The Mankato free press., 1921-03-25
CONSIDER MARKET PLANS
EXTENSIVE PROJECT PRE-
-SENTED TO FARMERS
If Adopted They Will Go Into
Effect During This
Summer
[Ass,ciated Press Dispatch.l

Chicago. March l7-Farmers' or
ganization of the United States today
are officially considering the most
in the history of the country. Two
extensive cooperative marketing plals
well developed projects for handling
grain already have been worked out
and are now being presented to rarn,-
ers. II adopted, they will go into
effect this summer. Efforts are being
made to unite the two farm groups
concerned on q single system.
The final ratification meeting fof
the broader Of the plans which includ.
es the handling OF all grain, is set toI
April 6 here. The other organization
which concerns itself only with what
is already signing UP members.
On April Z the first working meet
ing OF a national livestock marketing
committee will be held here. Its OBJ
jet is to develop national livestock
plan. Coincidentally with these two
will hold conference in Chicago. al
which consideration will be given the
possibility of national cooperative
effort.
National Marketing Plans
The national plans for marketing oi
wheat and livestock are the culmina
ton Of much local and sectional CO.
operative enterprise ( already estab.
lished by farmers.
The prime movers in the plans
mentioned are the American Farm
Bureau Federation and the Wheat
Growers Association of America
Both organizations are developments
Of the last few years.
The wheat strike" of last year
attracted attention TO the Wheat
Growers association. which has it:
headquarters at Wichita, Kan. With
the assistance Of Aaron Sapiro, Cal.
iforpia marketing expert, it has work
ed out a system and is pushing q
contract campaign in the-wheat rails
ing states. In Kansas effort is being
made to sign UP $4,000, 900 bushels, OIL
about half the crop, in a wheat pool
The general grain and hvestoci
marketing plans are those in which
the American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton has taken the lead. The feder.
alton was permanently organized only
q year ago, on the foundation of the
county farm bureaus, already long
established.
Grain Marketing System.
The grain marketing plan, which
has the federation's support and is tc
be presented to farmers in the var
ious states between now ind April
is the outcome Of six months work
1t was drawn up by farmers and 9th
er experts under committee o.
Lincoln, Neb., chairman. AS head o.
a big cooperative organization OF far.
mers in Nebraska, Mr.. Gustafson haC
already made success in this field
The livestock committee appointed
by the American Farm Bureau Fed
GRAFTON to devise a national live
stock marketing plan starts with the
same aim as the federation's graiI
committee. but. as it was created lat.
the present time, This is called tn,
Committee of Fifteen"
Calls For National Sales Agency
While the two grain plans differ il
detail and elasticity. each calls for Z
national sales agency. Whether th'
livestock committee will similarl,
advise a national livestock commits
sion sales company is one of tn,
questions before it. Mr.. Gustafson ii
II. w. Mumford, of the Illinois Agri
cultural Association is secretary. Dr.
Mumford reports there are 5000 CO
operative livestock commission com
panies in the country.
Cooperative business being trans
acted at the present time by farmer
runs into the hundreds Of millions o
dollars, according to figures collect
ed here. The capital farmers hav,
invested in cooperative grain elevator
totals other millions. The nationa
organizing movement has also touch
ed the hundreds of farmer ownet
cooperative elevators, and .ney re
Gently got together here in a nation
al convention.
Cooperative purchasing OF sup
plies by farmers organizations
prominent among them the elevators
has made rapid progress in severs
states, farmers owning coal mines an,
buying output of entire factories
Legjclation to facilitate coopperativ
enterprise mas been advance1 in
number of legislatures this winter.