 



It is well known that for a number of years the price of milk to the 

 consumer has been increasing. Not long ago milk was retailed at 6 cents 

 a quart, whereas to-day the price is 9, 10 and, in many instances, 11 cents. 

 Producers complain that notwithstanding the increased price paid by 

 consumers they are, at the prices paid to them, producing milk at a loss 

 and unless some change is made whereby they can get a fair return for 



Location of Cities and Towns Covered in this Investigation. 



their product, the whole dairy industry in Massachusetts is doomed. On 

 the other hand the consumers view with alarm the increase in price and 

 cannot understand why they must pay 10 cents a quart for milk when the 

 producer is receiving but 4^ to 5^ cents net. 



The Problem. 



The milk question has many phases and many relations. Some of these 

 have been indicated in the very enlightening bulletin on the milk situation 

 in New England, issued in June, 1915, by the Boston Chamber of 

 Commerce. 



The Massachusetts Agricultural College, in its outline of the problem, 

 has recognized three important lines of study and investigation: 



