Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-02-11
SEVERAL MILLIONS
SAVED TO FARMERS
The 1920 Story of the Eastern
States Exchange

| SItSSlNe program OF constructive ettOr
during the present period of readjust
ment and confidence in their abilit,
to do 50 successfully, was the keynot
OF the third annual meeting of tn
Eastern States Agricultural and Indus
trial League which took place in thu
Municipal Building, Springfield, Mass
on Monday, February Z.
Important progress in the accom-
pllshment of the aims and purposes o
the EASTERN States League has beer
made during the past year according t.
the annual report which was mad,
public at the meeting. The work O
the cooperative purchasing department
OF the Eastern States Farmers Elk
change has been exceedingly successful
and has demonstrated the efficiency oil
combined purchasing effort. Exten.
slve and significant strides have been
made in the boys and girls work by
the Junior Achievement Bureau of the
League and the work of the Home Blu
reau only recently organized, has met
with enthusiastic response and hearty
cooperation
Farmers Saved Half Million
According to the report the volume
OF business handled during the past
year by the Eastern States Farmers
Exchange aggregated Sl,612,00900 as
compared with 1857 ,22400 in 1919. The
tonnage increase over the previous year
was lis per cent. This represents 944
cars Of grain, feed, fertilizer and farm
products. 1t is pointed out that
through the direct and indirect infu-
ence of the Eastern States Farmers
Exchange a saving of possibly several
million dollars has been effected for
the farmers Of the East during the past
two years. Estimating an average
saving Of twenty per cent would show
a saving Of S500,00000 to the farmers
on the actual purchases of two and a
half million dollars worth of supplies
during the past two years. These ac-
tual savings, however, are very small
part Of the total savings effected
through the influence of the Eastern
States Farmers Exchange. Grain and
fertilizer dealers have reduced their
prices all along the line to meet the
Of the Eastern States
F armers Exchange and in many cases
local associations have been able to
Ouy i'll carload lots for their members
on better terms through regular trade
channels than through the Farmers
Exchange
Vermont is Becoming More Interested
The report shows that Massachus-
etts led in the volume of purchases
while Vermont, New Hampshire and
Connecticut show substantial increases |
over the 1919 volume In Connecticut
he increase Of business handled by
he Farmers Exchange was 253 per
,ent over the previous year A begin
ling has been made in the standardi-
.ation aud marketing of potatoes. The
standardization Of farm products is an
,ssential step in cooperative marketing |
md in the creation of a profit for the
armer and satisfaction for the CON
umer The report summarizes the .
year's accomplishments and calls at
entlon to the unprecedented business !
and cites the ability of the
Farmers Exchange to grow and ex-
)and under those circumstances as a
lefnlte instance of the permanency of
he cooperative movement 1t says:
Last years unparalleled conditions
Constituted the most severe test which
ould have been applied to the CO.
operative movement The manner in
which the farmer has stood the test is
II emphatic answer to the oft-made
question Is the cooperative move
nent among the farmers of the East
temporary activity or is it one which
as come to stay There can be no
Mistake about it The cooperative
1ovement has come to stay and is
ach year growing, solidifying and ra-
IDLY working toward success"
BOYS and Girls Clubs
The work Of the Junior Achieve
1ent Bureau Of the Eastern States
.eague among boys and girls is at
resent attracting national attention.
according to the report more than
tx thousand boys and girls were di-
ectly reached and organized into Jun
)r Achievement clubs. These clubs
onsist of teams and working groups
f boys and girls who make a game
f work and who have become inter-
sted i'll industry, commerce, trade,
griculture. home-haking and sales
ianship. 1t is estimated that about
venty thousand boys and girls were
reached through this work.
The organizations which are coop
rating in this work rank among the
ighest in their communities and many
them are of national Importance
nd influence. Among them are such
EXAMINATIONS as the International RO-
Try Club. the New England Rotary
Tub, the Associated Industries Of
Massachusetts,, Manufacturers Asso-
alton of Connecticut, New Jersey
tate Teachers Association, local Ro
lry clubs, chambers of commerce and
umerous womens organizations
One OF the outstanding features OF
lie work was the organization in Mass
chusetts Of a Baby Beef Club. Six
zen baby beeves, totaling 1858 pounds,
ere purchased by boys and girls who
ID and cared for them for five months
nd then placed them on competitive
lhibitiOn at the Eastern States Ex-