The Madison journal., 1912-12-07
SAVING IN SELLING PRODUCE
Wisconsin, = Expert Says $22s,ooo,ooo
Is Lost to Consumers and Pro
ducers Of Farm Truck.

That a saving OF 25,0OO,OOO could
be made to the consumers and pro
ducers of the farm produce OF this
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 ume'
receive more for their crops and pro-
duce, more than a year ago Mr.. Sir
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 his hhu-
ings which should be Of unusual IN
terest to the consumers and producers
of the state.
The farm produce of this country Is
worth about $4,000 100000. 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 nvs 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 s225. 100000. And tne
experience of co-operators in Ireland
J and Denmark, as told in Mr.. Sinclalrs s
: report, was that many times hve per
cent could be saved.
The great aim Of cooperation ac-
cording to this investigator. Is 10 III
crease production and to get the pro
I duct to the consumer as economically
as possible. Getting the product ih'o
the hands of the consumer is, oi
a course, a very intricate process where
3 growers and consumers are as lar re-
moved from each other as they are al
3 the present time. Naturally enough
e the large producers cannot atteho
e personally to all the details OF
TRANSFORMATION and marketing OF thelr
output Of produce. They can now
g ever. hire competent men at regular
>, salaries to properly take care OF some
of these phases Of productlon an.
marketing. But they can only anore
{ to do this by cooperating with otne'
producers.
Secretary Wilson of the depart
ment of agriculture. has estimaue'
that but 46 per cent. of what the con
sumer pays for his product ever get
. hack to the farmers. II the presen
9 charges of distributing and retailih'
70 farm products by private concern
In were not excessive, there would De ~
40 need of changing the system. but II
20 evident that so per cent OF the seiilh
a. nrice is a high rate to pay for PUTIN
20 the products into the consumer
hands Experience In other countrie
N. and to a lesser degree IN this. mas
40 ready gone far to show that co-oper'
no tive agencies give improved service
49, a largely diminished cost. How IN
"a nortant a further application OF TN
~ nrinc,ple is, may be judged from I'd
:. fact ttat the present annual retalhn
'or value of farm produce in this counti
on is about 50 ,OOO. 100000. Assuming th'
IA half of this represents the cost
20 marketing under the present syster
,n' and II but five per cent. OF the otn'
no half could be saved to the proouce'
an nv hiring their own cooperative ma
:. ooers and sales agents, 1t would 81
11 9w mean a met gain Of s225.ooo,ooo.
u ,.r Co-operation can unquestionably a
,,n comnlish more through the savin'
ha which producers may realize by co
Quoting their own distribution tn'
,as through increase in the whoiesa
Ma nrice obtained. We need a better
eat iustment Of supply and demand wni'
or. will make it possible to market col
~. modities when and where they W
non hiring the largest net return.