American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-09-02
OFFICE OF


problems Of marketing in the following bulletin
recently issued. With the facilities of the de-
partment for making Investigations, the conclu-
sion reached should have weight enough to COM
mand thoughtful consideration. The following is
a part of the contents Of the bulletin:
Farming Should Be y Successful Business.
Farming should be not only a scientific occupa-
the industry should be founded on well-establish-
ed. economic business principles.
Numerous education agencies have been at work
to raise farming to the rank Of a science, to teach
<the farmer how to make the proper use of the
forces of nature, and to work in harmony with
natural laws. But conditions are now such that
both producers and consumers feel there is some
thing radically wrong with the business Of mar
keting farm products.
For many decades in this country cheap virgin
soils made cheap production possible, SO that
farmers have felt only the need of concerning
themselves with matters of large production. But
higher land values, high paid labor, the call for
expensive fertilizers, and the increased expense
of fighting diseases and insect and fungus pests,
together with decreased yields in some cases, have
emphasized the need of a radical change in BUSH
ness methods.
One class contends that the land is not being
properly farmed and that what is needed is to
make the land produce more to the acre. While
~ 1 - ueSlTdDl6 W luCTtdSc pTOuuCllOU, Ine mere
doubling of production will not necessarily greatly
improve the conditions of the farmer or relieve
the burden of high prices to the consumer. 1t Is
a matter of record that the largest apple crop,
the largest corn crop, and the largest cotton crop
in the history of the Nation have yielded the pro
ducers of those crops a less amount of profit than
has been obtained in certain years of less pro-
duction; and it is also known that in these years
of enormous crops the prices paid by consumers
in most sections have not reflected, in a proper
degree, the low prices paid to the farmers. With
this knowledge of the facts, what farmer will be
encouraged to grow two blades of grass" when
he fails to realize a fair return for the zone blade"
which he now grows? 1t can not be made clear
to him that better returns wait on increased pro-
duction until he feels that present production is
fairly remunerative.
To the careful student of the problem it seems
evident that it is the lack of an efficient system
of distribution and marketing that causes much Of
<be trouble, and it is because of the lack of a
marketing plan that the present-day average farm
ing can not claim to be a business, but simply an
occupation.
This country has innumerable examples of sue
one In which all the thought is given to produce
ton and no attention is given to the distribution
and selling of the products?
Spe farmer is himself a manufacturer, but when
'~CHp hmanner Of selling his products is observed the
conclusion is formed that his marketing methods
are not worthy Of the name. as they consist chief
ly of dumping rather than Of marketing"
Many a case of so-called "overproduction' is
only a failure to distribute properly the products
to the points where they are desired. While one
market suffers from congestion, caused by an
oversupply, another may be suffering for want of
a sufficient amount, and at the anne time tons of
food products may be wasting in fields and or
chards for want of a profitable market. The
remedy lies in a more uniform distribution.
Many reformers attribute marketing difficult
ties to the presence Of SO many spectators and
middlemen; but it must be remembered that these
intermediary agents have come into existence to
perform services that the farmer fails to perform
for himself. If the farmer will not or can not ar
Eange to finance his business. he must expect to
pay others to do it for him. If he will not or can
not store his crops and hold them until the mar
kets are ready to use them, he calls into existence
a class of spectators who demand and receive
a liberal price for taking the chance and perform
ing these services. If he is unable personally to
distribute his crops and to deal direct with the
consumer, he must employ agents or commission
men to do this work for him. All of these agents
must be paid and most of them are in a position
to collect their charge, whether or not the con-
signor realizes anything at all.
Successful farming operations are largely con-
cerned with the elimination Of waste-the waste
caused by diseases and pests, the waste caused
by the neglect of natural resources, and the waste
OF misapplied labor. II 1t appears that these pres
ent-day methods Of distributing and marketing
farm crops are w~asteful, then 1t is the business
of the farmer to evolve a plan whereby he can do
some Of that work which he now pays others to
perform.
But the individual grower frequently discovers
that he is unable to do certain things which are
economically essential. The average grower is
not competent to grade and inspect his own pro-
ducts. and, even If he we're. he does not produce
enough to create a reputation beyond the limits
OF his own private trade. Not being able to ship
full carloads. his products are transported to mar
ket under more expensive freight or express rates.
The extent Of his business does not warrant any
great expense In securing reliable Information as
to market conditions and prices. This lack of in
formation puts him ut a disadvantage when dealing
with we'll Informed buyerS. II might seem wise