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Show Consumers May Ba Represented DAVID F. SMITH, state commissioner of agriculture, ag-riculture, who Is conducting the milk control con-trol hearings at the state capltol, agrees with the opinion expressed In a recent Telegram editorial that the consumers Interests In the sale and distribution of milk In Salt Lake City should not be overlooked In the event a new control agency Is established. Mr. Smith declared that he and the state IwitiJ 1 agi Uiulturs are anxious ta safnfjusrd the consumers' interests and if possible want to name several Individuals to represent the consumers con-sumers on any new administrative agency which Is established. One problem faced by the board, according accord-ing to the commissioner, Is their legal right to name such consumer representatives. The law provides that the agency "shall be truly representative of the milk producing and milk distributing Industry," that Its members shall be elected by the members of the Industry, and that the representation of producers and distributors dis-tributors shall be equal." The consumers are not mentioned at all In that part of the law. It Is true, therefore, that a strict Interpretation of the law might preclude pre-clude actual consumer representation In the agency. However, It should be possible for the board to name representatives of consumers who could sit in at agency meetings, and take part In discussions without being officially voting vot-ing members of the agency. The fact that such representatives would be able to argue for the consumer, oppose publicly pub-licly any agency order deemed by them to be harmful to the consumer, and carry a fight against such an 'order directly to the board should provide considerable consumer protection. pro-tection. It Is a fact that the milk control act places all power In the hands of the board of agriculture, agricul-ture, including the power "to amend, modify or cancel any existing order." Thus the board Is - the final authority and In the end responsible for the administration of the milk control act It can step In at any time to change any order f the agency In order to protect the consumer. That being the case, the power of consumers' representatives on the agency to vote would not ba too important Another problem tha board face la tha choice of such-consumer representatives. The - whole objective would be lost If the light persons per-sons were not chosen. Inasmuch as there Is no single consumer organization In a position to suggest the name of such representatives, H would seem best for the board of agriculture to request various civic groups concerned with the general public welfare or representative of broad sections of the consuming public to suggest such names, There are any number of such groups the Parent-Teacher association, church welfare organizations, or-ganizations, labor organizations, the county medical society, community welfare organizations, organiza-tions, perhaps lodgea and civic groups. A good list of names could be secured from such organizations. organ-izations. From that list the board, after careful care-ful Investigation, ought to be able to select several excellent representatives. It's worth a little extra thought and effort em the part of the state board of agriculture to give the consumer a voice In milk control so that. If a new agency Is set up. It will work smoothly In the public interest and not discordantly dis-cordantly In the interest of particular groups. |