The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-03-18
COUNTY AGENTS COLUMN.
Cooperative Marketing.

l. lie hepuUlICdu Ol IIle pIOpOSSu SyS-
tenn of grading of farmers products
by the local merchants of the county.
This idea is being fostered by the
members of the Ryan's Glade Grange
and the meeting will be held at 1000
o'clock a. m, Tuesday, March 23rd,
1926.
For great many years the prob
lem of the farmer was to make two
blades of grass grow where one origi-
nally grew. But now the problem has
become more complicated and the
farmer must not only produce the two
blades of grass but must market them
successfully. Farmers are getting out
of the habit of planting in faith, of
reaping in hope and marketing by
chance and are beginning to realize
the value of cooperative marketing.
The popular faith Of cooperation as a
means of improving marketing meth
DDS has been very strong and has
brought about much more cooperative
marketing. While a great deal may
be accomplished through organized
effort when it is properly applied and
correctly employed, too much empha-
sis cannot be placed in the fact that
cooperation is not automatic and not
a cure for all ills. Faith in the posi-
bilities of cooperation is essential to
its success but faith must be express
ed in deeds as well as in words.
Cooperation may be considered a
remedy which, when properly applied
at the proper time to the proper pa
tient, may be expected to give relief.
When farmers in a district undertake
cooperative activities they must have
faith in the remedy. Each must be
willing to lay aside his individual de-
sires and take the whole remedy, the
bitter portions as we'll as the sweet.
surrender a portion of his freedom of
action; must abide by the will of the
majority; must be willing to bind him
self to definite contract and then
live up to that agreement, even though
there may come time when to do so
would result in a temporary loss.
One of the principal obstacles to
successful cooperation is the selfish
ness of the individual. The success of
a cooperative undertaking depends
largely on the support it receives
from those interested in it. Selfish
ness and petty jealousies have no
place in any cooperative undertaking.
Standardization of products grown in
community require a common I'M
derstanding and concerted action by
the farmers of that community. By
effective cooperation the farmers in a
community producing potatoes for sale
can select a certain variety upon
which to specialize. Standardization,
however, is being carried further than
this in many localities.
In order to have standards and
grades we must have methods of tests
by which the fidelity of these stand
ards can be determined. We must
have a definition of terms which we
apply to these standards. We must
have a formulation of specifications to
express these terms. These standards
also extend the determination of the
specific names. For when we speak
of number one clears in lumber we
must define what it consists of. We
need standards not only of quality but
also of dimension. Standards of quail
ity, standards in terms and standards
in dimensions at once eliminate vast
amount of unnecessary varieties.
Cooperative marketing and the
grading of the farmers produce ac-
cording to the suggested plan allows
the farmer just what his product is
worth according to standard. This
means of marketing is coming to be
recognized as a means by which the
farmer can get away from the condi-
ton under which the buyer fixes the
price and reaches point when he can
ask and get price which will yield
him a just reward for his toll.
Some of the essentials that are in
volved in successful cooperative
marketing plan are:
l. The impossible must not be at
tempted nor must effort be made to
reach the ideal in one bound.
2. There are several distinct and
separate general divisions of market
ing, such as grain, live stock, dairy
products, fruits and vegetables, each
OF which requires a knowledge of
trade conditions, consumers require
ments, credits and transportation diff
ferent from any of the others.
3. Any system of distribution that
is dependent on local market condi-
tons is subject to violent variations,
ranging from extreme scarcity to
large gluts. The idea is to put the
product where it is needed and when
it is needed
a. The consumers needs must be
ascertained accurately from day to
day. and this information put in the
hands of the producers as soon as pos
sible.
5. Products should be standardized
or graded on the basis of all their in
herent qualities as we'll as other fac
tors affecting their value.
w. c. JESTER, County Agent.