The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-03-30
FRUIT SELLING TALK
AT COMMERCIAL CLUB
Representative of Government Market
ing Department Talks TO Farmers
and Fruit Growers.

Ways and means to get the farm
ers and fruit growers together for the
purpose of marketing crops, especially
the apple crop, was the purpose of an
address made yesterday afternoon at
the rooms of the Twin Falls CONNER
cial club by c. E. Bassett OF the
marketing bureau of the department
of agriculture, in which the terms of
the uniform contract suggested for
the producers and selling agents by
the government was discussed. A
similar meeting was held at Bull at
the same time.
Under the Clayton amendment to
the Sherman antitrust law, farmers
are no longer prohibited from form
ing organizations to control the price
of their products within certain lin
it's" said Mr. Bassett, land we are
now endeavOring to arrange for the
disposition of this years crop with
such machinery as we have on hand.
Formerly, any agreement with
view of combining for marketing or
for the limiting of the output was
illegal. Now farmers can organize
for the purpose of disposing of their
own crops, provided that the organ
ization is not capitalized and that
the crops controlled are owned by
the men themselves. No one can buy
the products of others and legally en-
ter a combination controlling their
disposition. The organizations that
can now be formed will be of great
value in opening new markets in
South America and elsewhere which
it would bankrupt a single producer
to try to open. The farmers formerly
wanted to learn to produce more, but
now want to learn how to sell to bet
ter advantage, and the department is
trying to help them.
After a full days deliberation and
a very full discussion of each of the
activities proposed, the representa-
tives of the shipping agencies. pres
ent unanimously and very enthusiast
tically expressed themselves as being
in full sympathy with the entire ten
tative plan and they desire to do all
in their power to put the plan into
operation during 1916, provided it Sc
cured the approval of the federal au-
thorities. While it is evident that
practically all of the shipping agen-
cies are willing to undertake the work
of adopting this plan, it must be
clearly understood that its success
depends upon the order of the grower,
who has the power to control his
shipping agent through the giving OF
Withholding of tonnage"
"The representatives of the office
then proceeded to draw up a plan
which would include the best ideas of
great number of fruit growers and
sellers interviewed, together with
their own ideas, that we're supported
by the experience along similar lines
of marketing work in various parts of
the country In order that the office
might be assured that such a plan
would be acceptable to the shipping
agencies of the northwest, it was
thought wise to call these agencies
into an executive conference, at which
time the tentative plans were ex-
planned in detail This conference was
attended at Spokane, Wash, by II of
the leading marketing agencies in the
four states, and canvass of those
present showed that they represented
over rs per cent of the Pacific north
west during the past year
The following is the form of the
contract submitted for consideration
in consideration of the mutual ad-
vantages to be derived herefrom, it is
agreed between the parties to this
contract as follows:
81. The grower shall have the ex-
elusive right and authority to fix the
price at which his products or any
part thereof may be sold by the sell
ing agent, but in event the price so
| fixed shall be higher than the best
market price Obtainable after offering
the same, the selling agent shall in
no wise be held responsible for fail
ure to negotiate sales at such prices
49, 1t shall be the duty of the agent
to cooperate with all growers resi-
dent selling agents who are members
of the Fruit Growers Agency, Incor-
porated, for the following purposes:
"(a) To secure information as to
crop conditions in order to determine
the economic values of varieties and
grades.
"(b) To work in close harmony
with growers with the aim of secur-
ing uniform methods in the harvest
ing, grading, packing and the ply
steal handling of the fruit from tree
to car; and to secure a STANDARDIZED
ton and enforcement of the grading
and inspection rules of the states of
Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Mon
tana.
"(c) To agree upon date after
which no contracts for tonnage shall
be entered into.
"(d) To discuss in conference
market conditions and experiences
with various mediums used in the
markets for the purpose of ascertain
ing the most efficient agencies and
market outlets for the economical per-
Torrance of their mutual contract
"(e) To secure improvement in
transportation and storage service
and conditions.
"() To work out definite plans
for the development of various do
nestle and Canadian markets, utiliz-
ing experienced men and the combined
resources of the said agents.
"(g) To develop foreign markets
along the following lines:
I'D To conduct comprehensive