Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-16
Committee on Cooperation
Urges United Working Plan


session of the Maine State Grange on
Cooperation, consisting of &C. NJ.
White, chairman, C. NJ. Williams. Cecil
T. Smart, Eva NJ. Ellins, Maude r.
Mudgett and Cora A. Brigham. made
ITS report, which in substance follows:
Never in the history of the Maine
State Grange can it's membership
point with so much pride to the &C
complishments wrought through CO.
operative endeavor. The ability for
individuals to work with individuals
and farm cooperative organizations
with farm cooperative organizations
as has been developed consistently.
Perhaps the extent of this consistency
may be brought more forcibly TO m nd
by calling attention to the principal
revenue producing crops of Maine
farmers and the amount of income
which they annually mean to the farm
crs of Mama
Potatoes lead the list with a value
OF over S27.0O0,000: dairy products
with a value of s15,5o0NO0; poultry
products come third with an annual
value of s4,6OO,OO0, while apples. sweet
named, with respective values of ST.
100000, s1.500,0OO and sSS3,50o.
The Grange. true to it's principle
that the prosperity of a nation is in
proportion to the value of it's produc
tions,' has seen to it that It's Influence
has been used to perfect healthy mar
keting organizations for all those in
come producing lines except poultry.
The Aroostooh Federation of Farmers
is doing wonderful work in nlarkct-
ing the potato crop. The New Eng
|, land Milk Producers Association has
the unique distinction of maintaining
a price for dairy products more nearly
in proportion to the supplies which the
farmer must tuy than any other COM
modify which he has for sale
Apples are marketed through more
than % local Fruit Growers .Associa-
lions federated in the Maine Fruit
Growers Exchange, while the Sweet
Corn Growers Association has mad
much to do with placing that industry
on. cost of production basis. The
Sheep and Wool Growers Association
has pooled more than $4,000 pounds OF
y
than half has been sold direct to the
consumer. which is carrying out the
Grange principle to market less in lint
and more in warp and wool and TO
bring producers and consumers, farm
ers and manufacturers into the most
direct and friendly relations possible
Hence we must dispense with sur
plus of middlomcn not that we are TN
friendly to them, but we do not need
them.
Team work pure and simple is the
underlying principle for this success
Perhaps the example occurred early
in the present year, when the farmers
of Maine arose in their might and dis
proved the old indictment thai farm
ers cannot hang together, even in th,
face of adversely. With the collapse
Of the central purchasing organiza
ton for the arious local co-opera-
tives in the state caused by the fall
in prices which occurred the latter
part Of 1920, the need of new Central
was imperative. The Maine Depart
ment of Agriculture the various off,
Gals of subordinate, Pomona anG State
and other organizations went at it
with determination. and now the
Maine Farmers Exchange is Junction
ing in purchasing, grain. seeds and
other farm supplies in large whole
sale quantities
1T occurs to your committee that a
definite step might be taken by tho
Grange through the State lecturer and
lecturers whereby a definite course Of
study and information might be taken
up by the subordinate and Pomona
Oranges and inform their membership
what these organizations mean to-
them. I
Undoubtedly many communities are
not interested in all of these diverse
successful cooperative organizations.
but there is scarcely any which is not
interested in at least one of them.
We therefore recommend that the
State lecturer cooperate with the
Maine Department of Agriculture, the
Extension Service of the University of
Maine and the officials of the various
Statewide cooperative organizations
to obtain facts and figures, methods
and policies of successful cooperative
marketing and purchasing concerns
applicable to the needs Of the interest
ed communities