Deming graphic., 1919-06-10
The Farm Bureau Grows

~ ~ W sftt'8a tAVN0
According to reports Of the extension
work north and west there were. on
April I, 1919, 4O9S4i Farm Bureau
members In the 80 northern and west
ern states with S.575 community com.
mittees. This Is slzable total, and
indicates nearly a ~ per cent Increase
since December, 1918 report This truly
wonderful result was obtnined in spite
Of the influenza epidemic which seri-
ously Handicapped the mebcrship cam
aign in many states,
While the agricultural department
does not believe that undue stimulation
Of membership is to be- desired yet Il
is ambitious 10 want 10 make million
II the million mark is reached then the
farm bureaus will be able to speak for
n national agricultural program aud Il
will also be able 10 command a power
and influence equal TO If not greater
than any other organization.
The Luna county farm bureau has
not yet reached the degree of perfection
which it should nor has ii as large a
membership as ii should have, We do
not believe farmers should he coax
cd or fooled or scared into the farm bu.
rean. We do delievc however, that
If the purposes cf the organization are
properly understood. II win appeal to
the intelligence Of the average farmer
and he viii then desire 20 become a
member On commonsense. business
basis. And we would recommend ~
the farmers Of Luna county to make a
study of the purposes OF the farm bu-
reau and determine whether they would
like To he one of million farmers in
the northern aud western states who
are such members
What Does il Cost 10 Grow Tomatoes?
We are Informed that in Burlington
county. New Jersey, seventy tomato
gromers kept accurate accounts Of grow
ing tomatoes and found that their costs
ranged from $50 to $50 per ton and the
average for the county was S20.49 a
ton. The average was G92 tons on an
acre. making the cost ON each acre
Si42.0S. The yield for number Of
years l. something like five tons an
acre, and on that basis the cost would
be something like S2G 80 S27 per ton.
Records from fifty farms in Cumber-
land county, y. j.. show that tine cost
was S2l.S7 ton last year. The aver.
age yield there was iI5 tons an acre.
These figures are used there to furnish
basis ON which To establish prices for
the crop.
This is exactly the plan Of the farm
bureau and the county agent Of Luna
county in sending out the blank TO de-
terminc the cost Of growing the tomato
as well n other crops. Why should we
constantly sell our products for less
than they cost us Ia prnduce them?
There Is only one anSwer-we do no.
know what IL costs MS to produce them.
We believe that the tomato factories as
well aS other buyers Of the farmers
products viii be willing To pay the far
mer the cost ~ growing the crop plus
a margin for profit If the farmer
through reliable business methods can
show what that ought 10 beAnd IL the
buyer of the farmers products does not
want to pay such price the farmers.
II properly organized. in such an organ
ization rs the farm bureau may say to
the buyer you will pay us our price. and
there will De no IFS and andS about 1t.
We trust that every farmer Of the
country will be- enough interested in his
own business this year to want to find
ont what It costs him to produce his
crops. II You need help Ia do this call
on the county agent
4 few years ago n cost survey was
made Of the daires In several districts
supplying milk TO Kansas CITY. ST. Joe.
and 81. Louis and It was found there
these dairy men were selling their milk
from . TO . cents per gallon less than
il was costing them 10 produce. or
course. a few were selling AT gain and
when these facts were shown to these
dairymen they re-aranged their dairy
practices 50 that more could sell at
gaines instead Of losses.
In view Of these facts does IL not
seem reasonable that this project. To
determine the costs Of producing crops
ought TO appeal TO the intelligence Of
every farm Of this county.