The Coconino sun., 1922-01-13
COCONINO FARM 5s BUREAU MARKET
 ING ASSOCIATION
What Has Been Done by the Coc0nino Farm Bureau and the CocOnino Farm Bureau Marketing
 Association During
 the Year 1921
(By Francis A. Chisholm)

The Coconino Farm bureau as now constituted had it's origin July 1, 1921. This organization being public con cern, organized under senate bill 109, could not meet the desires of the farmers. For time business was done in loose way by the bureau. Since the bureau had little or no f. nancial backing it was seen that com mercial activities were out of the ques- ton. This led to a conference of farmers where it was decided that a marketing association was an essen tial. Accordingly the Coconino Farm Bureau Marketing association was formed. At first without capital stock, but since it could not function prop erly without financial standing, the ar ticles of incorporation were amended to give us stock corporation. The amount of stock authorized was $100,- 900. This action was taken at meet ing in Flagstaff on November 26.
 The first work of importance was to purchase sacks and twine for the farmers. Some sixty thousand sacks were purchased and furnished to the farmers at from one to five cents less than they were at first quoted us. More than two tons of twine was pur- chased at saving of more than $500 per hundred pounds.
 The next task was the marketing of our, potatoes and grain. Nine cars of potatoes were sold. Six of these were sold from our store in Phoenix, where we stored some seventeen cars that were in danger of being frozen here on the mountain.
 Our big problem in marketing is the poorly graded stock, which we were forced to regrade in order to meet outside competition. Lots of poorly graded potatoes were put on the Phoenix market this year and it hurt every farmer in Coconinocounty regardless of how he put his product on the market. There is a decided premium on well graded potatoes, and a goodly number of farmers are striv- ing to attain it. They are badly handi- capped, however, and will be until every potato grower in the county un- derstands what it means to grade po- tatoes for competitive market.
 During the week of the big indus trial show at Phoenix the association had on display an exhibit of potatoes from Coconino county. This exhibit was made up of the different grades, ranging from our best to our ordin- ary grade secured by careless grading in the field. It was hard to convince the public that the good potatoes were grown in this county, because they were acquainted only with the poorer quality. The public wants good product and they will get it by buy ing regardless of where it is grown. The association is endeavoring to put a high quality product on the market the result of which is up to each in- dividual producer. We know what the public wants and we are going to do our best to give it to them.
 A centrally located warehouse is our next problem to solve. We have been authorized by the state corpora tion commission to issue stock at one hundred dollars share, payable in cash, labor or property. This money will be used to build a substantial warehouse where at least hundred cars of potatoes can be stored and graded. This would mean that farm CT could store his product, receive a receipt for the same and on this re- ceipt he could borrow at least fifty per cent of the value. It would mean also that steady supply of potatoes could be put on the market through the season.
 The association though in it's in- fancy has splendid start. The ex- perience gained in the last six months is valuable asset, and it should be the ambition of every farmer to see the organization grow.