Norwich bulletin., 1916-11-08

number of dairy cows in New England is very much less than it was five | years ago.
 It has been said that farmers can not stick together ard consequently | will not be able to secure adeuuate recognition; but @ change has come l about and the experiences of the past few months proves that the only chance a dairy farmer has today is to comGsne with his fellow producers for their mutual benefit.
 The Milk Situation. reau has been following these devel- opments in the milk situation but pre- vious to the middle of October no &C., tive steps had been undertaken. The first step taken by nearby producers toward >bettering their condition was taken in Providence when Rhode Is- land producers shipping milk to Prov idence got together in the early part Of October and organized the Pro- ducers Cooperative Association of Rhode Island. Secretary W. O. Rog- CTS and your county agent attended two Of these organization meetings but no further steps were taken until requests from Preston producers came, who shipped to the same market. There requests came at a time when your county agent was devoting his entire time to other matters 10 that these men were put off with the prom lse that assistance would be given as soon as possible. Meanwhile the sit uation was developing in another quarter. During the week of Oct. IA, New Haven County Milk Producers who market their milk in the city of New Haven met and decided that they should be paid at the rate of 6c per quart delivered in New Haven. Real lzing that this price could not be ob- tained until all producers shipping to this market were gotten together on an equal basis. meeting was called for Oct. 23 and your county agent was requested by the New Haven county agent to have representatives from Colchester, and neighboring towns in the northwest part of the county at- tend this meeting to see what action could be taken. About 100 milk pro- ducers attended this meeting and all were heartily in favor of securing a better price for their milk However, 1t was felt that rather than developing a local New Haven milk producers as- sociation it would be better to organ ize on a statewide basis and a comA l mittee of three was appointed to look into this matter. Meanwhile the work of organizing lccal units and getting producers together could be carried on informally and at this meeting your county agent was requested by milk producers in Colchester Wes.chester, | Amsten and Hebron, Gilead and Tol- | land county to assist them in forming | their local organizations. This work was accomplished during that week and by Saturday night organization | meetings had been held in Colchester, Hebron, North Westchester and Exc | ter at which 106 milk producers sig nified their intention of cooperating some form of organization. These 106 | men were practically the entire num- 1 Der of milk producers, attending the meetings in territory where there are 160 producers, showing that by l far a large majority favored this | been called by the secretary of the 1 state board of agriculture for We'd nesday; Nov. 1 in Hartford, of all in- | terested in incorporating a Connecti- cut Milk Producers Association and at | that time it was unanimously to form | such an organization and at that time | it was unanimously to form such an l organization and a committee of five | are at the present time drawing up | articles of agreement, constitution and l ducers may receive the benefits of | such an association as soon as possi- | ble.
 | Following immediately, producers from the northeast part of the coun- | ty shipping milk to Boston requested | assistance in their efforts to secure better prices and as most of this as- | sistance was needed in Windham | county and the Windham county agent 1 was absent on leave, the state expan- | sion service sent Prof. Musser into | Windham county to assist the produ- cers there. Meanwhile the producers | shipping to Providence were demand | ing assistance and a meeting was held l Tuesday night. Oct. 31. in Preston, | where it was unanimously voted that these producers join some association which could assist them. The latter ! part of last week was spent by the county agent in Investigating means | of securing help needed and by con- | ferenceS at StorrS and Providence we 1 have secured the immediate aid of the Producers Cooperative association of Rhode Island all New London county shippers to Providence will be given as wished. North Stonington produ = cers are already considering a meet ing to discuss the situation and pro-
 ducers in Franklin and Sprague have
 called a meeting for Thursday at the
 town hall, Baltic, and requested the
 county agent to assist them in organ
 izing. Milk producers around Nor
 wich seeing the advantage of organiz-
 ing held meeting last Friday and
 voted to start Norwich Milk Pro-
 ducers' Association and appointed a
 committee of three to draw up a con-
 stitution and bylaws as soon as pos
 sible. I believe all. both producer and
 consumer, are interested In this move
 ment to better the milk industry ana
 hope that all producers in New Lon
 don county will join this movement land your county agent stands ready
 to assist them in any way possible
 Many have already expressed the val
 ue of the Farm Bureau and its aid to
 the present situation and I feel that
 by the time this work Is completed
 every milk producer in New London
 county will give his hearty support
 to the Farm Bureau Organization.
 Letters written 56, circular letters
 written BIT, bulletins. distributed 157
 articles published in the local press 8,
 office calls 63, telephone calls 127, farm
 visits made 69. number of demonstra- tions visited 119. meetings held at
 demonstrations 4. attendance at dem
 onstration meetings 253. other meet ings held or attended by agent 22, at
 tendance at such meetings 712. miles
 auto 1504. days spent in office 8, days spent in field 29. farmers visited dur ing month not previously visited be-
 fore IS.