The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-11-26
Six Conferences to be Held
i'm Montana Next Spring

Bozeman and MissOula, probably in Febru-
airy or March, 1927.
w. L. Stockton, president Of the Montana
Farm Bureau, discussed the accomplish
ments Of that organization. Lester Cole,
editor of the Montana Farmer, paid trib-
ute to the spirit Of leadership possessed by
the POndera farmers and told them that
they had made Montana turkeys famous in
the east through their cooperative market
ing agency, and had set a remarkable pace
in Montana by planting trees on home
steads.
Other speakers outlined the activities Of
farmers along the nan other lines.
The need for a state farm commodity
program in Montana, Mr.. BenniOn asserted,
is to avoid OverprOductiOn Of Improbable
crops and to encourage the production Of
those crops best suited to the various To-
calities and at the SANE time easiest for
the farmers to handle and make money
from.
In Oregon, from which state Mr.. Bennion
recently came to Montana, the people dis
covered four years ago that they were
spending a lot of effort, time and money
in raising certain farm commodities from
which they realized little or no profit. The
reason they were making no money was be-
cause they were either producing more Of
some things than the market demanded or
producing things which they could not do
as cheaply as farmers in other localities
could.
Oregon Uses the Plan
AS a result Of this situation, the bust
ness and agricultural leaders of the state,
under the leadership Of the Oregon Agri-
ways and means Of extricating themselves
from their difficulties. All classes of citi-
zenry were represented at the conference.
There were farmers, bankers, business men,
and editors. They had before them all the
facts concerning not only the farm pro-
ductiOn of Oregon, but other states and
the probable consumption Of these COM
modities. They had figures showing what
If was costing Oregon fQ rmnrG fO grow ppr-
tain crops. They also considered, in rela-
ton to these facts, OregOn's climatic and
soil advantages and disadvantages and its
marketing opportunities.
Out of these facts and figures, after they
had been fully and frankly discussed by
representatives Of all classes interested,
came the Oregon State farm commodity
program which, for the last three years,
has served as a guide to the farmers in
making their crop plans. This statewide
program was carried into each county
through county conferences, which result
ed in county farm programs that fitted
into the general state scheme. Already
hundreds OF farms which four years ago
were operating at a loss are now making
a profit, Mr.. BenniO said.
Data Available
Other states have followed OregOn'S lead
In this, and Montana is to get in step next
spring. Ne effort will be made by the
State college and the Extension Service
Mr.. BenniOn stated, to hand a ready-madC
| DIOSIdm 10 Tile uISIIlCB conferences, LQOuRI
data collected in Montana for the last two
years, ann longer, will be submitted fol
consideration.
1t is hoped that each county will senC
six or more delegates, each of whom viii
be qualified to discuss at least one Of the
following subjects in relation to his e6un
ty! Grain and forage, livestock, dairying
horticulture tpOtatOes, sugar beets, etc)
poultry and finance and credit.
On the first day of the conference, MI
1 BpnniOm continued the delegates will III
divided into groups each group consider
ing one of the six general subjects listed
On the second day all delegates viii NEE
together when the entire program will b
read, discussed and finally adopted. B,
1928 is hoped to hold an agricultural eco
nOmic conference in each county Of tn
state.
Profitable Crops Sought
The county agent leader intimated tina
the conferences will decide what. variet
of wheat or potatoes or corn and what typ
of livestock is best suited to the variOu
sections. 1t will endeavOr to determine i
a general way to what extent such crop
should be expanded or curtailed and hO'
many head of livestock can be ranged o
the available grazing lands within a Gel
tain area. The objective in all the dtscu:
siOns will be to ascertain the most profit
able line of activity for farmers to take NJ
The Marketing Program
The greatest problem confronting IL
American farmer today is the marketin
problem, w. L. Stockton stated. While c.
operative marketing undoubtedly will hel
the agricultural situation, it is not the 81
luton of the problem by any means. f
cited the raisin growers of California, pc
haps the most highly organized and eff
: lent producers cooperative in the wOrl
as an example of the futility of attemptiT
to adjust the farmers difficulties thrOua
: sales control without taking into cOnsi,
Grafton the necessity of production cOntrC
The farmers dollar, Mr.. Stockton sal
according to government reports, had drO
! ped in purchasing power from SO cents
months ago to 81 cents on November 1.
Organization Urged
The American Farm Bureau now includ
1 1000, 900 farm families, he continued. 1t
organized in every state in the union al
has 1900 county units. He urged the n
cessity Of complete organization amOl
farmers as a requisite to concentrated a
ton, and said, if the farmers become
closely knitted as the members of 9th
L IanHrrArfnc - milI 10 nnccih1n for hhnrn