The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-08-31
.SAPIRO PLAN APPLIED TO
MAPLE SUGAR INDUSTRY
Says ]. F. Langner, Authority on Co
operative Marketing-Ready to Apply
Proved Successful Western Meth
ada Arnann Eastern PIoducers.


pie sugar, what California and other
states accomplished with raisins, prunes
and A dozen other commodities. Take
the speculation out of the distributive
system. in this country, and you ind
profit for both consumer and produc-
err"
That is the way Julian T, Langner,
specialist and consulting engineer on
modern cooperative marketing, puts 1T
when he speaks of remedy for the
present system of commodity distribu-
ton.
Mr.. Langner is the western expert
who was recently called into conference
with the executive committee OF the
Vermont Maple Sugar Makers associa-
ton, and the New York Products or
ganization at their meeting on, Aug. 20
in the Sherwood hotel in Burlington.
At that meeting it was decided to con-
fer again with Mr.. Langner on Sept. 2
The session was also attended by mem
hers of the New York State Farm Blu
reau federation, New York and Yer
mont departments of markets, YER
mont College OF Agriculture, represent
ed by Thomas Bradlee, director OF ex-
tension, and Cornell university, repre-
scented by Professor Collingwood.
In order to anticipate the next meet
ing, and to obtain some concrete lnfor.
nation for its readers on the so-ealled
"Sapiro Plan" at first hand, the Bur
lington Free Press arranged for an IN
terview with Mr.. Langner.
The Sapiro plan of cooperative
marketing, now functioning successful
" by means of more than 80 associa
tons all over the country, is the only
economically, financially and legally
sound producer cooperative plan IN OPP
Grafton to day." said Mr. Langner, when
asked for a general description OF the
method he is advocating. at is called
the "Sapiro Plan" because it was con
ceived and applied for the first time by
Aaron Sapiro, prominent attorney OF
San Francisco, who to-day is consld-
cred the foremost authority on coop,
erative marketing in the country, and
who is legal counsel for more than oO
cooperative associations.
1.-The proof of the plans soundness
and practicability lies in its success
wherever it has been instituted" con-
tinued Mr.. Langner. "You can get a
pretty fair idea of its reception by the
| financial world, when | tell you that
| the war finance corporation has just
completed arrangements for an advance
of over 100000 to the prune grow.
ers of California, and to growers OF
wheat and cotton in the northwest and
south who are members Of associations
formed on the Sapiro plan.
Mr.. Langner said he understood that
for years the maple sugar makers OF
the state had been seeking a proper
| method of marketing their product
| But before we can discuss the remedy
of alienation which will place the in
dustry among the producers, we must
make diagnosis, just as a physician
| does, when you come to him with an
| ailment," was his comment.
Let us delve little into the history
of the maple sugar industry. During
| the past 70 years, the ratio OF volume
OF ample products decreased from one
pound consumption per head OF popu,
lation to only one-third pound. And
1 here we have a peculiar attendant CON
dition. Instead of price rise with a
decrease in ratio of supply. there was 9
[ consistent drop, except during the Civil
| and Great war periods. Importations OF
sugar, cane sugar, were prevented dur
| ing the former war, and diverted to
| European channels during the latter
These wars accounted for the rises in
the production of maple sugar, which
were but temporary. The result of fall
| ing behind in production is that maple
sugar is now a luxury, where II was
once a necessity on every family Ia
BILE"
Mr.. Langner spoke of the maple sug-
| ar industry in Vermont as being in "a
rather chaotic condition" due to the
| fact that there seemed to be no guiding
merchandising spirit that would apply
| its business vision to the stimulation
of demand for the product. He called
attention to the real success of the
| western co-operatives, which enabled
those associations to expend and invest
sizeable sums in educational advertis
ing campaigns, which instructed the
public to new uses for the output, and
which educated the consumer to an
appreciation of food values, and food
attributes of which they had hitherto
been in ignorance.
"The same thing can be done with
maple sugar." said Mr.. Langner en-
Enthusiastically. at would hardly be fair
TO criticise the present system OF mar
keting maple sugar, without suggesting
the cure The sugar makers must still
learn, after all these years Of bitter
experience, that they are the only ones
truly interested in farming as an in.
dustry, and in the production of maple
sugar in particular. Every other party
TO the distributing process, except the
consumer, God help him, is interested
entirely in the margin of profit he car
make. So the producer has to learn that
prosperity lies in a large volume OF
sales and a fair profit, rather than in
small volume and a long margin.
The marketing expert stated an eco
nomic axiom when he said that high
price causes small consumption, and
limits the market TO the very wealthy
The producer doesn't get fair profit
and the consumer gets just plain stung
why, the same thing was happen
| ing in the west" declared Mr.. Lang
ner. Before organization, the peach
growers got Is cents out of every dol
lar, now they get 81 cents, and the usel
| pays less in the bargain. The pruns