The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-03-20
Stearns County Failed
to Secure Potato Quota

Official Membership is II With S8S Il
Acres-183S1a Acres More
Are Required
Cooperative potato marketing in.
solar as Stearns county is concerned
was complicated last week when an
official statement issued by the gem
eral state committee of the Minnesota
Potato Growers Exchange cited the
fact that while the state campaign
had gone cover the top with more
than 40,500 acres to spare, the quota
in Stearns had not been obtained.
Had the required acreage been
signed up, Stearns would have pro-
ceeded with incorporation just as 81
counties are doing. Now, however.
further steps must be taken.
On March 1, when the organiza-
had signed the contract and listed
160,756z acres. Fifty per cent Of
the commercial acreage in the state,
which the contract stipulated must be
signed before State Exchange
could be formed, called for 120, 1913
acres.
Of the state membership, IT con-
tract signers live in Stearns county.
The acreage listed by the local MEM
bership is $751;: This is 1881 UNI
der the quota.
It is hoped that belated contracts
will bring the total acres signed in
Stearns county up to the quota. The
state office is accepting all con-
tracts received, providing they are
dated before March 1.
If the quota is not of record by
March Is, when incorporation steps
will be taken in the counties that
reached their quotas, Stearns county's
members of the State Organization
Committee will issue a statement cit
ing the fact that the quota has not
been obtained and granting to all
who have signed the privilege of with
drawal. Withdrawal can be accom-
plished only by sending a written no
tice of such intention.
Persons who have signed the con-
tract will have until April 1 in which
to withdraw. Failure to send notice
Of withdrawal will have the effect of
binding the contract.
Steps to be taken after April 1 will
depend upon the extent of withdraw
ais. Few Withdrawals are expected,
according to S. G. Rubinow, campaign
manager, as organization work can
be continued until the quota is OBJ
tanned, after which time, county as
ISOLATION can be formed and be made
part Of the central Exchange by
affiliation.
If growers wish, it will be possible
to attach the membership in Stearns
county to incorporated associations
lin neighboring counties. Whether
this will be undertaken will be de-
termined by the location of the MEM
ber's farm, marketing facilities,
acreage available, and other factors
which can not be determined until
the period for Withdrawals expires.
"The problem can be best solved"
says Mr.. Rubinow, "by prompt con-
tinuance of organization work until
the quota is reached. Members in
/, Stearns county should understand
that the State Exchange will not in
sist upon enforcement of the con-
tract, unless efficient marketing facil-
tiles are available. 1t would not, for
instance, expect a member to haul
his potatoes across county, simply
because he had signed an agreement.
cit is fortunate that very few coun-
ties in the state failed to get the legal
quota. Those other than Stearns,
are Benton, Morrison, st. Louis,
Todd, Wadena and Wright. Every
county that is heavy potato produc-
er signed the quota and more, some
being so well organized that practical
| ly 100 per cent Of the acreage is
under contract to the association"
Incorporation of the counties that
reached their quota is being carried
on as fast as possible. The 81 coun-
ties which are assured Of representa-
ton on the State Exchange are: Ait
kin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Carl
| ton, Chisago, Cass, Clay, Clearwater,
Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Hub
bard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Kittson,
Lincoln, Mahnomen, Marshall, Mile
laos, Norman, Ottertail, Pennington,
Pine, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, Wash
ington, Wilkin, Winona.
Incorporation is going forward un-
der the direction of Aaron Sapiro,
nationally known authority on co.
operative marketing law. All coun-
| ty associations as well as the State
Exchange will be formed under the
new Standard Cooperative Market
ing act, passed by the last legisla-
ture.
Growers who did not sign the
agreement during the organization
period will be permitted to join when
they agree to the terms of the con-
tract. However, they can not be all
lowed to take part in the elections
now being held or in the incorpora-
ton process.
Headquarters of the State COM
imittee will remain at 319 Commerce
Building, St. Paul, MINI.