APPENDIX E 249 



writes one large producer and two others say almost exactly the 

 same thing. 



Apropos of the condition and correction for the condition of the 

 milk business are the remarks of one of the largest milk middlemen 

 of Baltimore, made recently in the presence of a representative of 

 the League: 



THE MIDDLEMAN'S VIEW-POINT: "Farmers often come to me and 

 say, 'I'm losing money by selling milk. I've got to have a better 

 price.' 



" ' How much money are you losing? ' They don't know. ' Don't 

 you keep books? ' No; they never bother with them. They don't 

 weigh their milk and keep account of their individual cows; their 

 herds are full of star boarders, eating their heads off. Very often 

 they don't have silos; they don't try to raise all of their own feed, 

 and they don't feed intelligently. Their product is poor and often 

 below city standard. No wonder they are losing money! 



"Some farmers producing milk testing high in butter-fat, low in 

 bacteria, and who have their cattle tuberculin tested every 12 

 months are getting now, an advanced price." 



"A general rise in the retail price of milk, however, is next to 

 impossible in the light of present public opinion. 



"It is true that the margin of profit is small; the only way for the 

 producer to make money is through more economical methods and 

 'better cows.'" 



The wide difference of opinion between the producer and the 

 seller of milk is at once apparent. They see the thing from entirely 

 different angles. Broadly speaking, each blames the other. It is 

 important to note, however, that the middleman quoted was in 

 complete accord with the several producers who advocated a system 

 of graded milk a practical point in favor of the system. 



It seems obvious that the dairy business can easily be system- 

 atized and improved so that much larger profits will be earned. 

 Then the dairy farmer can satisfy the demands of the consumer 

 and can, when the legitimate costs justify it, ask a larger price for 

 his commodity. The consumer should be willing to pay a fair price 

 for safe milk, but he should not be asked to pay for a high cost of 

 production due to inefficient methods. 



RUSSELL R. LORD. 



