Show UNIFORM APPLE GRADE LAWS ASSIST IN SOLVING VARIOUS MARKETING PROBLEMS I 1 N g KI 3 14 r N 5 5 4 F 14 preparing apples for market packing in barrels prepared by the united states department of agriculture there Is a growing sentiment both among apple growers and dealer dealers den lers in VI favor vor of standard apple grading laws say specialists of the bureau of markets united states department of agriculture the objects they say to be I 1 attained by such laws are ellmina i tion of fraud and deception prevention of waste establishing a basis tor for trading creation and maintenance of confidence stabilization of the market and encouragement of better methods of production and handling the first definite attempt toward securing the passage of a national apple grade law was initiated in 1907 by a number cumber of prominent growers shippers and dealers who were instrumental after working on the problem for several years in getting the sulzer bill enacted in congress this bill became a law in august 1912 when it wits was signed by the president to take effect july 1 1913 although this law was not mandatory mandator v it served a valuable purpose durpos s e in awakening and crystallizing public sentiment throughout the country favoring the enactment of legislation Is which would servelio serveto ser veto stabilize the barrel apple industry by eliminating fraudulent and deceptive packing and by establishing a uniform basis f for or buying and selling apple grade laws 11 itie be first state mandatory apple grade erade law was passed in maine in 1013 the following year tear new york passed a similar law covering appl apple which is still till in eiffe effect ct in sn an ir amended mended form this chiq was followed by similar legislation in massachusetts vermont Ver moiTt new connecticut delaware kentucky maryland michigan AIichi Ran pennsylvania west virginia and wisconsin a total of IS 13 states the state laws hare not been wholly successful in obtaining the desired results because the requirements in some cases have not been practical and because the extent to which they have been enforced in some states has varied so greatly that in many instances tre tle grade terms have come to have little value however they have done much good in spite of the objections rixen men honed a state law that is practical in its specifications and intelligently enforced will carry with arith it many advantages specialists in the bureau of markets have conducted investigations in all producing sections and at packing houses handling the products of ap proximately 1000 commercial orchards harda from the atlantic to the pacific coasts to ascertain the need of a national url form apple grade law apple dealers county agricultural agents and state college horticulturists were also consulted on the question ninety pet per cent of the growers and dealers who were visited were in favor of apple grading laws and county agents slid and college horticulturists were unanimous in their favor benefits of standardization without established grades the specialists cia cla lists say ay there Is no recognized basis is for buying and selling there is no common language by which the grower shipper hipper transportation company dealer find and consumer may clearly understand each other and there Is no ito standard quality by which values value and prices may be fixed such a b bi ab ii 0 o oa 1 l not be established through individual producers and associations representing hundreds of thou thousands ands of farms in widely separated districts shipping their products to the same markets confidence Is the foundation of trade and without grade standardization coll in the fruit and produce market cannot be established and maintained for the want of confidence fruits and vegetables tire are largely sold subject to inspection inspect Un or con consigned ignec to houser to be soldon sold on thel their merits as revealed when the pack packages ageg are opened A misunderstanding or a difference of opert lon ss as to lio what the grade or quality sharald be results in many rejections abich necessitates ri re sales and consequent delays and higuer prices in placing the prod product act in the hands ot of tha consume standardized grades furnish turn sh a basis for market quo quotations and tend to stabilize the price ot of the commodity except I 1 as based CM recognized standard grades market is cannot be comprehensive and Pe yell liable ible and the national market news Fer ervice vice cannot be developed to its bigA highest iest efficiency the value of such martet mariet reports depends to a large extent upon the accuracy with which th tha product may be described through the use ot of fixed grade terms there is an educational value in enforcing standardized grades by being forced to comply definite standards the producer teer will improve his methods in both gr growing and handling liis his crop and be will bo be compensated for his efforts by increased returns its due to the reduction la in waste and marketing expenses |