Eastern
The two foremost respon
sibilities of Eastern Milk
Producers Cooperative
Association, Inc. is that of
keeping farm costs down and
farm prices up. As we come to the
end of 1971, Eastern can look at
its accomplishments for the past
year. These accomplishments
can perhaps be summarized as
follows:
The Association has attracted
several hundred additional new
members, and, as a consequence,
is marketing eight percent more
milk currently than it did a year
ago.
During the past year, im
provements have been made by
the Association in its quality
control program so that currently
the Association is employing 30
qualified milk inspectors. This
responsibility is essential if we
are to have a quality product
reaching the consumer who, in
turn, will continue to purchase
dairy products.
We were successful in 1971 in
dramatizing the great bargain
price of a quart of milk. On a
nutritive basis, milk is un-
Telephone your nearest Commonwealth State Income Tax Returns, $3.00;
National office for an appointment. local tax returns from $2.00.
In a short time, we’ll prepare your
Federal, State and local tax returns
accurately, confidentially and
economically. (In isolated, complex
tax situations, additional tax counsel
may be required.)
Single-schedule Federal Income Tax
returns from $6,00 (multi-schedule
slightly higher). Most Pennsylvania
Cooperative General
John C. York
Eastern General Manager
matched in cost, and in terms of
price per pound, which is the way
most other food items are pur
chased, milk selling for 15 cents a
pound is a bargain priced food
item.
Our efforts to integrate our
Relax!
We'll do your
Lancaster • Centerville • Lancaster East • Landisville • Lititz • Manheim Township
Millersville • Rohrersfown • Elizabethtown • Plus 21 additional offices in central Pennsylvania
supplies of milk with the facilities
that are available for collecting
milk in the country have im
proved the efficiencies in han
dling milk.
In most instances, the in
tegration of supplies was with
existing facilities in the country.
In at least one instance, the
Association built and put into
operation a new bulk tank
transfer station that is being
efficiently used for the collection
of milk in the heavy milk
production areas of Enosburg
Falls, Vermont.
Combining and re-arranging
many of our hauling routes, as
well as using larger equipment,
has been helpful in keeping the
cost of hauling milk at a
minimum level. This has been
done by the Association in many
areas.
In accomplishing the many
things the Association did the
members of any other regional
diary cooperative.
The services performed by the
Association in the areas of health
insurance, accident insurance,
bulk tank discount sales, market
Those are small prices to pay to get a
big job off your shoulders .. . and
improve your disposition in the bargain!
Another Commonwealth National
Financial Management Service
Commonwealth ik
National Bank
Member fOIC
Manager Reports
guarantee, an informative house
organ, and economic and
legislative representation, were
accomplished with a dues
structure which in most instances
is half that of other organizations.
The membership of Eastern
enjoyed in 1971 a reduction in the
Association’s dues of 20 percent,
so that the current rate is 4 cents
per hundredweight. This was an
unprecendented action on the
part of the Association in the light
of rising costs of doing business.
1972 suggests many more
changes in the dairy industry.
Plant numbers are going down. It
is reported that in New York
State the number of pasteurizing
plants are down to between 125
and 150. The rate of loss is ap
proximately 50 a year. It can be
assumed that there will be a
levelling off in the number of
pasteurizing plants exiting the
dairy industry, but 1972 will still
show a sizeable reduction in
numbers in the Northeast area.
In the meantime, dairy far
mers, like the plants, will also be
dropping out of business. In some
Happy to Help You
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 12,1972
areas the rate of drop-out will be
as high as 20 percent.
A trend toward further
distribution of milk through chain
stores and convenience stores as
opposed to home delivery will
continue. In some areas less than
20 percent of the milk is sold by
way of home delivery. The
change in the pattern of
distribution is likely to put ad
ditional demands on cooperative
organizations involved in the
diary industry.
Cooperatives must take a
strong position in opposition to
using membership dues money to
subsidize the distribution end of
the milk business.
1972 calls for greater stability
than ever before in die dairy
industry. It calls for maintaining
proprietary handlers who have
exhibited efficiency in the
distribution of milk.
It is our expectation that in
1972, we will be marketing 10
percent more milk than we did in
1971. With this added respon
sibility, it will be necessary to
assure that our membership
become more involved and more
responsive to the needs of the
Association. We will call upon our
membership to assist us in ac
complishing the following:
1. Acquire more effective
legislation to protect the interest
of farmers legislation that will
assure us of effective milk
bonding laws, proper labelling of
milk, and protection against
price cutting designed to
demoralize the industry.
2. We will need to assure the
consuming public that the quality
of the product we produce is
excellent and that milk is the best
food buy on the market
3. We will need to work more
effectively m improving the taste
quality of milk at the point of
distribution, whether it is the
stores, schools, hospitals, or any
public institution.
The dairy industry will have its
difficulties in the days ahead. The
farmer will need to be assured
that the price of milk he produces
on the farm will keep in pace with
the general economy of the
Country. Escalator formulas to
change the price of milk in tune
with economic conditions are
essential and Eastern will con
tinue to strive in that direction.
The industry needs the
guidance of Eastern Milk
Producers Cooperative to assure
stability in the largest industry in
the Northeast. We accept this
challenge and look forward to
new dimensions in 1972.
FARMERS
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or trailer type, boom or
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PLUNGER TYPE PUMPS
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New and used sprayers
and pumps of various sizes
in stock now.
IV-
Lancaster County’s Only
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LESTER A, SINGER
RONKS
PH. STRASBURG
687-6712
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