The Little River news., 1922-04-26
FARM BUREAU TO
 BE STRENGTHENED
Important Results Expected From Membership Campaign Start
 ing June list.

Little Rock, April 22.-The member ship campaign to be carried on by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation starting June 1 is expected to at least double the membership of the various commodity marketing associations including the Arkansas Cotton Crow CTS Cooperative Association, the Ar kansas Rice Growers Association and the Arkansas Sweet Potato Growers Exchange, it was said yesterday by w. H. Laney, newly elected secretary of the Federation. MT. Laney, who now is marketing specialist of the University of Arkansas Agricultural Extension Division, will begin his new duties May 1. A publicity campaign to continue through May will precede the drive for new members.
 Outlining the work that the Arkan- sas Farm Bureau Federation has ac- complished during the first year of it's existence, Mr. Laney said that it has units in B counties and member ship of 5000. It is affiliated with the American Farm Bureau Association which now is operating in 46 states with a membership of more than l. 50O,OOO The American federation is an organization of the farmers of the United States. It is organized, by states and these, in turn, are organ ized by county with each county hav- ing it's community organizations.
 To Solve Farmers Problems.
 "The purpose of the organization is to determine and solve the agricultur- al problems, local, state and national, said MT. Laney. Primarily general business organization, it functions al- so in the solution of educational, soci- al, and political problems, and fur nishes a medium through which the great masses of our agricultural pop ulation may voice their sentiments and desires. The organizations principal activities will have to do with legis- fatiCn transportation, statistics, fi- nance, economic production, prevent ion of waste, warehousing, grading, marketing and distribution of farm crops.
 "The national organization takes much credit for the organization of the farm bloc in Congress, and has recently secured the passage of the cooperative marketing law and de- feated the efforts to foist a sales tax upon the people. The national organ ization is doing much to help solve the marketing problems of the farm CTS by fostering the organization of commodity marketing associations Already such associations have been formed to market wheat, wool, live stock, fruits, dairy products, cotton rice and potatoes. These organiza- tions once developed become inde- pendent business concerns, handling their particular commodity, but sup porting the Farm Bureau and drawing from this common source, infOrma- tion, publicity, and assistance in the solution of their common problems thus reducing the overhead expenses of each.
 Accomplishments in Arkansas.
 "In Arkansas the State Farm Blu reau ederation in 1921 secured the passage of a cooperative marketing law which permits farmers to organ ize for cooperative marketing of theil crops and under this law the bureau has already organized a cotton CO., operative marketing association with a sign-up of approximately 225,OOa bales, to be handled next season. The Farm Bureau Arkansas Sweet POta- to Growers Exchange, composed of 35 local associations, for marketing sweet potatoes has operated this year successfully, saving to the producers from 25 to 50 cents per bushel on this crop.
 Seventy per cent Of the rice grow CTS of the state milled their own rice and marketed it this year through the Farm Bureau Rice Growers Associa- tion very successfully and satisfactor- fly.