Mr. HITE. Now, Mr. Schulte made the statement yesterday that I would like to ask a question on. How does he propose to eliminate surplus milk with this bill? The CHAIRMAN. You will have to ask Mr. Schulte that. Mr. HITE. I was hoping I would get a chance to. There has always been some criticism of our barn scores here. I want to say in regard to that that in my opinion barn scores and bonuses on barn scores have a tendency to produce a cleaner and a better-quality milk than any other method of paying for milk. Also, with reference to the two-price plan; that is the base and surplus. It has been debated in the legislature; it has been debated through the Agricultural Department; it has not been in the legislature this base and surplus of all commodities. Now, it appears to me like that is the only remedy to control surplus, to have the twoprice plan. If a man wants to produce a product with a surplus and get a small price for it, it is his hard luck. If that is properly controlled, I cannot see any objection whatsoever. You asked me what my daily production is. I had 229 gallons this morning. I get the base on 116. I am not fighting the association concerning that, because it is my own fault. Mr. Derrick told you the other day the amount paid on base is according to your own performance. And it is true. I have seen some of these dairies come over here and leave this association just on that very thing right there. My milk production does not average that the year round. I will average about 175 gallons of milk a day the year around. You asked a question a minute ago where the information comes from to the producer concerning the bacteria count. That is on your return sheet every month, the bacteria count that you get from the local dairy. The local dairy takes that count because he is responsible for it. The CHAIRMAN. Are you through? Mr. HITE. No. But I would like to say this. Reference has been made concerning Chicago shipping milk into this city providing this bill was passed. I don't want to leave it to Chicago. It will be every city on the eastern seaboard. And Mr. Schulte's farmers will have a chance to compete with every dairy section in this country. It will be Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, and all the rest of them. And I cannot see any advantage at all to us farmers, and it is a big disadvantage to us. As to monopolies. In November there was a local dairy meeting. Mr. Derrick was present, and Mr. Derrick had been talking about this bootleg milk some years, several years. He had never been able to prove anything. Whether he is now or not I do not know. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Derrick had been talking for how long? The CHAIRMAN. Two years? Mr. HITE. About bootleg milk, but he had never been able to show there was bootleg milk. It was his opinion that it existed. He had not accused anybody. Understand that, see? Well, now, if there had been a monopoly within the association concerning milk, why and when and if we got this cut in last November, which was directly caused by this bootleg milk, we got cut 35 cents a hundred on our base milk to compete with that bootleg activity? That conclusively shows there was no monopoly. If there had been a monopoly that condition would never have existed. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Smith, do you want to ask the witness a question? Mr. SMITH of Virginia. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. That is all. Thank you, Mr. Hite. AFTER RECESS The Subcommittee on Public Health, Hospitals, and Charities of the Committee on the District of Columbia, resumed hearings in the committee room of the Old House Office Building, at 7:30 p. m., the Honorable William T. Schulte, chairman of the subcommittee presiding. Mr. SCHULTE. The meeting will please come to order. Hearings are being resumed tonight on H. R. 6316, a bill introduced by me to amend the act entitled "An act to regulate within the District of Columbia the sale of milk, cream, and ice cream, and for other purposes," approved February 27, 1925. Our first witness will be Representative Bolles. TESTIMONY OF STEPHEN BOLLES, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF WISCONSIN (The witness having been sworn by the chairman of the subcommittee was interrogated as follows:) Mr. SCHULTE. Will you please state your full name and the position you occupy, for the record? Mr. BOLLES. Stephen Bolles. My residence is Janesville, Wis., Rock County, a Member of Congress from the First District of Wisconsin, and a member of the District Committee. Mr. SCHULTE. Mr. Bolles, now you are testifying on H. R. 6316, a bill that seeks to amend the act entitled, "An act to regulate within the District of Columbia the sale of milk, cream, and ice cream, and for other purposes," a bill that was approved February 27, 1925. Mr. BOLLES. Yes, sir. Mr. SCHULTE. How do you feel about it? Mr. BOLLES. I am in favor of this bill. Mr. SCHULTE. You are in favor of H. R. 6316? Mr. BOLLES. Yes, sir. Mr. SCHULTE. That will allow cream and milk to be shipped into the District of Columbia from other sources besides just this here milkshed, is that it? Mr. BOLLES. Well, I am in favor of opening this market to milk that will qualify under the terms of this bill. Mr. SCHULTE. Do you feel that the Wisconsin milk would qualify under this bill? Mr. BOLLES. Yes; Wisconsin milk will qualify in any market, and that is with the understanding that I am under oath. I believe; have you got here the regulations of the State of Wisconsin? Mr. SCHULTE. I do not believe that I have them with me, Mr. Bolles, but from reading the Wisconsin regulations I see that they are very strict as far as health is concerned; but you do not see anything about the frills and the fancies that are required in addition to that. Mr. BOLLES. They have a good many regulations which provide for the treatment of the cows, stables, and matters of that kind, and it is very complete and I would like to have that put in the record as part of my testimony. Mr. SCHULTE. I will be mighty happy to do that, Mr. Bolles. Under authority of section 99.10, Wisconsin Statutes, the following standards for the grade of milk and cream are established, and the following regulations governing the marks or tags thereon prescribed, effective August 30, 1937. Wisconsin grade A raw milk.-Wisconsin grade A raw milk the average bacterial count of which does not exceed 50,000 per cubic centimeter, and which is produced upon dairy farms conforming with the followng rules and regulations: Cows-tuberculosis and other diseases.-A physical examination and tuberculin test of all cows shall be made before any milk therefrom is sold and at least once every 12 months thereafter by a veterinarian approved by the State livestock sanitary board and said test shall be made, and any reactors disposed of, in accordance with the current requirements approved by the United States Bureau of Animal Industry for accredited herds, or as prescribed by the State livestock sanitary board. A certificate signed by the veterinarian and filed with the health officer shall be the only valid evidence of the above test. Every diseased animal shall be removed from the herd at once and no milk from diseased cows shall be offered for sale. All reacting animals shall be isolated at once and immediately excluded from the premises. All animals failing to pass the TB test shall be branded with the letters T or TB on the shoulder, hip, or jaw, and removed at once and slaughtered under the direction of the health officer, or disposed of as prescribed by the State livestock sanitary board. Each letter in the brand shall be not less than 2 inches high and 11⁄2 inches wide. Dairy barns.-(2) Lighting: Such sections of all dairy barns where cows are kept or milked shall have at least 3 square feet of window space for each cow. (3) Air space: Such sections of all dairy barns where cows are kept or milked shall have at least 500 cubic feet of air space per stanchion. (4) Floors: The floors and gutters of such parts of all dairy barns in which cows are milked shall be constructed of concrete or other impervious and easily cleaned material approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets and shall be graded to drain properly and shall be kept clean and in good repair. No pigs, fowl, etc., shall be permitted in parts of the barn used for dairy purposes. (5) Walls and ceiling: The walls and ceilings of all dairy barns shall be finished in a manner approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets, and shall be kept clean and in good repair. In case there is a second story above that part of the barn in which cows are milked, the ceiling shall be tight. (6) Cow yard: All cow yards shall be graded and drained as well as practicable and kept clean. (7) Manure disposal: All manure shall be removed and stored or disposed of in such manner as best to prevent the breeding of flies therein. Milk house or room.-(8) Construction: There shall be provided a separate milk house room for the handling and storage of milk and the washing and sterilizing of milk apparatus and utensils, provided with a tight floor constructed of concrete or other impervious material and graded to provide proper drainage. The walls and ceilings of the milk house or room shall be of such construction as to permit easy cleaning and shall be finished in a manner approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets. The milk house or room shall be well lighted and ventilated and all openings effectively screened to prevent the entrance of flies, and shall be used for no other purpose than the handling and storage of milk products and other operations incident thereto. The cleaning and other operations shall be so located and conducted as to prevent any contamination one to the other. The milk room shall not open directly into the barn or into any room used for sleeping or domestic purposes. (9) Cleanliness and flies: The floors, walls, ceilings, and equipment of the milk house or room shall be kept clean at all times. All means necessary for the elimination of flies shall be used. (10) Every dairy farm shall be provided with a sanitary toilet constructed and operated in accordance with the regulations of the department of markets of the State of Wisconsin. (11) Water supply: The water supply shall be easily accessible, adequate, and of a safe sanitary quality. Utensils. (12) Construction: All containers or utensils used in the handling or storage of milk or milk products must be made of nonabsorbent material and of such construction as to be easily cleaned, and must be in good repair. Joints and seams shall be soldered flush and smooth. All milk pails shall be of a narrow-mouth design, approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets. Strainers. No milk of these grades shall be strained or handled with any equipment that is not accessible and easily cleaned; wire mesh strainers are prohibited. (13) Cleaning: All containers and other utensils used in the handling, storage, or transporation of milk and milk products must be thoroughly cleaned after each usage. (1) Sterilization: All containers and other utensils used in the handling, storage, or transportation of milk or milk products shall be sterilized with steam or chlorine or in a manner approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets just before use. (15) Storage: All containers and other utensils used in the handling, storage, or transportation of milk or milk products shall be stored so as not to become contaminated before again being used. (16) Handling: After sterilization no container or other milk or milk product utensil shall be handled in such manner as to permit any part of the person or clothing to come in contact with any surface with which milk or milk products come in contact. (17) Milking-Udders and teats: The udders and teats of all milking cows shall immediately prior to milking be washed with a disinfectant solution and dried with a clean cloth. The disinfectant solution shall be approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets. (18) Flanks: The flanks of all milking cows shall be kept free from visible dirt at the time of milking. (19) Milkers' hands: Milkers' hands shall be clean, rinsed with a disinfectant or washed with soap and water, and dried with a clean towel immediately before milking. Should the milking operation be interrupted the milkers' hands must be washed with soap and water. Wet-hand milking is prohibited. Convenient facilities shall be provided for the washing of milkers' hands. (20) Clean clothing: Milkers and milk handlers shall wear clean outer garments while milking. (21) Milk stools: Milk stools shall be kept clean and stored in a clean place. (22) Removal of milk: Milk shall be removed promptly from the barn to the milk house or straining room. No milk shall be strained in the dairy barn. (23) Cooling: Milk must be cooled within 1 hour after milking to 55° F. or less and maintained at or below that temperature until delivery, unless it is delivered to a milk plant for pasteurization or separation, in which case it must be cooled or pasteurized within 2 hours of the time of production. (24) Bottling and capping: Capping shall be done by machine. Caps shall be purchased in sanitary tubes and kept therein in a clean place until used. Bottling shall be done at the place of production. (25) Notification of disease: Notice shall be sent to the health officer immediately by any milk producer or distributor upon whose dairy farm any case of sickness or any infectious, contagious, or communicable disease occurs. WISCONSIN GRADE A PASTEURIZED MILK Raw milk for this grade shall meet all the requirements of Wisconsin grade A raw milk except that items (2), (3), (4), (5), and/or (6) may be omitted, provided that cleanliness of barn and cowyard be maintained at all times, the bacterial count shall not exceed 200,000 colonies per cubic centimeter and milk shall be cooled to and stored at 60° F. or below and maintained at that temperature until delivery. This milk to be pasteurized, cooled, and bottled in a milk plant conforming with all of the following items of sanitation and the average bacterial count of which at no time after pasteurization and until delivery exceeds 25,000 colonies per cubic centimeter. Building and equipment-(1) Floors: The floors of all rooms in which milk is handled shall be constructed of concrete or other equally impervious and easily cleaned material and shall be smooth, properly drained, and provided with trapped drains, and kept clean. (2) Walls and ceilings: Walls and ceilings of rooms in which milk is handled or stored shall be frequently painted with a light-colored paint or finished in a manner approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets and kept clean. (3) Doors and windows: All openings into the outer air shall be effectively screened to prevent the access of flies. Doors shall be self-closing. (4) Lighting and ventilation: All rooms shall be well lighted and ventilated. (5) Protection from contamination and flies: The various milk-plant operations be so located and conducted as to prevent any contamination one to the other. All means necessary for the elimination of flies shall be used. (6) Toilet facilities: Every milk plant shall be provided with sanitary toilet facilities. There shall be at least one room or vestibule not used for milk purposes between the toilet room and any room in which milk or milk products are handled or stored. The doors of all toilet rooms shall be selfclosing. Toilet rooms shall be kept in a clean condition, in good repair, and well ventilated. In case privies or earth closets are used they shall be located at least 100 feet from the building. (7) Water supply: The water supply shall be easily accessible, adequate, and of a safe, sanitary quality. (8) Washing facilities: Washing facilities shall be provided, including hot running water, soap, and sanitary towels of a type approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets. The use of a common towel is prohibited. (9) Milk piping: Only "sanitary milk piping" of a type which can be easily cleaned with a brush shall be used. (10) Construction of equipment: All equipment with which milk comes in contact shall be of a sanitary type and in such a manner as to be easily cleaned. (11) Disposal of wastes: All wastes shall be disposed of in conformity with the requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Markets. (12) Methods: All milk containers and milk apparatus shall be thoroughly cleaned after each usage and sterilized in a manner approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets immediately before each usage. (13) Storage of containers: After sterilization all bottles, cans, and other containers shall be stored in such manner as to be protected from contamination. (14) Handling of containers and apparatus: Between sterilization and usage all containers and apparatus shall be handled in such manner as to prevent any part of the person or clothing from coming in contact with any surface with which milk or milk products come in contact. (15) Storage of caps: Milk-bottle caps shall be purchased and stored only in sanitary tubes and shall be kept therein until used. (16) Pasteurization: Pasteurization shall be performed as described in the definition section of these standards and regulations. The time and temperature record charts shall be dated and preserved for a period of 3 months for the information of the Wisconsin Department of Markets. (17) Cooling: All milk not pasteurized within 2 hours after it is received at the plant shall then be immediately cooled to a temperature of 50° F. or less and maintained thereat until pasteurized; and all pasteurized milk shall be promptly cooled to a temperature of 50° F. or less and maintained thereat until delivery. (18) Bottling: Bottling shall be done in automatic machinery approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets in such manner as to prevent any part of the person or clothing from coming in contact with any surface with which milk or milk products come in contact. (19) Overflow milk: Overflow milk which has become machine contaminated shall not be sold for human consumption. (20) Capping: Capping shall be done by machinery approved by the Wisconsin Department of Markets. Hand capping is prohibited. |