The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1912-12-28
SAVING IN SELLING PRODUCE
Wisconsin Expert Says $225,ooo,oo
Is Lost to Consumers and FRO
dUcers OF Farm Truck


That a saving of 1925, 100000 could
be made to the consumers and pro
ducers OF the farm produce OF TINS
country through cooperative buying
and selling is the opinion OF John
Sinclair of the Wisconsin legislative
reference library.
For the purpose Of devising some
plan whereby consumers could reduce
the cost of living by paying less TOT
their food products while the FARMERS
Of the state would, at the same tlihe'
receive more for their crops and pro
duce, more than a year ago MT SIN
clair was sent by the Wisconsin
state board Of public affairs, to Eng
land, Denmark and other European
countries in which cooperative mar
keting has succeeded, to study the
methods followed there, and to deter
mine whether or not these would De
applicable to Wisconsin conditions. A
report but lately issued by this depart
ment contains a summary OF MS ma
ings which should be Of unusual IN
terest to the consumers and producers
of the state,
The farm produce OF this country ls
worth about $9,0O0,000,OOO, and as
suming that half Of this represents
the cost Of marketing under the pres
ent system, Mr. Sinclair, IN this re-
port, estimates that at least hye per
cent of the other half could be saved
by the producers by having their own
cooperative managers and SAFES
agents. This would mean net gain
to the people of $225,000,OoO. And the
experience of cooperators In Ireland
and Denmark, as told In Mr.. Sinclairs
report, was that many times hve per
cent could be saved.
The great aim Of cooperation ac'
cording to this investigator, Is 10 IN
crease production and to get the pro
duct to the consumer as economically
as possible Getting the product INTO
the hands OF the consumer ls, Oh
course, a very intricate process where
growers and consumers are Ms tar re-
moved from each other as they are at
the present time, Naturally enough
the large producers cannot attenu
personally to all the details OF
transportation and marketing of their
output of produce. Sey can how,
ever hire competent Men at regular
salaries to properly taxa care OF some
Of these phases OF oductoh anu
marketing, But they \ n only aHoru
to do this by cooperating with other
producers
Secretary Wilson OF the depart
ment Of agriculture, has estimated
that but 4G per cent, OF what the con
sumer pays for his product ever gets
back to the farmers, If the present
charges Of distributing and retaining
farm products by private concerns
were not excessive, there would DC no
need Of changing the system But II Ii
evident that 80 per cont OF the sellihS
price Ia high rate to pay for putuhg
tho products into the consumers
hands, Experience In other eouhtrles
and to n lesser degree In THIS, mas IL
ready gone far to show that coopera.
two agencies give improved service at
n largely diminished cost, How I'M
portant further application OF this
principle Is, may be judged from the
fact that the present annual retailing
value of farm produce in this country
ia about so, 1000 OO,O 900, Assuming that
half OF this represents the cost OF
marketing under the present system
and II but Ave per cent, Of the other
hAlf could be saved to the producers
by hiring their own cooperative man
ayers and sales agents, II would sun
moan n net gain of s225oOOOOO,
Cooperation can Internationally ac'
complish moro through the savings
which producers may realize by con
duotIng their own distribution, than
through increase IN the wholesale
prIoe obtained. We need n better ad'
jssipcnt of supply and demand when
win mako It possible to market com,
modItIeg when and whore they VIII
bring the largest net return