Imperial Valley press., 1922-10-06
DINERS LISTEN
TO SPECIALISTS
ON CROP SALES
Market Problems of Inter
est To The Valley
Crop Producers

Members Of the Chamber of Cou'
mercc, who attended the weekly dinnu
at the Oregon hotel, heard u very In
teresting talk on marketing. conditions
bv Fred NJ Bigelow, chief of the divi-
sion of markets of the state department
of agriculture. Mr.. Bigeiow stated
concrete facts regarding the work OF
the bureau which show it to be one of
the most impor ant dcpai tments OF the
state government, particularly Us re
CARDS the welfare Of agricultural coiu
munities.
"The bureau of markets was organ
lied in 1915, said Mr.. Bigelow, Ito
aid in dcvising "a systematic mcthod or
marketing the products of gloulrnrai
communities, so that better service
might be given to the producer, distri-
butor, and eonsumtr. 1t. was soon re-
allied that the success and prosperity
of an agricultural community depended
not SO much on the bumper crops il
raised but in getting them TO markct
with the least possible expense and witt
equitable distribution so that no on2
portion of the market would be flood
ed. 70 take care of this, the bureau
sociations which proved successful from
the start. AT present over 80 coopcra-
tive marketing association have been
orgtnized by the bureau, doing over
$3.50 100000 worth of business las
year.
"rhe bureau gathers market infoy
nation aud quotations, issues reports
of prices prevailing in various mar
4 al,
touch with the market situation at ali
times SO that products may be sent to
the section where they are most needed,
as directly as possible and with the
greatest return to the distributor and
grower, aud at considerable saving to
the consumer.
Has Large Scope
"The work of the bureau is not lin
tied to the marketing of fruit and veg
etable products. Livestock is also |
taken care of, and recently Il daily rc
port of the livestock market has been
inaugurated by the bureau, which has
proved immensely popular with the
livestock shippers on the coast. In
this connection, one of the greatest
needs of the livcstoekmen on the Pa |
cific coast at present is the eoHtinua-
ton from Omaha, of Il leased wire to
give instantaneous market prices pre-
vailing in the east. At present the
leased wire extends only to Omaha,
thus forcing the livestockmen of the
Pacific coast to market their stock un
der handicap. At present there is a
movement under way to have this lcila
ed wire extended to the Pacific coast
by the federal government, and this
is where chambers of commerce and
other civic organizations can assist by
writing to their representatives, at
Washington, asking their aid in OBJ |
aitning an appropriation from the gov
crnmcnt to make this extension. 1t |
will mean u great deal to the livestock |
growers of the Pacific coast if such Il
service can be obtained, and add TO !
their prosperity thereby increasing the |
prosperity of the entire coast section.
Touching upon local marketing con
ditions, Mr.. Bigelow drew parallel be
tween Imperial Valley at present ana |
the an Joaquin valley several years
ago, before the establishment of I; CO.
operative association for handling the |
raisin crop of that section Previous |
to this establishment, marketing of |
the raisfn crop was in chaotic c0ndi- |
tiOn and the valley was threatened with |
ruin, until the businessmen got to- |
gcthcr and placed Things on firm
basis by forming the cooperative mar
keting association until the business OF
the valley has more than tripcd in a |
little over five years. He believed |
the same thing could be done here, and |
asked the businessmen of the valley |
10 get together, discuss the marketing |
of the cantaloupe, lettuce, tomato ana |
other crops, and if they believed the |
cooperative marketing \Systcm would do
for Imperial valley what it did for the
San Joaquin and Other communities, by
all means adopt ii. lie urged the bus
inessmen not to leave the question OF
marketing to the growers and distri7
bntors alone, for it is Il question that
effects every business establishment
and. can best be solved by everybody
getting together and talking things
over.
James Z. Britt, chief deputy of The
bureau of markets for southern Cali
fornia, supported the statements made
by Mr.. Bigelow. He stated that the
bureau is willing to help the people
of Imperial Valley solve their market
ing problems as it mas done in Other
sections.
About 10 members were present, in
Guiding several visitors from Hcltville
and Brawley. President c. X. Cooper