The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-04-08
REFORM IN FARM MARKETING

III boNS
and method of the marketing OF farm
products is being more and more
recognized. A study of conditions as
they exist prove plainly thar there i
need OF business methods beginning
at the farm, embracing the facliitles
for handling the crops. and. IN 1act-
making radical changes in the meth
DDS now pursued in placing the prod
ucts in the hands Of the ultimate con-
sumers.
In round numbers the statistics are
hat there is annually produced IN
this country a food crop of the value
of nine billions of doliars; that OF TINS
about three billion dollars is used on
the farms, with some six billions IN
value going to the consumers. But
IT does not each these at
the six-billion figure, having swollen
to the ultin;ato cost Of about thirteen
billion dollars. The vast jump from a
producing value of six billion dollars
to a consuming value of thirteen bill
lions is out OF all reason, n IS con-
elusive IN itself as a demand that there
be means found to correct a system
necessarily OF TOO much waste II TOO
great expense.
There is now being paid increased
attention to the raising of crops and
there is being emphasized the need OF
scientific cultivation, n with this is
being found the need of economically
passing on the crop to the market so
as to eliminate waste and addition to
the original cost OF profit after profit
going TO the various sources through
which the crop is eventually turned
over to the u That there
must be a concert Of action to secure
reforms absolutely essential is g self
evident fact.
From investigation and discussion,
it is the opinion Of students Of these
matters that the conditions can be
vastly improved by the creation Of
market commissions by the States aid
the general government. Senator Hoke
Smith Of Georgia has introduced q
bill which creates q division Of mar
kets in the United States Department
OF Agriculture, and Governor Mctiov-
ern Of Wisconsin, in a recent message
to h Legislature of that State, rec
commended the establishing OF a State
market commission. The purpose!
sought by each are OF the same line
one nationally, the other within The
State; these tnat the farmers be
brought into closer relations with tn,
consumers; that h farmers be KEEP
informed concerning the matter o
supply and demand and prices. am
ment Of the crops and h dealin:
: with them in trade cekArs. With in
formation Of this kind the fa,me
|, could proceed with information tina
in turn would be Of value to the cor
, surner, and enable him to apply bust
ness methods which would bring
r vast improvement to the farm.
: :. The matter OF this first cost of 81
billion dollars and the thirteen billion
dollars paid by the ultimate consume
: certainly needs attention, for the dit
e ference is too enormous TO be legiti
mate. In it is seen one Of the bi
items in the matter Of the high cos
( OF living. by which the people ar
I burdened. OF curse, IT is recognize
that there are certain necessary ey
G penSeS; that transportation to marks
4 must be paid for, and that Their,
should be a fair profit to those wh
handle the products. But while tn!
is SO, the difference in the figures
such rs 10 prove that there must b
some way TO handle the matter so 8
q to greatly reduce the cost to the cor
SINNER without in the least reducin
h revenue of the producer. A sma
- saving all along the line, with NOR
expeditions methods applied IN III
marketing, would in the aggrega,
make an immense saving and do i
part in reducing the high cost Of Ii,
ing.
The action along national lines