The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-12-30
Ohio FARM Federation, YOUNG ORGANIZATION
SOON TO Be One OF BEST EQUIPPED IN COUNTRY

COLUMBUS. O.. Dec 3o.- In its
swaddling clothes a year ago. the Ohio
Farm Bureau Federation today is an
agrarian giant and, according to Muir
ray D. Lincoln. secretary, is Just
stretching its muscles In adolescence.
Until recently the least organized,
farmers of Ohio and the United States,
Lincoln asserted. soon will be the best
organized class Of citizens in this
country.
A year ago, tho Ohio Farm Bureau
Federation was more or less of a pa
per organization, with aims and ideas
In an amorphous state. 1t had 10000
members, each paying 81 annual dues
Today it has $4,000 members, and
each are paying $40 year into its
treasury, bringing in dues aggregating
100000. The Ohio Federation goal Is
100000 members and dues of $1,000
600. just year ago, the federation
pleaded for at least one representative
from every county at its meeting In
January. Now it is asking every one
of Ohio's 1,400 townships to be repre-
sented next month.
Double Membership.
At its last meeting 1t suggested to
the county bodies that they increase
the membership fee from 81 to $40
and accept only thrce-year member
chips This, 1t was thought, might re-
suit in fewer members but more
money to do things with. Instead OF
decreasing the membership the scheme
doubled 1t In nearly every county in
which campaign was put on.
Those facts are brought out by Lin
coin in report, showing what the
Farm Bureau has done in organizing
farmers OF the state.
He emphasizes that the farm bureau
movement still Is in its infancy, and
numerous details and plans remain to
be ironed out. He declared the bureau
in Ohio and nationally is differed by
men without faint of radicalism, who
realize their responsibility and are en-
deavoring not to abuse the power or
influence they may obtain from what
already is said to be the largest or
ganiZation of farmers ever formed.
Half of each membership fee, or IS
remains with tho county bureau, -
goes to the state federation and 81 to
the American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton, the parent organization. To date
the state federation has received $172,-
900, while $4,000 has been sent from
this state to the national body.
Bureau in Every County.
Every county in the state now has
a farm bureau, Lincoln said, the last,
Adams county, having been organized
month ago.
The apparently immense funds, in
brief, Lincoln said, are to be used for
these purposes: To organize the pro-
ducers, help maintain county agricul-
tural agents in counties, and assist.
ants; preach more efficient production
and after that bring about collective
marketing and buying.
The Ohio Federation has worked out
program of primary efforts. which
has become known the country over
as the Ohio plan.
stock shipping agencies in every live
stock county, fruit and vegetable
marketing associations in all commun.
tiles growing those products, cooper
ative elevators wherever deemed
necessary and so forth. Dairymen are
to be organized in the same way.
Cooperative Shipping.
Eleven counties now are shipping
live stock in the county cooperative
plan. In two months. 1t is predicted
such plan will have been organized
in % to rs counties. Fayette county
last month, according to figures at the
!. farm bureau federation, sold 100000
Dworth of hogs over a farmer-owned
platform. This month 1t is expected
to reach 100000.
The Ohio Cooperative Sugar Beet
Growers association. organized last
summer, has 1000 members, all OF
whom market their products through
the association agent.
A dairymen's organizer has been
employed to start work Jan. Is.
The cooperative elevators have TAX
en- over the Union Elevator company
of Cleveland, as their first big social
ed holding company. 1t is planned to
have branches in Columbus, Toledo
and Cincinnati. This holding company
plans to employ experts to sell grain
to millers or export companies in 500
000-bushel lots or more.
while primarily concerned right
now with a better system of market
ing, we don't propose to ask the con
sumner to pay higher price" said
Lincoln. 1--WE are preaching better
farming and we realize that as soon as
our activities result in higher prices
for consumers we are lost.
Organize Business.
"Of course we can't fix prices; they
are governed by the law Of supply and
demand. We have a right, however
to get the best possible prices FOR the
farmer. Our live stock associations
have been marketing hogs at margin
of so cents per 100 pounds. whereas
the local, private shipper, formerly
paid himself 81.
THE farmer must organize his bust
ness as does the business man, into
three departments, production, buying
and selling. The farmer himself with
the aid of colleges, experiment stations
band county agents is good producer
DOur purchasing department, in CO
operation with the county organiza
lions, can serve all commodity divis
ions. We will need trained purchas
ing agents as we'll as expert sales
agents.
THE central holding company now
is largely myth. I believe though
the demand will soon be here for it
MI -