WAUPACA COUNTY NEWS

October 27, 1921

MEETING DRAWS CROWD

About 175 Dealers and Growers Hear New Potato Inspecting and Grading Law Explained

WAS HELD AT COURT HOUSE

Edward Nordman and B.B. Jones Were Speakers

Represented Wisconsin Division of Markets

Local Men Give Their Opinions

            The meeting which was held at the court house in this city on Tuesday evening, and which was called by the Wisconsin Bureau of Markets, for the purpose of discussing the new state inspection and grading law in regard to potatoes, was largely attended, there being in the neighborhood of 175 growers and dealers present.

            Edward Nordman, head of the Wisconsin Division of Markets had chare of the meeting and he was the first speaker on the program.  His talk dealt on the general economic condition of the farmer of today and how he should market his crops.  He said the farmer should take an interest in what he raised, and said that the state Bureau of Markets had been organized with the purpose of creating this interest, and showed how the bureau had worked towards the end of marketing the crops in the best possible condition.

            He said that the marketing of the potato crop was just one small part of the work of the bureau, and that the purpose of the meeting was not to make any promises in regard to changing the new law, but to tell of the aims and ideas of the bureau in the marketing of potatoes under the new law.  He also said that the meeting was called for the purpose of receiving any suggestions from farmers and dealers present, in order that the suggestions might be used by the department in its work.

            B.B. Jones of the Division of Markets, the field man in charge of the potato inspection work next spoke.  He explained the law in detail, and showed how in years past Wisconsin potatoes had sold for from 50 to 75 cents a hundred less on the Chicago …

said, Wisconsin potatoes were on a par with potatoes from other states in regard to price.  He said that in his opinion, this was due in a considerable extent, to the present system of inspection and grading. He also cited other states that had inspection and grading laws, some of them more severe than the Wisconsin laws.

            Several of the dealers and growers who were present were called upon to express their opinions in regard to the law, and some of the local dealers thought that it might be advisable if each dealer could inspect the potatoes bought by him, the penalty being made strong enough to insure honest grading.

            John F. Jardine, of the A.M. Penney Company, of this city, expressed himself as very much in favor of a grading law, but thought that the present system might be improved upon.  He, like a number of other dealers present, thought that it might be advisable if the dealers were allowed to do their own inspecting.

            It was stated that the law greatly reduced the number of rejections at the receiving points and it was the general opinion that as time goes on the inspection service will become of as much benefit as the present grading law.

            During the course of the meeting it was stated that northern Wisconsin is rapidly coming to the front in the quality of potatoes being raised, and that if this section of the state wanted to hold its own in the production of potatoes it would be necessary that more care be taken in the growing and marketing of the crop.

            When the meeting came to a close many of the farmers and buyers who had been more or less antagonistic to the new law, were of the opinion after they had heard it explained, that it would work out to their mutual advantage.