South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-10-02
FARMERS WILL GET
WORLD AGRICULTURE
PRODUCE FACTS
To Gather Crop Information
From Principal Coun-
tries Of World.

association and officials OF the De
partment OF Agriculture, IT. r.
Meisch, president Of the association.
authorized the statement that the
Farmers National Grain Dealers as
ISOLATION VIII urge before congress
az the next session granting 20 the
Department of Agriculture funds
sufficient % gather trustworthy in
formation from all the principal
countries OF the world on crop con-
ditions. supply and demand and all
important changes affecting prices
on staple farm products.
II has been learned that the De
partment OF Commerce ana the
states department Of our federal
government are maintaining a world
wide organization represented in all
the principal towns and cities OF the
earth. These agencies report COM
mercial Information OF importance
by letter and cable constantly, but
practically no information Is gather
ed on grain and livestock cOndi-
tions. The farmer has not been get
ting the information through the
government that the Manufacturer
has been receiving in this line, al
though 81 per cent of our exports
are the products OF agriculture.
OfclBn NdFktl NtfNlCcs
It is now general recognized
that there is need OF establishing
world market news service for the
principal agricultural commodities
such as grain, livestock, cotton or
wool.
While the Z. 8. IS a large producer
OF these products, yet II does not
produce more than fair fraction of
the worlds supply. The price Of
these commodities is controlled not
20 much by crop conditions in the
L. s. as by the world situation.
At present there is no adequate
system developed for collecting and
keeping In an up-to-date manner
the exact world situation in regard
20 supply and demand. This lack
of definite information is one OF the
reasons why there are such large
price fluctuations Speculation is
partly based on the actual supply
and demand and also on a lack OF
general information as TO just what
theworld crop condition is. If re-
liabI information is available to
everyone interested on the principal
commodities, this alone would do
away with a large part Of the mar
ket fluctuatiOn due 10 speculation.
IL would seem that the proper
agency 10 undertake this service
would be the L. $. Department Of
Agriculture. The Department or
Agricuitu has already built up
very complete service on crop esti-
mates. stocks on hand and market
needs within the L. s. 1t ought to
he possible to extend this service to
all parts OF the world 90 that at reg
ular times a balance sheet could be
struck showing the worlds supply
and demand and the principal fac
tors affecting the price for each of
the great agricultural commodities.
In other words. build UP a worlds
market and crop reporting service
comparable 20 the domestic service
which has just been established by
the Department Of Agriculture.
Hearty approval was given the ef-
forts of the bureau of crop stimates
and the bureau of markets TO sim
plify the information which il is
compiling and 10 interpret il so that
all may understand the value OF the
information In comparison to other
world facts. II is not the intention
10 urge q duplication Of service. but
al existing agencies will be used II
may be necessary 10 have 10 or u
crop experts scattered I'm different
parts of the world 10 supervise the
gathering of the information and
sending IL 20 the Department of Ag-
riCulture by cable and letter. The
Farmers National Grain Dealers as
ISOLATION Contemplates the establish
ment Of an interpreting and dissem-
mating bureau SO that the farmers
and farmers elevators viii get the
best information the world affords
frff nrf 1.rr
VIII not be forced 90 depend upon
the boards of trade and large live
stock firms in the different cities
Tor their information.
The Farmers National Grain
Dealers association is an organiz9-
ton Of cooperative elevators scatter
cd over states. There are about
1000 cooperative elevators i'm the
states. About $50 farmers I'm each
community unite TO build and on
crate their own elevators. Combined
this represents one of tho LARGEST
cooperative movements i'm the world
having @ total output of over one
billion bushels Of grain and pur-
chaseS Z90 million dollars worth Of
farm supplies.
Terminal Commission.
Inc annual ConvC ltiOn OF the
II dllue Ia National Grain Dealers
association VIII be held i'm Chicago
plans will be made for the esf9h-
Dec 2-3. az which time DEFINITE
hshmrnt OF selling agencies and the
linking Of these together with The
selling agencies which have alreadv
oeen established. Farmers eIeya-
tors now have commission firms AT
Hutchinson. kas. MINNEAPOLIS. Irdf-
annapolis and Cleveland stems viii
also be taken 10 establish state ana
national purchasing branches 10 INV
collectively the supplies handled
Through farmers elevators. ohio
mas had a wholesale purchasing or
ganization in existence for the mast
three months and 10 has been saving
the farmers big money bv cuttinr-
down the selling cost OF the mann
iacturer. The Illinois Farmers
Grain Dealers Supply Co. has lust
been established with 500. 600
capital stock and Iowa exuects to
start q purchasing association ir the
very near future Oklahoma has
authorized the secretary of the
Farmers Grain Dealers association
20 establish a purchasing agent i'm
connection with the secretarv's or
flee
The - v-r-- r~e- .r.-----.-- --.-rr