THE ECONOMIC FACTORS 145 



for milk of better sanitary quality. A noteworthy ex- 

 ample of this idea is the payment for low bacteria counts 

 which is made under the North plan of milk produc- 

 tion (page 78). 



Such differential payments for milk are all in the 

 right direction as recognizing the commercial value of 

 quality and should be complemented by differential 

 prices for the retail product. 



For the purpose of avoiding uncertainty dealers enter 

 very generally into contract relations with dairy farmers 

 according to which certain quantities of milk are de- 

 livered at schedule prices over greater or less periods 

 of time. These contracts usually fix the monthly prices 

 for six months at a time. One of the large New York 

 companies has recently adopted experimentally the 

 new departure of monthly bidding. 



The cry of " monopoly" is not infrequently raised by 

 the farmer, and it is true that as an individual he often 

 has no choice to whom and at what price he is to sell his 

 milk. The farmer's remedy, as we have pointed out in a 

 previous chapter, is organization to protect and ad- 

 vance his interests. Certainly, as an individualist he 

 is at a vast disadvantage. There are some signs that 

 the farmers are beginning to recognize this fact. Col- 

 lective action, though spasmodic, has been effected in 

 some instances, and the farmers' "milk strike" has 

 recently come into existence in earnest. 



ANOMALIES OF MILK AS A COMMODITY 



Milk as a commodity is characterized by two peculiar 

 facts which are to be considered in connection with 

 the solution of the milk problem: 



