The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-01-28
By ROBERT FULLER
U-:<<or nac;o11v for Tho Co,,r

Chicago. Jan. 27.-The "California
plan" of direct marketing is attracting
the attention of Thoughtful farm pro-
duct producers all over the land. 1t is
the best system yet developed in estab-
fishing a satisfactory selling price.
The California plan is exceedingly
simple. 1t organizes the commodity
not the growers. 1t is not Uttered up,
nor aim confused by piling all kinds
of commodities into one huge pool.
Instead, each community is organized
unto itself with expert and experienced
marketmen employed to evenly dis
tribute it; establish uniformly high sell
ling price and prevent a glut of mar
ket.
Control of more than half the total
production in any n community by
such organization means an increase to
the producer in returns of from SO
per cent to 200 per cent.
The American Farm Bureau FEEDER
alton through its executive committee,
has been investigating the california
plan in an attempt to inaugurate the
best possible system in mrketing of
farm products for its members.
Through paid experts, a careful in
vestigation has been made of the plan
in California where now more than
twenty associations successfully mar
ket as man different food cOmmodi-
ties at the highest possible price each
year.
And these experts are reporting
back to the American Farm Bureau
Federation that the food producers
there have solved virtually the same
problems which confront the grain
growers. the livestock ~raisers, the wool
growers, the farmer and the dairymen
all over the nation"
I'm Union There is Strength"
The foundation of the whole plan de-
ponds upon a contract between the
grower himself las an Individually and
himself las a group by which he
binds himself, under an iron-clad con-
tract illegally enforceable) to deliver
his ENTIRE crop of that particular
commodity to the organization Of
which he is a member.
Without such contract-the organi-
cation is doomed to failure before it
starts.
The producer delivers his crop to
the district warehouse, where it is
graded and the marketing is then en-
trusted to the experts.
The marketing plans have been
worked out carefully with the result
that in some communities-almonds
for instance-an increase from 8 cents
to II cents per pound was obtained by |
the growers in less than four years.
Last year California food growers
and producers sold about $500, 900, 900
worth OF combined commodities and
practically without the loss of a car
which included both p%erishable and
non-perishable crops.
Some of the commodity o~rganiza-
tons have developed their own credit
system whereby, with big deliveries
of crops in their warehouses to use
as collateral, they can make loans and
advance a certain per cent to the grow
er upon delivery.
It's the Pooling Idea, 100 Per Cent
The basic principle is, of course,
county. state or national pooling. Each
farmer brings his crop to the ware
house, receives his slips for his pro-
duct of different grades, then at the
end OF the season when the average
price received for each grade has been
determined, he gets the money-less
than the actual cost of operation. But
n average price obtained by the as
ISOLATION is so much higher than can
be obtained by the individual producer
That ne still has a greater profit after
cost OF operation has beer deducted. Il
And the California plan organiza-
tons points with particular emphasis
TO the fact that they stay clear of the
"buylng' business, that is, wholesale
buying to reduce the cost of their