The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-08-18
Farmers Plan Big Merger
of Two State Organizations

Jefferson City, Mo-, Aug. 15.-Con-
solidation Of the two dominant farm
organization in Missouri is proposed
in letter addressed to the Member
ship of the Missouri Farmers Asso-
citation by the executive committee of
the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation.
The text of the proposal was made
public here today. The two organi-
cations have combined membership
, of between 100000 and $4,000 farm
ers.
Action on the proposal is expected
at the annual meeting of the Nilsson
ri Farmers Association which is to
be held at st. Joseph August 20, 30
and 81. The Farm Bureau plan pro-
vides for a committee of five men to
be elected by the M. F. A. to meet
with a like committee of five men to
he elected by the NJ. F. B. F., the
JOINT committee to work out the de-
tails Of the merger. The Farm Bureau
executive committee, in the proposal
addressed to the membership of the
other organization, pledge themselves
to call special meeting of the Mis-
souri, farm Bureau Federation imme-
diately to carry out their part of the
agreement
John L. Boland of Webster Groves,
president of the Farm Bureau Fedora
ton, who is largely responsible for
the plan, in signed statement, out
lines q tentative basis for the merger.
Bolard's plan includes six major
points which he explains are offered
solely with a view to providing the
joint committee with something on
which to start work.
The principal points outlined by b.
land include provision for a single or
statewide organization to be obtained
by consolidating the headquarters of
the M. F. A. and the M. F. B. F. This
consolidation also would be carried
out in counties where both Farm Bu-
reus and Farm Clubs are established,
under .Boland's plan.
Boland believes the status of Farm
Bureau members and county Farm Blu
reaus in counties where there are no
Farmers Association Clubs, would
remain unchanged and the status of
members and county units Of the M. F.
B. F. also could remain unchanged if
the members desire except that all
would receive, under the plan, men,
berbership in the nation organization,
and farmers in counties where there
is no farm bureau now could receive,
if they desire it, all of the local ben
etits that accompany the establish
ment of Farm Bureau.
A slight change in name may be
n1
ton is offered, other than the fact
that in Indiana the state organization
is known as the Indiana Federation
of Farmers Associations and in Hi
nois it is known as the Illinois Agri-
cultural Association.
Explaining that the merger should
result in many economies of admins
tration, Boland in his statement says:
1--WE understand perfectly that this
plan must mean the retirement of
some of the people now connected
with one or the other or both organi- |
cations. If it did not, little could be
effected in the way of economy. We
believe we are voicing the sentiment
Of every official and employee of the
Missouri Farm Bureau Federation |
when we here and now offer to step
down and out if that will in any way
help in bringing about the successful |
conclusion of this great effort in be- |
half of ALL the farmers of Missouri"
The Farm Bureau proposal suggests
that "inasmuch as there is a wide |
spread belief on the part Of farmers |
that the present leadership of the two |
may be, in a measure,
for the organizations not |
in closer harmony, it is fur