A Word Of Praise

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 13 May 1961, Page 6

A Word Of Praise

A great deal has been heard about Hagberg testing of wheat for sprout damage in the last few months. Some of it from farmers with wheat which has given a high test has perhaps naturally been fairly critical. The strong argument in favour of Hagberg testing and all other similar testing of wheat is, of course, that the miller is better able to buy wheat if he knows something about it and that in the end this greater degree of knowledge and information is in the interests of all parties. It results in millers and bakers being able to turn out a reasonably good product and avoiding the production of something that thoroughly discredits everyone in the eyes of the consumers.

At the last meeting of the Wheat Research Institute Committee. Sir Walter Mulholland, of Darfield, praised the institute for the way it had been able to handle thousands of samples for testing—statistics show the number to be about 13,000 Sir Walter Mulholland said this testing had been a factor in the very satisfactory handling of the harvest from farm to mill. It had enabled millers to buy with more confidence in that they knew what sort of wheat they were buying. And as they found from their experience with the test and with their own knowledge they could use a great deal more wheat this had in turn restored confidence among farmers and averted any tendency to rush grain on to the market.