Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-14
(By G. s. %strandyold.)

In no field of American agricultural
activity has the principle OF cooper
ationS been more extensively applied
than in crameffes and cheese factor
les. and although some Of the defects
apparent in cooperative consumers
stores and in elevator Companies are
easily enough discernible in the dairy
industry, they seem to be fewer and
leks important.
In the department Of agriculture
bulletin No. 547. issued September,
1917, the number of creameries in this
country is given as approximately s.
500. AS G. Harold Powell in 1911
maintained that there were 6,300
creameries and .3,S46 cheese factories
in the country then, it is rather diff
cult to arrive at exact figures. Stuff.
cient is known. however. to make 1t
probable that about IS per cent of all
the cremeries were organized by
farmers and are managed along CO.
operative lines.
! No Strong Opposition. ~
The cooperative creamery has not
met with any very strong opposition,
and this may be one Of the reasons
for Its comparative success. There
have, however, been other difficulties
to overcome, and in this respect we
face the oft repeated complaint that
managers. Frequently, it is said, CO.
operative creameries and cheese fac
tories have been established by pro-
motors sent out from a machinery
concern for the purpose of obtaining
a sale Of equipment, and in practical
ly every instance Of this kind, at
tempts have met with failure.
Another condition which very otter
has made it impossible for a cooper.
alive. creamery or cheese factory to
flourish is the fact thai it has beer
Nocated in a territory with too small.
a number of cows. Experts say thai
faborable circumstances may be
enough for a sn1all creamery, but that
more are desirable: no creamery hae
any long life before it il it bases its
business on the, products OF but -four
hundreds cows.
Organization and Methods.
Creameries are oftener operated iir
accordance with cooperative princi,
pies than are. for instance, grain ele-
vators, and this seems to be due &c
differences. in the lines Of business.
Dairy products are not contingent
upon seasonal conditions to the extern
that graipts, and the fluctuations. ir
the market are fewer and less impor.
t3nt than in the grain field.
For this reason it has become a
custom among many Acreameries tc
deduct the expenses of operation. Sc
aside a reserve, and divide the profits
among the patrons once a month o.
so, in accordance with the amount O
butter fat delivered by each. This
method makes the creamery actually
cooperative even though it is a Joint
stock company. as most of them are
But other creamery and cheese fac
tory organizations are built on tn,
non-stock plan according to which
the farmers borrow the. needed CAPT
tai on a joint note in such-a mannel
that the loan is repaid by assessment
on each pound of butter fat or OF
each hundred pounds of milk deliver
ed.
peculiar situations, of which c. r
Jesness and w. Fl. Kerr have told
1t may happen, for instance, that tn
debt of the organization has beef
paid, but when that is the case, tn
members have nothing to show a
proof that they hold any interest il
the property, and in view<of the fac
that a number Of creameries of thi
kind are not Incorporated. a uuestio,