The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-07-20
LETTUCE CROP
WILL REQUIRE
HIGH FINANCE
Cost of Moving 1000
Cars Placed at $780,
600; Idaho Producers
Union Gets Hearing.

Cost OF operating the Idaho Pro-
ducer's Union this year will reach APP
proximately S2500OO. W. T. Mccall
manager. told the Caldwell kiwanis
club Thursday in explaining the act
iviiies 'of that cooperative organiza-
ton designed to sell farm products.
This estimate is based on probable
shipments this year OF 1000 cars OF
head lettuce and from 1000 to 1900
cars OF potatoes. the quantity OF the
latter being difficult OF determination
because OF the uncertain yield.
Mr.. Mccall explained that 20 ship
the lettuce alone. $4,000 worth OF
material for lettuce crates was neces-
sary. $4,000 would be required to
purchase paper and $1,000 worth OF
nails is necessary to make the crates
needed To prepare the lettuce for
shipment Mr.. Mccall said. would nee
essiate the operation OF at least "a
packing plants. each employing IS
persons.
Activities OF the Idaho Producers
Union now extend from the Wall
owa Valley in eastern Oregon to Ash
ton Teton county and Lewiston. Utah.
The concern was organized in Feb
ruary, 1922, fostered by the Canyon
county farm bureau. Since that time
| it has been endorsed by most other
southern Idaho farm bureau organiz-
ations and this year has a member
ship OF 1850 producers as opposed to
1900 last year At present Zoo acres
| OF head lettuce are under contract
by the union and 25O0 acres OF po-
tatoes Last year. because of the inn
possibility of marketing potatoes ex-
cept in the early summer and the
failure OF head lettuce to maintain its
prospective production. the idaho Pro
ducers' Union returned Sl27. 900 to
growers. This year Mr.. Mccall be-
lieves that the amount paid producers
will reach or exceed Sl.000.0O0.
I'VE have no expection OF correct
ing marketing evils overnight Mr..
Mccall said. The Idaho Producers.
Union was organized primarily to let
the producer market his stuff in an
orderly fashion and to enable him to
get from it wha, he is entitled to get
We use and do not wish to disrupt
the ordinary channels OF trade. Per-
haps 10 years when the organza-
ton shall have grown strong enough
we may be able TO modify in some
measure the ovcrexpanded present
system of marketing farm crops"
That the Idaho Producers Union
is not a consignment concern was the
closing emphatic statement OF MIR. Nc
Call Despite contrary reports. the un-
ion has shipped only few cars OF
stuff on consignment and that was be-
cause il arrived a is destination in
such poor condition that the buyer
could not be expected to take it at
the terms under which it was shipped
The method employed. Mr. Mccall
said, is to sell the cars oi stuff here
to buyers at any place. attach a sight
draft to the bill OF lading. This meth
cd he explained. is the one approved
by the farm bureau as designed to get
the maximum amounts for the produc-
er.
Citing las, years record. Mr.. Nc
Call said that the organization return
ed to the producer an average OF ST.
so per crate for his head lettuce. more
than any other similar concern was
able to obtain for the grower with
the single exception OF one small op-
orator whose figures have not been
made public Potato growers who sold
through the Idaho Producers Union
last year netted an average OF Sll0
per car for their stuff The Idaho
Producers Union never shipped po-
tatoes for any producer that did not
bring the shipper something and never
came back on any producer with a
fre,ohf hill