Between 1933 and 1936, many states adopted milk control laws, which authorized milk control boards or similar agencies to fix minimum retail and wholesale prices at the producer level. New York was the leader in the movement. Its emergency milk control law, adopted in 1933 following a legislative committee investigation, was widely adopted by other states.
The milk control program in Minnesota prohibits the sale …show more content…
Prior to 1961, the law did not apply to manufactures of dairy products. A companion law adopted in 1957, known as the Loss Leader Prohibition Law pertains to all types of businesses, but certain of its provisions are incorporated by reference in the Dairy Industry Unfair Practices Act. As the name suggests, this law prohibits a broad range of trade practices in the sale of milk. Among the prohibitions, is the provision that no manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer may sell, offer to sell, or advertise for sale, milk and specified milk products at less than cost for the purpose or with the effect of injuring a competitor or destroying competition. The banning of other practices evidently is designed principally to aid in the enforcement of the prohibition of selling below cost. A significant requirement of the law is that each manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler of milk and specified milk products must file with the Commissioner a dated schedule of his current whole prices, showing all applicable rebates, discounts, and differentials. The wholesale distributor is required to furnish the