THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL CONVENTION


switch to some other factory. It is no wonder that under such con-
ditions the raw material deteriorated and so did the quality of the
manufactured product. Along with this was the effort of each -maker
to secure the maximum yield of cheese from the milk and since quan-
tity was his chief aim, quality suffered further. In general, restrain-
ing influences of the market tend to curb such practices, but in the
case of cheese this was not brought into play-at least during the war.
This emergency created such a demand for cheese that the distribu-
tors could place more than they could secure with the result that they
also were enabled to disregard quality.
Conditions are now approaching normal and natural laws of supply
and demand are beginning to reassert themselves. However, the
above mentioned habits of farmers, makers and distributors are thor-
oughly confirmed and hard to correct. The present light consumption
of cheese, therefore, is the result of abuses within the industry itself.
It is a big problem and will take some time to solve. The industry
itself does not appear to be able to correct them within a reasonable
time-perhaps not until too late.
Wisconsin produces over two-thirds of the nation's cheese. Its out-
put is valued at nearly $80,000,000 annually. To save this industry
and encourage a healthy growth, the Department of Markets has ex-
tended a helping hand. In laying out its programs of procedure, it
was recognized that stringent regulatory measures were unpopular
and expensive and difficult to enforce. The plan is to again bring
natural laws into operation by a system of grading which will auto-
matically place the product before the consumer strictly on its merits.
It operates at a minimum of expense and works a hardship upon no
one. Briefly described, the plan is simply this: Every cheese before
it enters consumptive channels, must be clearly branded to indicate
its quality. The best grade of cheese is marked "Wisconsin Fancy;"
the medium grade "Wisconsin No. 1" and inferior stock 'Grade
2."
To supplement these grades plans are being worked out to further
classify cheese as to age. Cheese is not at its best until it has gone
through an ageing or mellowing process and the old system must be
criticised because it rushed its product to market green or uncured
in which state it is neither wholesome nor palatable. Wisconsin
cheese is labeled with the date of its manufacture and it should not
be offered to the consumer until it is at least forty days old and ninety
days to six months is much better.
- With these marks to guide him an inexperienced buyer-be he gro-
cer or consumer-can go into the market with absolute assurance
that he gets what he calls for. The difference in price between these
grades is very much less than the difference in quality would warrant,
and it is believed that when the public once appreciates this, there
will be very little demand for anything but "Wisconsin Fancy."
At
present "Wisconsin Fancy" constitutes but a small percentage
of
the
state's output. It is only carelessness and inefficiency that is respon-
sible for the manufacture of the inferior grades. Theoretically at
least, every pound of Wisconsin's cheese can be "Wisconsin Fancy"


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