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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Nov 1965

Vol. 219 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Butter Fat Test.

46.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will introduce legislation to ensure that the butter fat test method used by the public analyst is the same as used by the creamery manager under the Dairy Produce Act, 1924.

47.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that a farmer can be prosecuted if his butter fat test does not reach 3.00 on a method used by the public analyst although this is not a method laid down under the Dairy Produce Act, 1924; and if he proposes to take any action to remedy this situation.

I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 46 and 47 together.

Under the sale of food and drugs legislation, it is an offence to sell as whole milk, milk which contains less than three per cent of milk fat. The testing of milk for this purpose has no connection with the milk testing requirements under the Dairy Produce Act, 1924, which relate to the method by which payment for milk supplied to creameries is calculated. In the circumstances, I do not see the need for requiring public analysts who test milk under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts to adopt the method of testing in operation at creameries.

Is the Minister aware of a case where a farmer, who supplies 20,000 gallons per year to a creamery, actually lost £200 per annum according to the public analyst's test as against the creamery's test?

I am not so aware. The Deputy may be under a misapprehension as to the exact position in regard to these different tests. The creamery test is based on samples taken every day, whereas the farmer can take an isolated sample, send it off to the public analyst and get a completely different result. These are two different systems of testing.

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