THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL CONVENTION


better marketing. This is proven by the advancement made in Den-
mark, New Zealand, Australia and Tillamook County, Oregon, the
past few years. In order to effect any permanent improvement in the
quality of our cheese and butter, we must establish, market and grade
on the same basis as is now done on grain, hay, livestock and machin-
ery. Not until we have uniform grading and adequate price differ-
entials established have we a right to expect any permanent improve-
ments in the quality of our products. Better marketing must mean
better conditions for both producer and consumer alike.
Wisconsin, the leading dairy state of this union, is credited, speak-
ing in round numbers, with having 2,000,000, of the 24,000,000 cows
in the United States. Wisconsin produces annually 300,000,000 of
the 400,000,000 pounds of cheese, and 140,000,000 of the 860,000,000
pounds of butter produced in this country.
The aim of the Wisconsin dairy industry must always be for a
larger consumption of milk, cheese and butter. The low consumption
of cheese in the United States, which is only 4.2 per capita is largely
due to a mistrust in quality and a lack of curing before it is offered
to the consumer. Now that all American cheese bears the date when
removed from the hoops as well as the grade mark as to quality,
more cheese will be consumed from year to year. This added con-
sumption of both American and foreign cheese will take care care of
all gains in the production of cheese for years to come.
All of Wisconsin's cheese is now graded by licensed men. Ninety-
five per cent of this work is done by men employed and paid by the
various cheese warehouses throughout this state and the remainder
by cheese makers. The Wisconsin Department of Markets issues all
such licenses and maintains five cheese grade supervisors, who are
continually out in the field looking after this work as applied and also
seeing that the fractional weight and holding orders are complied
with.
These five supervisors, the past two years, made 5,472 calls, in-
specting 41,537 lots of cheese. This work has been carried on in a
very firm but diplomatic manner, as up-to-date we have not lost a
single case brought into court. Every case reaching the courts has
been settled after pleading guilty.
In addition to looking after the grading of cheese, these supervisors
have sent out hundreds of letters of instruction to cheese makers and
personally visited hundreds of cheese factories and worked as judges
at various fairs and expositions including the National Dairy Show;
also giving instruction in cheese making including the Wisconsin
Dairy School.
The following is a copy of a letter sent out to a cheese maker pro-
ducing high acid cheese. All faults found are treated likewise,
"This letter is intended to carry helpful suggestions for overcoming
defects found in your cheese. In order to merit the stamp of Wis-
consin Fancy grade, it is necessary to produce a cheese that has been
cured well in the vat and shows a smooth and meaty texture and good
finish. This can not be had if the milk is ripened so highly that it is


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