Title: Illinois Agricultural Association record (microform)
Identifier: 5060538.1931-1934
Year: 1931- December 1934 January 1931- December 1934 (Jan0s)
Authors: Illinois Agricultural Association; Illinois Agricultural Association. Record
Subjects: Agriculture
Publisher: Mendota, Ill. : The Association
Contributing Library: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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.;•• ..■•.."' M*. /\/\/\ icense nearinqs Milk Producers Seek Fair Prices Under Market Administrator THE age-old battle of the milk pro- ducer in his efforts to gain a fair share of the consumer's dairy dollar was re-enacted at a series of hearings sponsored by the AAA held at Peoria, Rockford, Champaign, Bloomington, Danville, Decatur and Benton during Au- gust. Chief Examiner for the federal Ad- justment Administration was Harry C. Cook, assisted by J. T. Flythe, govern- ment attorney; George Irvine, economist; Daniel M. Dent of the Consumers' Coun- cil; and P. S. Milberg, official reporter for the National House of Representa- tives who took down testimony and evi- dence. ;; At Peoria where the Roszell Bros, are reported to have told so-called "inde- pendent" milk producers that they would lose their market unless they oppose a government license, a warm two-day ses- sion was held. On the opening morning the Red Room of the Jefferson Hotel, hot and stifling, was packed with pro- ducers who overflowed into the corridors long before the opening of the meeting at 9:30 A. M. v^ v ^ ■ ■ ■ •■■■•• _>:■,',_"■■. .:■ ., .. ■ •" ••••' ^/'Independent'* Badges ■ C , Bystanders stated that Roszell's had organized the "Independents" and pro- vided trucks to haul them to the meet- ing from points as distant as Pontiac, more than 50 miles away. Wearing large badges labeled "Independent" these pro- ducers who plainly had been misinformed filled the front seats at the opening ses- sion. By the end of the day the "Independ- ents" were a disillusioned lot of pro- ducers who realized they had been duped, that there was nothing in the proposed license to bar their milk from the Peoria market. The badges were conspicuous by their absence the second day. Witnesses who appeared for the Peoria Producers Dairy, representing the or- ganized milk producers in the territory, were: President Ryland Capron, Man- ager Wilfred Shaw, Secretary John Ha- genstoz, Albert Hayes, president of the Peoria County Farm Bureau, and oth- ers. Donald Kirkpatrick and Paul Mathias of the I. A. A. legal department, J. B. Countiss, dairy marketing director, and George Thiem, director of informa- tion, attended the hearing. Attorneys Heyl and Bradley repre- sented the Roszell Dairy and the Illinois Milk Dealers Association which seemed to be leading the fight against the li- cense. Opposing witnesses were largely local producers who had been given spe- cial consideration in prices for their milk; Officers of the Producers Association disclosed that farmers were getting a lit- tle more than $1 per cwt. as a net weighted average price for milk while dealers were charging the consumer 10 cents a quart. Organized producers are asking for a Class I price of around ;2 per cwt., 92 score butter plus 20 per cent, plus 20 cents per cwt. for Class II, and approximately butterfat plus 10 cents for Class III. ." 'i • ' •' Attack Cooperative In cross-questioning President Capron of the Producers Dairy, Attorney Heyl for the distributors sought to attack the co-operative and shake the confidence of organized producers in their Association. Manager Shaw testified that much of the milk entering the Peoria market was manufactured into such products as but- ter, cheese, ice cream mix, etc., which entered interstate commerce. The dis- tributors' attorney tried unsuccessfully to undermine this testimony. Shaw also stated that local distributors had shipped dairy products to St. Louis at the time of the strike there. The chief argument advanced by the distributors was that the milk license would disturb the market and that the government had no jurisdiction because their business was strictly intrastate. "This market has been in a disturbed condition for several years," said Albert Hayes, speaking for the producers, "and this meeting is a fair sample of what we've had to contend with." He stated that many markets were now operating successfully under AAA milk-licenses which have been helpful in improving conditions for the producer. Archie McPhedran of Peru, president of the Mississippi Valley Milk Producers spoke briefly reviewing conditions at Peoria and other markets and pointing out the need at Peoria and other markets for narrowing the price spread between producer and consumer. Answering the question why the Pro- ducers Dairy was not able to pay more than the dealers for milk, Mr. Hayes stated that only 20 per cent of milk re-* ceived by the Producers Dairy goes in- to the fluid milk class which commands a premium, whereas nearly all of the milk purchased by other distributors goes into the fluid class which retails at 10 cents per quart. At Rockford where distributors and producers have been getting on well un- der a contract which pays the farmer $1.85 per cwt. for all milk delivered. President Mainland and Manager Wilkie Lee of the Midwest Dairymen's Company testified for the producers. They re- quested that the operation of a license be postponed for this market until the occasion for its use arises. At Rockford the so-called "dip" stations on the out- skirts of the city, of which there are more than 30, opposed the license. Dis- tributors expressed the belief that the license was not needed at that market. Attorney Heyl also represented distribu- tors at Champaign. :---y:i^::'-y:M- ;' ■..%•■ v'-v ■-'■'■ ^A • ^'w' ■.. '•;■'•<-•.• • ■■ .' ■ -■ •■ ». • '■ ■ ,;-:i'^^-'^to Will File'Briefs ':.^'--:':^';^-:V:^-.' \ As this is written, hearings have not been completed at all the markets men- tioned above. - - ^ . ; / - Briefs will be prepared by the variouau producer groups with the aid of the I. A. A. Legal and Dairy Departments at the conclusion of the hearings and sent to the AAA Dairy Division at Washing- ton. It is believed that one market ad- ministrator will be capable of supervis- ing all or nearly all the downstate mar- kets when licenses are issued. ■ ;/ .. ■ *. * f ■':).
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PLANT, EMPLOYEES, AND DELIVERY TRUCKS OF THE QUINCY CO-OPERATIVE MILK PRODUCERS* Association. Five snow-white trucks and eight wagons drawn by grey horses deliver a full line of dairy produets on each route. The Quincy Co-operative dairy has found it profitable to have clean and attractive vehicles. Every employee is gi^ek». i^: n\edica;^ examination twice a year, SEPTEMBER, 1934

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