PREMIUM ON FINEST CHEESE

Shannon News, 15 March 1927, Page 1

PREMIUM ON FINEST CHEESE

RETAINED BY DAIRY BOARD. After a full discussion on Mr. J. R. Corrigan’s notice of motion to rescind the existing premium of 3s 4df p r crate for “finest” cheese, with a yiew to paying Is Bd. only, the Dairy Control Board has decided to retain the existing premium. This question has attained prominence in cheose circles because of the fact that ‘finest cheese on sale in 3 ondon has shown an average premium of Is. per cwt., in addition to which there has been a tendency for first-grade to be preferred by merchants because of it being one shilling less in price. The premium was instituted by the board m an effort to improve quality, in which outcome remarkable success has been the percentage of “finest” this season to the end of January being 54.5 per cent., compared with approximately 20 per cent, on last year’s grading points. Mr. Corrigan said he appreciated the board's desire to improve quality, but considered that objective could be obtained by a reduced premium and one whfch would avoid the injustice of taking from one and giving to another. Some factories were able to make 80 or 90 per cent, of finest, but others could make only about 10 per cent of finest. In his opinion it was wrong and unsound commercially to pay away more for an article than was received for it, and he thought the board should not adopt the principal of paying out only the actual premium received . Mr. T. A. Winks associated himself with H. D. Forsyth in opposing the premium as fixed. He considered that cheese should receive the payment its quality actually earned. On the present system they were paying out 3s 4d. extra for finest and only got is. Bd.

The chairman thought it would be a great mistake to change the policy before it had a complete try-out. If they were ,unfair ,or appeared to be unfair to one section of cheese producers by paying a larger premium for finest than * the actual price received warranted, he contended that the position was justified by. the view that it was necessary to re-establish our position on the London market on the quality basis, and that re-estab-lishment would more than recompense? any loss that anyone might, think they had suffered by reason of this differential premium, tho young pigs before birth.

1 Care should be taken that the sow docs not get too fat, nor should she bo kept too ,thin. Because, if too fat, she becomes awkward, lazy, and frequently develops into a poor milk-' er; while if too thin, the heavy drain of the suckling .pigs soon lowers her vitality, and she breaks down with fatal results to both the young and herself. Aged sows should be kept if they produce .better .-.litters, and . usually, mako more profit. 'C'ii.- ■' ■■ J ] [ I i |f ilL.'H'l.Mi.rt i inl M t,\ J