Morris tribune., 1921-11-11
STOCK FIRM SAVES
SHIPPERS $4,000
Cooperative Selling Agency Pays For
Capital Stock investment
In II Weeks.
MINNESOTA FARnG BUREAU
FEDERATION NEWS SERVICE
Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation
BY NEIL H. SWANSON
Editor News Service

NEWS SSENAGS
st. Paul, Nov. 2.-The cooperative
livestock sales agency established by
Minnesota producers on the South St.
Paul market a few weeks ago has
saved the farmers, in actual cash,
more than the total amount of money
they invested in it's capital stock.
That is the report issued today by
the investigation department of the
Minnesota Farm Bureau federation.
Since the Central Cooperative Com
mission association opened for bust
ness on Aug. 8, it has saved it's pa
irons, $1,000 by handling their live
stock at reduced commission rates,
the farm bureau reports said.
Besides reductions in commission
charges amounting to more than So
900 in II weeks, the central agency
has been able to set aside approxim-
ately 20 per cent of all commissions
received. The farm bureau statement
estimates this surplus at $500.
"The Central Cooperative Com
mission association has handled the
largest business done by any firm on
the market, at an operating cost at
least $4,000 less than the farmers
of the northwest would have had to
pay for an equally large volume of
business without cooperative sales
company" the statement said.
The cooperative agency is charg-
ing the commission rates fixed by the
state railroad and warehouse com
mission, although an appeal to the
court on behalf Of private dealers has
prevented general enforcement of the
new schedule of rates. The charges
put into effect by the farmer-con-
trolled company are estimated to be
90 to IS per cent less than the pre-
vailing rates.
-: The farm bureau report summar-
lied the work of the central live
stock selling agency as follows:
Farmers have invested $9.40O in
the capital stock of the association;
already the savings to the livestock
producers, in reduced handling
charges, are greater than the capital
stock investment. Savings to the far
mers from lower commission rate and
the surplus accumulated by the coop
erative company are within $4,000
of being equal to the total amount
invested in capital stock and member
ship fees.
''It is estimated that 10000 far
mers are members of the cooperative
shipping associations which have
Joined the central sales agency. The
total investment of these farmers, in
the central company is less than As
cents apiece" -.
The farmer-controlled firm, al
though less than three months old,
is handling nearly three times as
/ much business as any other firm on
the market. p
From Aug. to Oct. 10 it handled
117,904 head of livestock; it's near
est competitor handled 43,784.
In the same period, it handled 49,
655 cattle, 1885 calves. 65, 165 hogs
and 21,548 sheep. The next largest
volume of business handled by any
other firm was 1876 CATTLE. 4,039
+ calves, 22,665 hogs and 14,500 sheep
r On one~day this month, the coop
erative concern received 81 of the
! 242 cars arriving on the. market. Il
has handled as high as 8S cars in q
single day. = .-.
! 1t handled 1,144 cars from Aug.
! to Sept. 80; there are 20 firms on the
I South st. Paul market which handled
LESS than that number in the whole
nine months ending Sept. 80.