TESTING MILK

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1932, Page 7

TESTING MILK

NEW GRADING SYSTEM. FOR BUTTER AND CHEESE, Amendments to the regulations under the Dairy Industry Act, which have been gazetted, make provision for the grading of milk required for manufacture and export. Milk supplied to any full-cream cheese factory is to be classified, either first or second grade, and the milk supplied to any creamery or skimming station must be graded “finest,” first grade or second grade, as the case may be. In respect to milk supplied to fullcream cheese factories it is stipulated that first grade milk is to be milk which, in the opinion of the gradtr, would, if manufactured separately by approved methods, without pasteurisation, make cheese of such quality as would grade not lower than first grade. The definition of second grade, milk is milk that, under the same conditions as first grade, would make . cheese under first grade. The standard for milk supplied to creameries or skimming stations is that it shall, if separated and manufactured separately, make butter of such quality as would grade finest, Owners of full-cream cheese factories, creameries or skimming stations are required to supply weekly returns of grading, The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. C. E. Macmillan, informed the Dairy Board recently that there was po intention of making compulsory tiny differential payments to suppliers ns a result of grading, or of doing anything more than to give the system a trial under practical working conditions.

When a deputation representing farmers supplying cheese factories in the Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu districts waited on the Minster to protest against the reported' intention of the Government to introduce grading it was asked by the Minister to try the system until the end of the season, and to take a vote on" the question among those concerned ,