The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-10-21
Marketing to Best Advan.
tages
BY I. F. PECK
Commissioner of Agriculture

When they aaslyze conditions con-
fronting them at the present time.
farmers realize that they must adjust
themselves and their work to conform
to them. They see they cannot con.
tinue to dump their products on the
market in haphszsrd way aud realize
a living profit from their work.
We know that we must have the
quality, quantity and variety If we are
to get the best prices. 1t 10 hard for
the individual farmer to have the
qsuntity. but all can be had by COM
munity co. operative effort.
The problem that must be solved is
just how to. secure that Cooperative eff
fort. Farmers as rule seem less in
clined to community cooperative effort
than any other class. but they are
rapidly coming to be convinced that
such cooperation is the most practical
solution of their problem.
| was in Newport, Cooke County, a
few weeks ago. and bad an opportunity
to inspect the canning plant of Stockley
Brothers at that place, and to learn
something Of thu history of its devel
opement. Their plant now covers
several acres, and Is modern In every
respect. They pack atl products of the
farm that can be preserved that way.
They manufacture their own cans and
their shipping boxes and crates. They
have their own heating, lighting and
water systems and their own power
plant. Their Office building, separate
from The plant buildings. is model Of
convenience. During the shipping sea-
son several cars Of canned goods are
loaded and shipped daily.
Twas curious to know how such Q
big business was developed, w. B.
Stockley told me that when they return
ed to the farm from college, they
decided that their margin of profit on
their crops IL grown and marketed in
the usual way, would be small. They
decided that they would try to got
closer toi the consumer with their
products. and to do so. the products
should be more thoroughly prepared
for the consumer, So the first year
they put in q small plant and get
up 5000 cans of tomatoes. Each
year they have been increasing ltheir
capacity and the variety of products
canned, until now they ican supply any
thing that can be grown on the farms
and packed.
At first they grew. on their farms
Feverything they canned, but their bus.
mess developed so rapidly that they
are furnishing fine market for che
farmers in large territory. and giving
employment to ell the available Labor
In the neighborhooi. They produce .
large number Of livestock and sell the
livestock for their neighbors.
The busiaessof the Stockley Brother,
furnished fine object lesson and Z
feasible plan for community co-opera
tive effort. They have made money
from the start .and have developed I
good local market for their entire
section. Their success proves that .
community organization could be formed
to manufacture the products Of the
community. or some progressive farmer
could take the iDiative and provide the
market with profit Co himself'and the
whole community.
It would pay any progressive CON-
munity to ssnd committee 10 the
Stockley Plant, to Study 1t and ts de-
lvelopement. and see what family Of
energetic. ambitious boys. can do and
have done. They began in small
way. and have demonstrated to the
farmers bow they can double their net
profits on their work. They have sim.
ply employed business methods in their
farm operations, BY preparing their
own and the products Of their neighors
for the market In shape that 1t ID
ready for the consumer.
One of the explanations of the small
profit of the average farmer Is the fact
that his product 10 many instances 10
dumped on the market without any
preparation forthe immediate needs Of
the consumer. The manufacturer de-
velops the marketing or distribution
feature of his business as carefully 40
the production end. When farmers
learn to do this they will find success
awaiting them. They will seldom
srefesd otherwise