The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-03-07

Bingham can rightfully boast oi
one of the most effective farm bureau
organizations to be found anywhere
in the great northwest and by the
concentrated efforts of this organiza-
ton, as shown by the summary out
lined above the reader will readily
see that this organization plays q
very important part in the develop
ment of the agricultural possibilities
of this section of the state of Idaho.
| The work of this bureau is in the
, hands Of E. W.. Stephens, who works
under the direction of the bureau of
agriculture. Mr.. Stephens, while he
has only been in Bingham county
upwards of year and some few
months has proven himself competent
and aggressive and is hard worker.
The following article will deal with
. the work of the bureau thruout the
year 1920 and will show what an ef-
feet it has had on maximum develop
ment Of agricultural possibilities.
Work on Cooperative Marketing
The most effective work done in
the county during the past year has
been the work in the cooperative
marketing project. Prior to the time
this project was outlined the farmers
Of the county were selling their small
lots of fat or feeder hogs to local
spectators or travelling buyers at a
loss of 81 to 50 per hundred.
The most effective work was done
in the west Firth, Lavaside and Firth
communities. The co-operators in
terested agreed to place their feeder
hogs in the feed lot at the same time.
They also bought corn comparatively
which was shipped in direct from the
elevators in Nebraska. By placing
the hogs in the feed lot at the same
time it was made possible for the
county agent to top out the fat hogs
SO that no co-operator was carrying
hog in his feed lot past the time
when it was ready and finished for
market. This also insured a uni
form car of hogs thereby making it
possible for the county agent to get
a premium for uniform car load of
we'll finished hogs.
when car of hogs was ready
shipping date was set by the county
agent, who would notify various buy
ers that the farm bureau would have
a car of fat hogs for sale on such a
date. In the meantime the county
agent would wire the large stock
markets tributary to the shipping
point for the best available price on
fat hogs of the type to be sold. !. On
the date of shipment or sale the
farmers who had fat hogs ready
would bring them in to the loading
point, where the hogs would be
weighed and sold or shipped. The
county agent, knowing the cost of
shipping fat hogs from Firth to Salt
Lake, Ogden, Spokane or Portland,
and with his direct information from
these markets on the price of hogs
was able then to sell the hogs at
the best possible price over the
scales at the shipping point or if the
prices offered by the buyers at hand
was less than could be netted by ship
ping the hogs, of course, would be
shipped to the market quoting the
highest price. However, all ship
ments made by the Bingham county
farm bureau were sold over the
scales at Firth or Blackfoot at a
price ranging from 81 to $3.50 per
hundred more than could have been
netted by shipping to the markets.
The outstanding feature of this
project is not only the saving made,
but also the fact that the farmers
were taught in q manner which
meant dollars and cents to him, that
top hog brought a top price and
that rough heavy or half fat hogs
were sold at dockage.
In consequence II farmer brought
in at one time half fat hog and re-
ceived less money for the animal than
a neighbor, who brought in well
finished one the result was that on
the next shipment made, only we'll
finished hogs were brought in to be
sold.
The farmers interested were not
only taught the market demands
and the class of hogs desired, but also
that only thrifty, we'll bred hogs
made the best and most economical
gains.
Not only hogs, but lambs and wool
were marketed comparatively under