Formalizing milk production in Johannesburg: The dissolution of white petty milk-producers, 1908-1920

Abstract

In the early part of the twentieth century daily milk supplies in Johannesburg came from a proliferation of small-scale 'informal' dairies as well as from a few large-scale dairies. Spurred on by a growing concern for high standards of hygiene in general the municipality began to police the production of milk more strictly. The effect was to cause an increase in the production costs of the largescale dairies which in turn viewed both the officials and the smallscale producers as 'enemies'. In the ensuing struggle a set of municipal by-laws was produced which had the effect of closing down the small-scale dairies because their owners were unable to meet the building standards imposed on them rather than because they were producing unhygienic milk. Unlike the demise of other pettyproduction activities it was white and not black producers who were most affected.