9 
* 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 682 
Contributions from the Bureau ef Markets 
CHARLES J. BRAND, Chief 
Washington, D. C. Vv July 15, 1918 
A STUDY OF PRICES AND QUALITY OF CREAMERY 
BUTTER. 
By G. P. WARBER, Assistant in Marketing Dairy Products. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. | Page. 
Importance of accurate wholesale price quo- _ Relation of wholesale prices to jobbing and 
pOlOMS Sete aero eee pine See ne ee a Ilsa HOLA LICOS a sae aes a ee es 9 
Method and scope of investigations......-...- i= eakvetailipnice lewelSsec=.a = en ee 11 
Wholesale quotations on which creamery but- Effect of packaging under established brands. 15 
LELIDLIGES Ae WASe Cae oe eee siecere = 2 | Effect of differences in type of retailers--.-.- 16 
Important basic wholesale butter markets... 3; | CONCLUISIONS S25 2 os Sac ee Pete ae ee 20 
Relation of wholesale price quotations to 
Standandsjandieradesie.. 955-5. - 2 eee 5 
IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE WHOLESALE PRICE QUOTATIONS. 
The majority of American creameries sell their butter on the 
basis of some recognized market quotation which, it is supposed, 
represents the prevailing wholesale market value of a certain grade 
of butter within the market where the quotation is issued.t The 
primary wholesale market receivers of creamery butter usually have 
standing agreements both with the creameries from which they obtain 
their supplies and with the jobbers and retailers to whom they sell, 
whereby the current prices for different grades of goods are de- 
pendent upon either weekly or daily market quotations. Thus, it 
is a matter of considerable importance to consumers as well as to 
producers that the various wholesale price quotations in different 
markets should reflect accurately the actual current values of different 
grades of butter. 
METHOD AND SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION. 
In order to determine the relationship of certain market quotations 
to the basic wholesale prices of creamery butter and to find out to 
what extent improvement in the quality of butter helps the creamery 
1¥For a detailed description of the methods by which current market quotations are 
issued, see Departnient Bulletin 456, ‘‘ Marketing Creamery Butter,” by Potts, Roy C., and 
Meyer, H. F. 
53153°—18—Bull. 682——_1 
