UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
_ BULLETIN No. 639 
sae < S| Ys Joint Contribution from the Bureau of Animal Industry, 
JOHN R. MOHLER, Chief, and the 
Bureau of Markets, 
CHARLES J. BRAND, Chief 
Washington, D. C. A February 15, 1918 
THE MARKET MILK BUSINESS OF DETROIT, 
MICH., IN 1915. 
By CuareNceE BE. CLeMeNt, Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal Industry, and 
GUSTAV P. WARBER, Bureau of Markets. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. Page 
Economic phases ofthe market milk business. 1 | Preparing milk for city distribution. ....._--. 16 
Market demands and sources of supply ..--.. 2 Beforecompulsory pasteurization. ....-..- 16 
Buying milk from farmers......-..----.----- 4 Aftercompulsory pasteurization. ....-... 17 
EeTCes Pala COtarmMersjcosc sts. 2- 2 222-2. 4 Capital invested and cost of handling 
Collecting and handling milk in the country. 8 milkeaticitye plamtss3- 4458s soe eet 18 
Costofcollecting milk atcountrystations. 10! City distribution of milk.................... 19 
Transportation of milk to the city ........-.. 11 | Summary of comparative costs of handling 
Cost of milk delivered to thecity..........-- 13 andidistnbutine milke 22 ioe eee 23 
Trade demandsin Detroit..........-.......- TAI COM CIUSLONS erect eee ee ee re usenet 27 
ECONOMIC PHASES OF THE MARKET MILK BUSINESS. 
Preliminary studies by the Department of Agriculture have shown 
the existence of many uneconomical practices in the market milk 
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business. These practices have been largely the result of the rapid 
changes that the business has undergone in recent years. Con- 
stantly increasing demands for market milk in the larger cities of 
this country have resulted in such a rapid increase in the business of 
“middlemen ” or dealers that many fundamentally uneconomic mar- 
keting practices have developed and wasteful leaks have been allowed 
to occur daily. In short, efficiency systems have not kept pace with 
the growth and development of the business. 
Norr.—This bulletin should be of interest to milk dealers, city and State milk-inspection 
officials, consumers’ leagues, producers’ organizations, and students of the subject of 
market milk. 
19462°—18—Bull. 689 ——1 
