Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1924-01-11
FARM
COOPERATIVE
SELLING
By GLENN C. HAYES
More Than Million Farmers
Are Interested
@. 1874. Western Newspaper Union-)

w tSleIu ldILutlS lOH " LldudSo Tic
business Of farming.
Boys" he said, II have always
found that If a fellow has a hard time
keeping his head above water It's time
for him to learn to keep out Of the
deep places"
A tall, gray-haired farmer rose
from his seat. aust a minute, Mr.
Speaker-you have US farmers all
wrong. We aren't afraid Of the deep
water. That's where we do our best
swimming. We all belong to co-opera-
tive marketing associations. Perhaps
you didn't know that they furnish life
preservers for the fellows that can't
swim alone.
"a million farmers kept afoat that
way during 1923"
The farmer was right. More than a
million American farmers have learned
to keep up in deep water. They are
the men who are making cooperative
marketing the greatest farm organi-
cation In the world.
Last year Go per cent Of the citrus
80 per cent Of the dried fruit, nearly
three-fourths Of the tobacco, one-half
Of the milk and butter, 10 per cent
Of the live stock, Is per cent Of the
cotton, 60 per cent Of the nuts and
large amounts Of such products as
fruits. eggs, wool and vegetables trav-
eled the cooperative road to market.
California Leads.
There are now eight great national
cooperative exchanges and It's state
declarations. Territorial groups num-
Der over 112, while local marketing
associations total over 1900. Cali
fornia leads all other states in the vol
ume OF comparatively marketed prod
ucts, last year sending half Of her
$500, 100000 crop to market through
cooperative channels.
The dried fruit Industries have the
largest percentage Of their groups com
pletely organized. Ninety per cent of
the raisins, IS per cent Of the prunes
and so per cent Of the dried figs,
peaches and apricots are marketed Co
operatiyely.
Second best among the farmers or
ganized industries are the tobacco
groups of the South and East TAX
ing the association as whole, they
227, 500 growers. Seventy
per cent OF all the tobacco used in
the United States was handled through
these associations during 1923. All
this great work Of tobacco organiza-
ton has been done in a period Of less
than two years
Perhaps the third best organized
American commodity is the nut indus
try. Over 80 per cent Of the Ameri-
can almonds, 90 per cent Of the wal
nuts and 30 per cent Of the Jumbo
white peanuts are handled through the |
farmers marketing associations.
Interstate and state dairy groups |
are now marketing one-fourth Of the |
nations milk and butter supply. Dur
ing 1923 there were nearly 200 CO
operative milk marketing associations.
1, 610 cooperative creameries and over
!, 800 cooperative cheese factories.
Plans are now under way for the /
forming Of a national cooperative
dairy sales agency to handle the bust
ness Of all the cooperative associa-
tons.
The wheat marketing machine has
barely made Its start Yet, between
four and five per cent Of the nations
wheat was handled by co-operatiyes
during the past season Today there
are two national organizations and
twelve state units. Plans are now IN
der way for the consolidation of all
The wheat organizations into one unit
under the direction of the National
Wheat Growers Advisory committee
In every grain section Of the coun-
nv are the local farmers elevator
some 5.216 Of them in all.
These elevators have a membership
" over $4,000 and a capital OF &c.,
100000. The annual value Of the grain
handled averages over 1925. 100000.
In 1922 the California Fruit Grow
rs exchange marketed IS per cent Of
he citrus fruit Of the state and q
-roup OF other co-operatiyes handled
'etween 10 and IS per cent OF the
ron. In Floride 20 per cent Of the (
itrus crop was marketed through an
ssociati0n Of growers. Fully 65 per
ent OF the citrus crop IN the United
itates goes 70 market through q pool.
Fruit Also Handled.
Fresh fruit associations Include
core than 900 ssparafs local units and
bout dozen larger organizations
fore fhan 20 per cent - Cal'fornie's
scidnous fruits an sold bY the caii'
iuia Fru't eHcharge alone slfiy'
49, Der oenf " rhs rfach crop in the
.afe n Georgia traYe's fhe e1optra'
Ye rod b. marSaf say per anf
T me nfdn anf berries ~ western
r.san. ngo f0gIlo ~ Nov fpfff
nraa M par esni - ta'if'p'af
ar anf sa't SHARE ~ 'if heDisf
a. hanIfi oalelaffff
Ill N.H yfal i. 90 fani RI ~ 2
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