The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-11-17
EDWARDS SAYS COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT
IS SWEEPING OVER THE COUNTRY
Head Of Federated Fruit and Vegetable Growers
Addressed Two Meetings i'm Ocala Yesterday

At the meeting of the fruit and
vegetable growers yesterday after
noon in the court house and at the
supper last night in the dining room
of the Methodist church before an au-
dience of business men and women
and growers, Mr.. J. S. Edwards Of
California, a director of the Califor-
mia Fruit Growers Exchange, told
about the Federated Fruit and Vege-
table Growers, Inc, which he describ-
ed as a nationwide, non-stock, nom
profit, grower-controlled, cooperative
marketing organization, and the first
to the formed in the United States.
Mr.. Edwards stated that the CO.
operative marketing movement was
sweeping throughout the nation.
because the movement is right"
he said, sit is going to run like wild
fire."
The Federated will become the
sales and distributing agency of the
American Farm Bureau Federation
or January first next. Mr.. Edwards
is temporary president of the Fed
Grated. The plan of the new organi-
zation has the endorsement of Mr.
Aaron Shapiro, who has become IA
nous internationally as attorney for
large cooperative organizations, ac-
cording to Mr.. Edwards. The serv-
ice to be rendered by the Federated
was explained at the afternoon meet
ing by Mr.. J. B. White, of Valdosta,
Ca, representing the North American
Fruit Exchange, which is being alb
sorbed by the Federated.
Mr.. Edwards told those who heard
him at the court house that the new
marketing organization got it's start
about a year and a half ago when
President Howard of the American
Farm Bureau Federation, sent out a
letter to various co-operatives thruout
the country asking that representa-
tives be sent to meeting to find, if
possible, solution for the farmers
marketing problems. From these
representatives a committee of twen-
ty-one was selected which represented
twenty-one states. Mr.. Edwards was
selected to represent the California
Fruit Growers Exchange. Eighteen
of the twenty-one members of the
committee met, he said, without a
plan to work from and with most OF
the committeeman meeting each other
for the first time. After a study OF
the problem over a period of a week
a committee of eight was named te
work out a marketing organization
The committee, Mr.. Edwards said
found it tremendous undertaking
and decided that it would be best tt
take over an existing organization
IL such could be found, and the
North American Fruit Exchange wa.
decided upon on the condition that il
become a non-proft, non-stock ant
grower-controlled organization. Tht
articles of incorporation for the new
sales organization. were drafted by
Mr.. Aaron Shapiro and the new body
was given the name of the Federated
Fruit and Vegetable Growers, Inc.
Mr.. Edwards said. Temporary off
GERS were elected and on the thirt
Tuesday in Febraury, 1922, at it.
first annual meeting a representative
from all co-operatives composing tn,
Federated will elect permanent off
GERS.
AS Mr.. Edwards explained, tn
plan of the Federated is to marke
some crop from some section of tn
country every month in the year thr1
an organization large enough to tax
care of the overhead expenses tha
cannot be met by the small associa
tion. He also pointed out the posi-
bility of cooperative buying of sucl
items as crate material, nails, wraps
labels and fertilizer. Mr.. Edwards toll
his story without establishment. A
he, himself said, he simply talked. H
did not make speech but recited tn
history of cooperative marketing
and of some of the particular CO
operatives in California with whic
he has been connected and of the ne,
Federated Fruit and Vegetable Grow
ers, Inc. Mr.. Edwards maintain
that dire necessity is not the onl
thing that will drive farmers to CO
operate. There was time, he saic
when this was true, but now with s
many outstanding successes anon
the co-operatives, the farmers hav
examples proving the value of &C
operation.
The court house was well file
with growers and business men fro,
throughout the county and ther
were many present from adjoinin
counties. There was a good attenc
ance at the supper last night. M
K. C.. Moore, county agricultur;
agent, and chairman of the marke
ing committee of the Marion Count
Chamber Of Commerce, presided 4