Chapter 19

Performance and breach of Sales and Lease Contracts

Case 19.1

352 N.Y.S.2d 784
76 Misc.2d 1080
MAPLE FARMS INC., Plaintiff,
v.
CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF the CITY OF ELMIRA, New York, Defendant.
Supreme Court, Special Term, Chemung County.
Feb. 1, 1974.
CHARLES B. SWARTWOOD, Justice.
This is a motion for summary judgment in an action for declaratory judgment whereby the plaintiff seeks, first, a determination that the contract wherein the plaintiff agreed to supply milk to the defendant school district at an agreed price be terminated without further liability on the grounds of legal "impossibility' or "impracticality' because of the occurrence of events not contemplated by the parties which makes performance impracticable and, second, a determination that the defendant school district has authority to unilaterally relieve the plaintiff of its contract without violating Article 8, Section 1 of the New York State Constitution.
We commend counsel on the quality of their briefs. The background of this dispute is that the price of raw milk at the farm site is and has been controlled for many years in this area by the United States Department of Agriculture through the New York-New Jersey Market Administrator. The president of the plaintiff milk dealer has for at least ten years bid on contracts to supply milk for the defendant school district and is thoroughly conversant with prices and costs. Though the plaintiff avers that the defendant was aware of the prices of raw milk and the profit picture, the fiscal officer of the defendant denies that either the price of raw milk or the profit structure of suppliers was known or of any concern to him or the defendant. The defendant's only concern was the assurance of a steady supply of milk for the school lunch program at an agreed price on which the school's budget had to be based. The mandated