American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-07-19
LICENSING OF THREsHERHEN


The Law governing the licensing Of
fhreshermen requires that all owners
ci threshers or seed hullers shall reg
lister With the director of farm mar
kets and procure licenses to engage in
such business. The license costs 81.
which is issued by the department for
the purpose of defraying expenses CON
nected with collecting and compiling
of these reports. This requirement ap-
plies TO combines as we'll as regular
tEreshing machines, but IL an individ-
ual owner of machine. combine or
thresher. does no custom work. no
ihreshing except his own. he is not
required TO take out licenses. but Is
asked by the department TO send in
report of the amount of grain or seed
threshed or hulled on his own farm
that we may have record of the states
production Blanks Tor this purpose
will be provided on application.
Ii two or more men form a compa-
NY and exchange work with one an
other, threshing only the grain owned
by members Of the company, they are
considered doing custom work and
must take out license.
The farm markets department pro-
vides account books and report blanks
for all who take out licenses. All seed
hullers and threshermen. whether do
ing custom work or not, are required
to make report Immediately upon the
close of the seasons work.
Laws Governing the Obtaining OF Ag-
ricultural Data.
The law requiring threshermen and
seed hullers to register and take out
state license was passed by the last
legislature. The primary object of the
law is the obtaining of necessary ag-
ricultural data. In the past the only
means by which reliable information
regarding the grain and seed prOduc
tiOn of the state was obtained was
through the federal census taken every
tenth year and the field reports OBJ
tanned annually by estimating and
comparison.
This could not be made TO serve the
farm markets department as a reliable
county, district or state basis. The de-
| partment was frequently called on by
various branches of the federal gov
eminent to give reports on county,
district and state production obtained
and anticipated. There was no data
available from which we could judge
the quantities of the various products
seeking market or make report TO the
federal government; hence the enact
ment of this law, and another requir-
ing county assessors to make more
extensive agricultural data report
Neither of these laws referred to car
be made to serve its purpose and give
the farm markets department abso
Ilutely necessary and reliable infor
nation whereby the department car
aid the producer in marketing his
crops, unless We can have the careful
. intelligent cooperation of the farmers
and threshermen
The threshermen have. as rule
been very careful and thorough II
complying with this law and our re
quest. Through their kindness we hav'
obtained the most reliable data nov
at our command. But the county as
SCISSORS reports are not serving s.
we'll. chiefly for the reason that tn
farmers are reluctant TO give the as
SCISSORS a full and accurate accoun
OF their productions. even if they ar
in possession of it themselves, becaus
= they seem to think that the infOrma
ton furnished will be used as a basi
of taxation This is not correct. Tn
report has nothing TO do whateve
= with taxation. And again. there ar
many farmers who never keep an ac
count of their productions. sales o
= expenditures; in fact some know littl
: or nothing of their assets or liabili
e ties from year to year. From thes
farmers the report is little more tha
;, guess. and can never be made [
r properly serve them until they lear
+ to keep and report a reliable accour
g of their business Harvey Alfred, d
e rector of Farm Markets.