The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1916-02-24
GROWERS WILL
TO BE FINAL
PLANS TO Be SUBMITTED DIRECT
Office of Markets Report Endorsed by
Shippers Central Agency and Uni
form Contracts Provided

fooSN aoSs WIN AT cpOhduS ny
of the Office of Markets of
the United States for stablizing the
of the crop Of northwestern
boxed apples and securing a more thor
ough distribution of the fruit will rest
with the real growers of the different
according to Wilmer Sieg.
&c. +. Bassett. one of the three rep
of the office who have been
working on the recent investigation and
reports for the past several months"
says Mr.. Sieg, will proceed at once
to North Yakima, where he will meet
with growers and give them the details
Of the proposed plan. c. W. Moomaw
and W. II. Kerr, the other two govern
ment men, will hold similar meetings
here and in other districts. The stand
ard shipping agencies, through their
League, ARE willing to accept the pro-
posed plans, which call for a growers
agency governed by board TO be COM
posed of five members selected by
growers and five by the shipping organ
izations. This board will select its
chairman, who may be a shipping rep
resentative or a grower.
The proposed plan calls for uniform
and central Office that will
endeavor to work toward uniform dis
tribution and the opening up new mar
kets.
MIR. Sieg is prone, however, to view
with regret action taken last week by
the growers of the Wenatchee district,
who have adopted a slogan. "sell for
cash.
This is not in harmony with the
proposed government plan, says MIR.
Sieg. "lt would be ideal if the fruit
could be sold for cash. But this plan
will not work. TIE Wenatchee grow
ers will find that cash buyers will pass
them up. If they stick to their plans
and absolutely refuse to dispose of their
apples. except for cash. they will, how
ever, cause other districts no trouble. "
The action of the Wenathcee growers
by Mr.. Sieg was taken last
week at mass meeting held at the
Wenatchee Commercial club.
l5The movement does not mean a new
selling organization. 1t does not mean
a new shipping organization; does not
grower. The Fruit Growers Agency,
as organized, is the get together instru-
ment of the growers and selling agen-
cies for the common purpose of mutual
protection, and through its Spokane
headquarters will be handled the details
so essential to the successful handling
and marketing of the crops. The
Agency, as an orangization will per-
form no act whatsoever of selling. 1t
will displace no existing shipping Or
ganization. The present selling agen-
cies will continue to act independently
in their dealings with the markets.
But through the mutual organizations
thus formed by the growers and ship
pers, the centering of the best thoughts
and minds in the industry will be de-
voted to the adoption and carrying out
Of advanced practices in marketing,
and such matters as the extension of
trade development in the worlds mar
kets. Substantially, confidence is ex-
pected to take the place of hostility in
conditions, and through
that confidence, economy.
"The following provisions must be
made part of all selling contracts and
nothing can be included in the contract
which will in any way contradict or
nullify the carrying out of the proVi-
sions as enumerated hereafter. The
provisions should be placed in the con-
tract in mandatory form.
81. 1t shall be provided that each
grower shall have the exclusive right
and authority to fix the price at which
his products or any part thereof may
be sold by the selling agent, but that 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 RESPONSE
BILE for failure to negotiate sales at
such prices.
''2. 1t is further mutually understood
and agreed by both parties hereto that
it shall be the duty of the agent to CO.
operate with all like growers resident
selling agents whose principal place of
business is in Oregon. Washington.
Idaho or Montana, and who handle an
average of 100 cars or more Of fruit
and produce annually, for the following
purposes:
"(a) To secure information as to
crop conditions, in order to determine
the common values of varieties and
grades.
500 To work in close harmony with
growers with the aim of securing uni
form methods in the harvesting, grad
ing. packing and the physical handling
of the fruit from tree TO car, and to Sc
cure standardization and enforcement
of the grading and inspection rules of
the states of Oregon, W ashington, Idaho
and Montana.
"(c) To agree upon date after
which no contracts for tonnage shall be
entered into, in order that the selling
agencies may have reasonable time in
which to provide for the sale and dis
tribution of the crops.
I'D To discuss in conference mar
ket conditions and experiences with
various mediums used in the markets
for the purpose of ascertaining the
most efficinet agencies and market out
let's for the economical performance of
their mutual contract.
"(e) To secure improvement in
transportation and storage services and
conditions.
"(f) To work out definite plans for
the development of various domestic
and Canadian markets, utilizing expert
enced men and the combined resources
of the said agents.
"(g) To develop foreign markets
along the following lines: % To con-
duct comprehensive foreign investiga-
tions for the purpose of knowing trade
connections. ~ To see that the fruit
is prepared for market so that the
grade and pack may be in accordance
with the best trade demands. 80 To
supervise the physical handling of the
shipments through to final destination
and to secure adequate insurance so
that the hazards may be reduced. (1
To secure capable foreign agents to
conduct sales abroad. (5) To expand
old markets and develop new ones by