The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1921-10-20
DAlRYINC Will 8.
SOON TAKE LEAD
Concentrated Products as Butter and
~ ,,-~ Cheese Can Be Handled
>"-~ Profitably.
YIELDS A STEADY INCOME
Co-operative Marketing Becoming, a
Worldwide Force, Bureau
Chief Tells Farmers.

St. Paul, Oct. 20.-Within the next
ten years dairy farming will supplant
grain producing as the major agricul-
tural industry of the northwest, and
replace the farmers present f1uctuat-
ing income with a steady, continuous
revenue, James R. Howard, president
of the American Farm Bureau fedora
ton, predicted in an address at the
national dairy show last week. At the
same time, he said, cooperative mar
keting will add untold thousands" to
the income from the milk pals OF
Minnesota, the Dakotas and Mon
tana." The farmers Of this group OF
four northwest states got 81 per cent
of their total income in less than four
months, Mr.. Howard said, while Wis
consin, through its dairy industry,
gives it's farmers very nearly con-
slant level of income throughout the
year, with only slight reduction dur
ing the two hot summer months. The
use of milk as food is increasing rap
idly. In these days Of high freight
rates, economy in transportation must
be carefully studied. The more high
ly concentrated the product the lower
the cost. Hence butter and cheese
have an advantage over the grains, or
even over livestock.
Through industrial evolution the
farmer has seen the privilege of ask
ing his own price on his own products
gradually slip from him and pass into
the hands of capitalistic agencies
Mr.. Howard said. ave are told that
the farmer now gets only 38 per cent
of the consumers dollar" he said.
"The farmer feels that he has right
to follow that which he produces
through the various trade channels
until it reaches at least the professor
and perhaps even the ultimate con-
sumner. He cannot do this Individual
ly; he must do it collectively, he must
co-operate.'
Mr.. Howard declared that co-opera-
ton among producers of agricultural
products has become a worldwide
force. Farmers of Spain and Portu-
gal have marketed their fruits and
wine comparatively for several de-
cades," he said. "The most powerful
farmers cooperative organization in
the World has formed the basis fo1
Denmark's development from a com
paratively feeble nation to one OF
great wealth and influence. Underly.
ing the struggle for Irish indepen.
dence is an insistent demand by 8
pastoral people for the right to CO.
operate and become their own capital
istic agencies. "The 5000 co-opera.
tive elevators in the grain states OF
America have added several cents a
bushel to the price received by far
mers for their grain, and according
to the federal trade commission are the
best managed country elevators in the
United States.
1.-THE distress of this country at the
present time, with it's millions of un-
employed, is due more to the unbal-
anced condition as between agricul-
ture and industry, than anything else
Restore the purchasing power of the
farmer and in 80 days the mills will
be humming and business will boom
Until that purchasing power is re-
stored, until there is a reasonable
balance as between the different ele-
ments of our national life, conditions
are not going to improve. Co-opera.
ton will restore that balance. More
than that it will help maintain thai
balance after it is restored."