Smyrna times., 1921-02-23
FARMERS OF CHESTERT0WN
DECIDE ON TOMATO QUESTION
MUST SIGN NO CONTRACTS UN-
LESS APPROVED BY EXCHANGE
No Price Has Yet Been Agreed Upon
by the Exchange But Farmers Will
Be Urged to Stick Together

No Hrlce has let DCen ASACSu CPOh
by the Exchange But Farmers Will
Be Urged to Stick Together
The second annual meeting of the
Kent County Produce Exchange was
held at Chestertown, Md, Tuesday of
last week. Only members of the Pro-
duce Exchange were notified of the |
meeting and of the 152 paid members
so were present. The president, E. A.
Corey, presided. The first business |
brought before the Exchange was the
election of officers for 1921. On first |
ballot DR.. H. P. Copeland, was elected |
president; H. C. Willis, vice president; |
A. L. Harris, secretary, and d. w. In
gersoll, treasurer. DR.. H. P. Cope
land, B. F. Rash and E. A. Corey were |
elected delegates of the Exchange to |
represent the association at State, In
ter-State National or other associa-
tions cooperating with the Kent
County Exchange.
The subject of tomatoes was then
taken up. 1t was decided:
1. That no member of the Kent
County Produce Exchange shall plant
a tomato plant for commercial can
ming purposes unless it is covered by
a signed contract.
2. That ne contract be signed un-
less it is approved as legal contract
by the Attorney of the Produce Ex-
change.
8. That no contract be signed for
a less amount per ton per basket than
set by the Produce Exchange.
4. That any member of the Pro-
duce Exchange who fails to abide by
the rulings of the Produce Exchange
in regard to the growing and market
ing of tomatoes shall be expelled.
No price has been agreed upon as
yet by the Exchange for tomatoes this
year. This will be brought up at a
later meeting of the Board of Direc-
tors or full meeting of the Produce
Exchange.
At this point William G. Smyth
brought before the association the
true views of DR.. Woods, President of
the University of Maryland, upon the
Scale of Wages as recommended by
the Farmers Mass Meeting of Kent
County and read a published state
ment by DIR. Woods, correcting pre-
vious article which appeared in the
Baltimore Sun.
DIR. F. B. Bomberger, Assistant Di-
rector of the Maryland Extension Ser
vice and Secretary of the Marketing
Committee of the Maryland Agricul-
. tural Society, was then called upon tt
address the Exchange on Cooperative
Purchasing of Farm Supplies. DR.
Bomberger prefaced his remarks by {
few words on organization, in which
he stated that to date 18 of the 2;
counties of Maryland had Federated
all of their Farmers Clubs, Oranges
Community Clubs, Dairy Associations
etc, into one central organization ant
were largely handling their co-opera
tive purchasing of farm supple
through this central organization. A
an illustration of this Hartford Coun
ty Farmers Federation was cited
This central organization purchase
over 1000 tons of fertilizer this sprinl
for members of the various local OF
CARNATIONS at saving of from $50
to $1,000 per ton over prices offere
by local fertilizer agents before tn
order was placed. DR.. Bomberge
stated that farmers must be prepare
to give and taken when they under
take cooperative purchasing.
An explanation of the method of &C
operative purchasing which has prov
ed successful to various organization
in Maryland and as recommended b
the State Marketing Committee wa
then given in detail, DR.. Bomberge
brought out the fact that merely b
getting together nothing could b
done, but that savings were effecte
by farmers organizations in collectin
orders, shipping in bulk of car loa
lots, no warehousing, only one hand
ing, and by cash for goods.
DIR. Bomberger advised a non stoc
organization and that farmers organ
izations be careful not to get into tn
merchandising business. In conclusio
DIR. Bomberger stated that it was til
plan of the State Marketing Commi
tee to purchase farm supplies for ii
entire State of Maryland as soon {
the County Federations became fam
liar with the plans and more exper
enced in cooperative purchasing an
demanded Statewide purchasing
cooperation with other County Farm
ers' Federations.