2 BULLETIN 849, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



a great extent upon market milk. The supply must be brought some- 

 times from a distance of 300 or 400 miles, pasteurized, bottled, and 

 delivered to the consumer generally each morning before breakfast. 

 Furthermore, the milk must be handled under rigid sanita^ condi- 

 tions. For this business the modern city milk plant has been devel- 

 oped. These plants are constantly being remodeled, and new ones 

 are being built to meet the latest advances in sanitation. 



The purpose of this bulletin is to furnish specific information on 

 the construction and arrangement of modern milk plants as an aid 

 to those who wish to build new plants or remodel old ones. The 

 information presented is based upon data obtained from surveys made 

 of many of the principal plants in the larger cities of the United 

 States. 



PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS IN ESTABLISHING A PLANT. 



While starting a milk plant which insures a safe and adequate 

 milk supply for a community is a laudable enterprise, it must be 

 remembered that such ventures are not always successful. Many 

 milk plants have failed, not because of faulty management or 

 changed conditions, but because the milk plant should not have been 

 established in the first 'place. Before the prospective operator 

 engages in the milk business the following questions should be 

 answered to his satisfaction. 



1. Is the person who is to manage the plant familiar with the milk 

 business ? Unless a capable manager can be obtained the chances of 

 success will be greatly lessened, as the success of a milk business 

 depends primarily upon the manager. Besides being a good business 

 man, the manager must be acquainted with the details of handling 

 milk and of milk-plant operation. A man may have the proper 

 character, personality, and business ability to manage some other 

 kind of business and yet make a failure of the management of a milk 

 plant, because he lacks the technical knowledge required. 



2. Is there capital enough available to equip and operate a modern 

 sanitary plant until it reaches a paying basis ? 



3. Is there a sufficient supply of milk of proper quality available 

 or can enough be made available to operate the plant successfully? 



4. Is there a steady demand for milk in the locality under con- 

 sideration and is this demand being met by dealers already in the 

 business ? 



5. What type of competition will be met with? 



6. What is the attitude of the local health department ? A capable 

 health department can be of great help to a plant that is putting out 

 a high-grade product. 



7. What is the local labor situation? 



