Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-06-18
IN OUR
VALLEY
E LORIDA did not consider that it:
L citrus fruit marketing system was

Il citrus fruit marketing system was
a success.
So Florida began searchig for a plan
it cast about among the merchandising
experts.
1t selected a nationally known adver-
tising agency. 1t was Erwin, Wasey &
Company, one of the largest concerns
OF the kind in the country.
Erwin, Wasey & Company had had
merchandising experiences with some
of the largest concerns in the country
companies like Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Postum Cereal, Carnation Milk, Hoover
vacuum cleaner.
The company drew on this experience.
But it did not stop there. 1t sent rep
resentatives, men trained in merchan-
dising, to California to study the CO.
operative marketing organizations there.
They spent much time in Florida,
too, talking with members Of the board
of directors of the Florida Citrus EX-
change, sub exchange managers, associ-
alton managers, growers and independ-
ent shippers.
Surveys of trade conditions in the
buying markets were made.
In the work of preparing recon-
mendations it was discovered that to
have the advantages of co-ope atives in
other states, legislation not provided
under present Florida statutes was
necessary. Bills providing these ad-
vantages were prepared ani have been
passed by the legislature.
Under the plan submitted there will
be a general manager, a production
manager and of course other depart
ment heads. In fact, the plan will fol
low exactly the plan of organization Of
some of the greatest manufacturing and
distributing concerns in the country.
Commenting along this line, the re
port of the Erwin, Wasey & Company
says:
AS we view the organization of the
Florida Citrus Exchange it should not
be unlike the organization of any cf-
fioient manufacturing business.
manufacturing business has its sales
department; has its production depart
ment; it has it's financial department,
under which the official management
generally falls; it has its advertising
and sales promotion department; ana
such other departments as may be ne
cessary.
1T has it's general manager co-ordin
ating the activities of all department
heads. Over the general manager and
the various department heads are It's
president and board of directors. In
such set-up the duties of each de-
partment are clearly defined, the re
sonsibillty fixed and co-ol dination made
possible.
Every business before it can have
anything to sell, must have an efficient
production department. Your produc-
tion department is that part of your
organization from the grower to the
Tampa office"
1t is through the production depart
ment that economies in packing and
Standardization of grading can be ac-
complished, the report said. The pro
ductlon manager would also be IN
charge of organization and inspection
work.
The sales department will have the
respon sblility for handling and sale OF
all fruit packed by the associations
and members of the exchange.
The sales promotion department will
be in charge Of all advertising activ-
tiles, in charge of dealer sales organlza-
ton, in charge of all publicity matters
and in charge Of the house organ which
will be regularly sent to growers with
up-to- the minute information on the ac-
tivities and operations of the various
factors comprising the exchange.
If Florida, with great many years
of cooperative selling back of it, is still
dissatisfied with marketing plans, then
the Valley, still child at it, cannot be
blamed for the shortcomings of its
marketing plan, if there is basis to the
complaint that has been made.
The Valley, therefore, now has before
it the opportunity to avoid the pitfalls
and the expense that have been Flor
ida's portion in selling and distributing G
the products of her soil.
The Valley is endeavoring to organize
a selling plan for vegetables. 1t al
ready has a citrus marketing organiza-
tion that seems to be making very good
progress.
Whether the present efforts for a
marketing plan meets with success de-
Continued on Page Two)