El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-27
Cooperative Mark citing
Fruit Growers, Truck Growers and
Farmers Organize to Sell
Their Crops.
BY Frederic J. HasLln --


&" TAsHINGTON. D. C, Feb. 27-The
! M department Of agriculture has
| prepared a list Of the princi-
| pal farmers organizations which have
been established for the purpose Of CO.
| operative marketing the products of
| their farms and orchards. A synopsis
| Of the methods of these various organ
! izatiGns is given, and the results
! achieved hereunder are outlined. Cal
/ ifornia ranks first among the states in
! the matter Of cooperative selling nr-
| CARNATIONS, and the Atlantic sea aboard
| states show a large number Of Organi-
| cations which have been handling farm
| products with high degree OF sue
! cess.
California Exchange
| one Of the most interesting and
| widely known OF the cooperative sell
| ing organizations is the California
Fruit Growers exchange. The annual
orange and lemon crop of California
1 amounts to some 10000 900 boxes or
I $4,000 carloads There are from 10000
to 1900 orange and lemon growers in
the state, fOur-fifths Of whom are
members Of cooperative selling organ
( lzations- Sixty per cent Of these are
! federated in the California Fruit Grow
I ers' exchange. This association acts
I as clearing house for the crops of the
| $500 affiliated growers, providing the
facilities for distributing and market
ing the fruit
There are three foundation stones
I upon which the federation is based:
/ First Of these is the local association,
which corresponds to the county gov
eminent in our political system. 4
number Of these local associations form
I a district association, which cOrrc-
spends to the state government. These
district associations in turn form the
exchange which corresponds to the
federal government Each district as
ri oh r. ire
affairs so long as they do not con-
flict with the constitution and laws Of
the exchange, and each local assOcia-
J ton can do as it pleases, within the
! bounds Of the constitutions and laws
of the exchange and Of the district
association Of which it is a member
Work Done at Actual Cost
The services Of all these associations,
| from the small local up to the big
central exchange, are rendered to the
members Of the association at actual
cost The entire net proceeds, after
actual expenses are deducted, go to the
growers themselves. The exchange
comprises lis local associations, each
Of which has from 40 to 200 members
Each local association Is organized so
that the fruit grown by its members
may be assembled in a packing house
where a manager, acting under a board
Of directors, grades, cOOls. packs and
prepares ii for shipment Each grow
er receives his prOpOrtiOnate share CT
the net proceeds Of each grade of fruit
sold Many Of the associations pick
the fruit, and some OF them prune and
fumigate the trees for their members.
When a carload is assembled it is mar
keted through the district exchange Of
which the local association is a mem
Der, through the agents and facilities
which the central exchange provides
There are II district exchanges. They
order the cars and see that they are
correctly placed for loading; they keep
record of the cars shipped by each
association; they receive the returns
for the fruit sold from the central eX-
change and turn 1t over to the local as
sOciatiOns.
business on Cash Basis
The central exchange has capital
of $4,000, and is managed by II direc-
tors, through a general manager Each
district has one director. The central
exchange has bonded agent in each
Of the principal markets Of the country,
from whom 1t receives regular tele-
graphic advices as to market condf-
lions and carload sales. These advises !
are issued to the local associations in !
daily bulletin. Business is done on a
cash basis, prompt accOuntings being /
made.
The exchange takes care Of all Iiti- |
cation arising out Of the marketing Of /
the fruit, handles all claims, conducts |
an extensive citrus fruit advertising
campaign. and develops new markets. !
Every shipper reserves the right 10 1
regulate and control his own ship
ments, to develop his own brands. to /
use his own Judgment as to when,
where, how and at what price he shall I
sell, even in competition with his fell /
low members.
Walnut Growers Organized
The California Walnut Growers as |
ISOLATION renders about the same sew |
ice to the walnut growers Of southern 4
California as is rendered to the citrus 1
fruit growers by the Fruit Growers |
exchange. The general association Is !
made up of members Of local ones. The |
central body has made uniform rules /
for grading and bleaching. The wal |
nuts must be passed oyer a screen with /
meshes one inch in diameter. All /
which pass over are k'-NO- l. and those !
which go through are No. 2" They
must be free from stains and blemishes I
and the crack Of these nuts must |
show that at least SIS per cent have
good meats
These two associations are typical |
of a large number Of selling Organiza- !
tiOns in California
Cooperative stock Company
Another type Of cooperative organi- /
zatiOn for the marketing OF crops is |
the Grand Junction (COl.) Fruit Grow /
ers' association. 1t is a stock COM \
pany composed exclusively of fruit /
growers, with membership of 1000 ]
Its objects are to market fruit pro- /
duced by its members adTantaEeousIy.
to broaden the deciduous fruit market; [
to encourage better methods of grow
ing, and to grade the fruit that is
shipped. It furnishes its. members vim /
all the supplies necessary for the prop
er maintenance Of their orchards. such
as spraying machines, spraying mate /
rails, boxes, fertilizer and nails
Experts are employed to teach the
members proper methods Of growing. /
spraying. picking and packing their
fruit. The association handles its own
distribution and sales It sells direct /
to the wholesale fruit dealers through /
it own broker representatives IFS
charges are made on the basis of cost
for icing, refrigeration and such items.
and per cent Of the net proceeds after
these items are deducted.
Handling the Melon CrOn
The Rocky Ford Melon Growers es-
ISOLATION markets canteIOupes only. IT |
pays its distributing agency u 10 per ,
cent on the gross proceeds of the sales. /
9nd the office expenses amount to |
about 2 - per cent.
Florida associations
The Florida Citrus Fruit exchange e
the representative Florida co-oDers ff,-,,
organization 1t is described as q noo-
profit, cooperative corporation made |
up of wheels within wheels, and hav-
ing headquarters at Tampa Its func-
ton IS to act rs the general sales agent
of all the local ageorfaAfo-- I