Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-12-28
MARKETING NEEDS
0F AUGUSTA TALKED
over At c. Of c, MEET

poot44 VI prO0uctS, ana & storage
control. Such was the summary Of
Special report on Kennebec County
needs made by Secretary q. c..
Clarke Of the Augusta Chamber of
Commerce at yesterdays conference.
These things can best be secured by
organizing farmers into selling or
ganisati0n with annual dues and a
budget or not less than 10000 per
year. This organization, controlled
by a board Of directors made up of
farmers. would select its own man
ager and conduct 4 selling once in
the market district of Boston, which
is recognized as the natural market
place for Maine grown crops.
w. J. Thompson Of South China,
representing the farmers east of the
Kenhebec river, pointed out that there
are two things which stand in the
way Of improved marketing condl.
tions ~ distrust of the dealers Of
Augusta and business n1an in gen.
cral and (2) disinclination to take
tho matter Of better grading serious
ly.
G. NJ. White. Chief of the Bureau
of Markets, State of Maine Depart
ment of Agriculture, who hos recent
~ returned FROM Aroostook county
where he had chance to trace the
development Of the new potato
growers organization. gave a very
careful analysis of conditions there
as compared to conditions in Augusta
and vicinity. There potatoes is the
chief crop and there is no local mar
ket and farmers have been driven to
organize through three bad years of
failure. In this section the crops are
highly diversified and very few farm
ers have enough of any one crop
to make it worth his while to join an
association for the marketing Of that
crop. Then there is good local
market for a part of his crops.
f. M. Lemfest Of Manchester. rep
resenting the farmers west of the
kennebec river was Of the opinion
that the farmers would welcome a
central selling organization which
would enable them to turn the selling
end of their work over to a respon-
sible salaried manager instead of
having to spend the biggest portion
OF their day in town trying to sell
their goods themselves.
E. w. Church and A. N. Soule of
Augusta asked many questions and
discussed local marketing condi-
tions carefully and frankly. Augusta
is not able to absorb all of the pro-
ducts of the territory adjacent to it.
However, the merchants are fully as
anxious to see the farmers get a
good price for their goods as the
farmers are themselves and the in
terests of both farmers and mer-
chants are identical. 1t was suggested
that careful grading would result in
better prices and the public would
be glad to get the graded goods. If
the farmers wish to organize the
Augusta Chamber of Commerce, as a
body, would undoubtedly work with
them even going as far as to furnish
free quarters and assist in the mem
bership drive during the early
stages of the development of the Or
ganization.
The committee seemed to agree
that a canning factory at Augusta
would be feasible and report on
this phase Of the problem will be
prepared in due time. They did not
feel that they could go further than
to outline a possible plan for Or
ganization in the matter of CO.
operative marketing and the next
step in this direction must be taken
by the farmers themselves.
1t was suggested that the Augusta
Chamber of Commerce establish a
daily price quotation service by or
ganizing q grocers' section of the
Chamber. whose members would
record their daily needs in certain
listed lines of farm produce and that
an average price be made up daily
and published showing what Augusta
is willing to pay for all manners of
farm produce and how much is need
ed. Only the standard items would
be listed but this would be of ma
terial benefit to the farmers. It
would prevent overlooking the All
4
farmer chance to ship to Boston
if Boston prices offered better re-
turns.
Secretary G. c. Clarke has made
a careful study of marketing as car
ried on in other states and his report,
which follows. is based on this study.
In tho interests of this study the
al v>1o ,ici<
Haven, Conn, Springfield, Mass,
Northampton, Mass, and Boston,
Mass. I found curb markets common
but not especially successful and
that farmers cooperative enter
prises were more frequently success
in their cooperative purchasing fea-
ture than In their selling feature.
would recommend that steps be taken
at once to form Kennebec~ Valley
Association with dues at SO per
year and that the goal be set at 1000
members. making an annual budget
of 10000 per year. This would take
care of the salary of a competent
manager. the office and travelling ex-
pense of such a man, and leave a
small margin for advertising such
standard brands as the association
may establish.
would suggest that the following
items be included in the program Of
the new Organization:
/. To maintain a field office at
Augusta.
2. TO maintain 4 selling Office at
Boston.