The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1921-12-22
Strawberry, Early Potato and
Asparagus Men Favor Long
Time Contract
TO MEET AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY
Only Essential Difference of Opinion
is On Question of Financing
Association

anu asparagus growers OF the henne-
ick-Richland-Pasco district are prac-
tically 100 per cent in favor Of or
ganizing a cooperative marketing as
sociation was demonstrated at meet
ing in the Legion Hall Saturday af-
ternoon. The meeting was largely at
tended by representative growers of
all three crops and no voice was rails
ed against organizing. The only diff
ference of opinion is over the ques-
ton Of details for the organization.
The form Of marketing contract as
submitted by the organization is an
ironclad agreement on the part of the
grower to deliver all of these crops
to the association for a period of six
years with an option on the part Of
the grower to extend the agreement
for an additional four years. The con-
tract is made contingent upon S5 per
cent of these crops being brought into
the association. No objection to the
six-year provision was raised by any
grower.
There was considerable difference
of opinion as to the name of the as
sociation. The name marketing Un-
ion" was rejected by the meeting and
Chairman Chalcraft was authorized
to appoint committee to submit
names for the growers approval.
The only vital difference of opinion
seems to be over the question of
financing the organization, One group
Of growers hold that with the excep-
ton of a nominal sum to meet neces-
sary expenses of organization no
finances will be required, and are
strongly opposed to any provision that
Will tend to put the organization in
the merchandising business. Others
are of the opinion that provision
should be made for fully financing the
association for marketing the crops,
which would include the furnishing of
marketing supplies to its members.
AS no provision was carried in the
original draft of the agreement it was
referred back to the committee for
amendment and for a further report
at meeting to be held Friday at 2
p. m, in the Legion hall.
In discussing the organization plan,
Bruce Lampson, chairman of the COM
mittee, says:
THE question is no longer Shall
We Cooperate?' but it is How We
Shall Cooperate There are innum-
cradle forms of cooperative organiza-
tions. A large per cent failed or
simply existed. Compared with the
total number organizations, few have
made real success.
Three outstanding features in the
successful cooperative organizations
are: first. a long time contract; sec
ond, adequate financing and third ade-
quate and efficient supervision Of op-
erations. 1t would seem that nearly
all of the farmers are convinced of the
necessity of long term contracts. 1t
is practically unanimously agreed that
there is no use trying to build a solid,
permanent organization on a weak
sales agreement.
"The other two essentials arc the
ones upon which we must spend one
time and thought, as there is so much
difference of opinion. If We are go
ing to build a permanent and success
full organization to sell our early pro-
ducts, there will have to be, sooner
financing. There are at the present
time ample facilities for warehousing
and cold storage, etc., which probably
can be secured at reasonable rates.
But if we justify our essentials we
Will grow anu grow TdpiQly. luc IlrSL
essential to that growth is indepen-
dence. If we are going to be inde-
pendent, we must build our own sell
ing agency, make our own marketing
connections in our own association
rame. This will require some finance
ing. We cannot build up thru a SELL
ing agency which works half-hearted-
ly for US or whole-heartedly against
us. A selling agency that simply
wishes to build US for the sake of a
commission or one that wishes to
break us so that they can buy from us
individually. can never build the in
dustry. The interest of the selling
agency must be directly the interest
of the grower and of the industry.
Such an agency cannot be built with
out some experditure. Our success
will be limited if we do not build our
own selling agency in our own name.
eff an association is going to be
Independent as to warehouses and
cold storage it must provide methods
for RAISING finances for that problem.
Success will demand this sooner or
later. The method for securing these
Frances should be bv all means pro-
vided for in the original plan. Every
member should provide necessary
finances in proportion TO the quantity
of his rroduct and if this proportion
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