The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1922-08-24
COOPERATION DROPS
CREAM SALE MARGIN

That the farmers are awakening to
the possibilities Of cooperative mar
getting is illustrated in the success of
the Bottineau County Cream Produc-
ers' Association, an organization that
reduced the margin at the local sta
ton from an average of 10c per pound
of butterfat to 2.4c per pound, there
by netting the farmer approximately
Sc per pound more for their butter
fat.
County Agent C. B. Aamodt called
the dairymen, living in the vicinity Of
Bottineau, together in February to
discuss the cream marketing situation
and to organize cream producers
association that would cut down the
wide margin the dairymen were pay
ing to maintain several local buyers
who represented large centralized
creameries.
The Bottineau Cream Producers
Association was incorporated and the
IS farmers each bought $40 share
to help purchase equipment. A man.
ager was employed and at the end of
the first month the books showed a
total of 20364 pounds of butterfat
RI no
ton of $7O9.44. The manager oper-
ated on a margin of DC per pound and
at the end of the month &c per pound
was pro-rated on the basis of cream
bought which showed the total oper-
ating expenses to be &c per pound.
This success, small as it was, prov
ed to the farmers that they could get
more for their cream by marketing it
comparatively and a phenomenal
growth of the organization occurred
in the next three months. At the
close of the books on June 80, 250
members were enrolled who had mar
keted total of 21,O41.1 pounds of
butterfat. The manager was operat-
! ing on Ate margin and turning back
approximately &c per pound in pat
ronage dividends.
Asa Blair, who is the manager Of
the Association, is vitality interested
in the program of the dairy industry
of the community. He feels that his
Job does not alone consist of mechani-
cally weighing and testing the cream,
but to encourage more progress in the
dairy industry he must help to edu-
cate his patrons in producing better
quality Of cream.
During the first two months large
percentage of the cream brought to
the station tested below IS per cent,
a point at which it sours quickly. Mr.
Blair says that now practically all of
the cream brought to the station tests
between 40 and as per cent, which
has greatly improved it's keeping
qualities.
In discussing the Bottineau Cream
Producers Association, J. A. Toms
president, said, "the association as
we'll as being a financial benefit to the
cream producers in the vicinity OF
Bottineau has an educational value
in that it helps to inform the cream
producers as to the value of producing
better quality of cream. While
shipping directly to the centralizerS
is a satisfactory method for some pro
ducers, the Association affords great,
er convenience because the farmers
coming from distance can get cream
tested, receive their check and take
the cream can back with them. Or
the whole a good live cream produc'
ers' association such as we have lr
Bottineau helps to develop the dairy
industry Of the community and is
vital factor in the progress of ou1
community"
Bottineau County boasts Of fou'
other cream producing associations
all of which are doing practically as
we'll as the Bottineau association.