Williams news., 1922-10-06
COOPERATIVE PLAN
 BIG AID TO FARMEB
Dairymen of Stephenson County, Illinois, Say Milk and Cream
 Can Be Sold at Profit.

Eight hundred farmers of Stephen son county, Illinois, say cooperative marketing of dairy products is success full. These farmers are stockholders in the Stephenson County Marketing company, and the excellent receiving and manufacturing plant at Freeport is eloquent testimony to the fact that milk and cream can be marketed profitably by organized farmers.
 Stephenson county farmers have lot of pride in their company because in the short period of less than d year its growth has been such as to make it conspicuous in the field of cooper ative marketing. The organization, from it's inception, has been characterized by a spirit of loyalty and enthusiasm which has in no small way been in strumental in it's success
 When the dairymen of Stephenson county decided to revolt against the low prices which had always pre- vailed in their dairy product market they went about it in a systematic way. First, they appealed to the County Farm bureau, and its adviser, G. F. Baumeister, to help in making the preliminary moves in forming an organization such as they wanted. The county farm bureau, cooperating with the Illinois Agricultural association and c. Larson of it's department of dairy product marketing, undertook to make a comprehensive study of the matter.
 A representative was sent to the states of Minnesota, Iowa and W1Scon- sin to make a survey of cooperative creameries and cooperative marketing in those states. From the facts ob- fIka tion of the company was put in mo- ton in September, 1921. Five hundred farmers were signed up in short time, and the company was incorpor- ated with a capital stock of $50,OOO.
 large lot was purchased in Free port and a modern creamery and re ceiving. plant of brick construction was erected. Two pools were put in op- eration at once, one for fluid milk and one for cream. The returns to the members were so much better than they had been before that many ad- ditional farmers asked to join the company. Now the membership num- bers around 500, and the capital has been increased to $75,oOO.
 Under the able management of Al fred Ahrensen, the milk and cream re- cefpts have increased each week. The milk received is sold at wholesale to dealers in Freeport, and some to Chi cago. The bulk of the remainder is sold to a local condensery. When the cheese market is favorable, consider able whole milk is used in the manu- facture of cream cheese Another quantity of milk is separated each day and the sweet cream is sold to local dealers.
 The cream received is manufactured into butter which finds a lnrge and de sirable market through its high qual- ity. It has established a reputation under the trade mark, ''Vitagold.' More than 75,OOO pounds of butter have been manufactured each month during the summer.
 In addition to housing the plant and the company's office, the main build ing provides office quarters for the Stephenson County Farm bureau, an organization which has always worked hand in hand with the marketing com- pany.
 As an organization, the company moves and progresses with machine ike precision. Scientific and modern principles of business and marketing have been the guide marks in building up a marketing success that is as strong as it's 500 members,