The Struggle for Clean Milk in Washington Cities
Federal authorities push for stricter sanitary oversight of the dairy industry, exposing the lack of regulation in regional urban milk supplies.
The story, cleaned up
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The department of agriculture strongly advocates strict municipal control over the milk supply of all cities of the United States. A recent examination into the milk supply of the 200 largest cities led to the conclusion that there is all too little supervision over milk dealers. Among other cities examined were Seattle and Spokane. In Seattle, it is reported that there has been a marked decrease in the sale of adulterated milk, but the department suggests the necessity for better dairy buildings and greater care in the production and handling of milk. In Spokane, the population is less addicted to the use of milk and no examination was made of the dairy farms in the outlying country.
“There is all too little supervision over milk dealers, and that in many cities radical reforms should be wrought in order to insure cleanliness.”
The push for municipal control of food safety highlights a pivotal moment in American public health. Today, we take these regulations for granted, but this story captures the early, messy process of standardizing hygiene in the Pacific Northwest's growing urban centers.
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