The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-10-18
COOPERATIVES
IN R VILE
Do MUCH WORK
County Ahead of All Others
in Cooperative Marketing
of Farm Products

Work done during the past thrc
years by County Agent Fred ID. vii
kInson Of Mohall has placed Renvill
county ahead OF every other count,
IN the state in cooperative marketinJ
OF farm products.
II anyone wants to argue, here
The record:
Ninety per cent Of the farmers o
the county are marketing some o
their products through cooperativ,
organizations.
Last year the total business Of tn,
eight cooperatives organized by tn,
county agent was S272,ll6.6l.
This year the total business prom
Uses to be in excess of 100000.
More than half the cream shippe,
from the county is handled coopera
lively.
a large part of the poultry, eggs
and livestock is sold on the coopera-
tive basis.
While the 1925 census shows 1,lG7
farms in Rcnville county, the mem
bcrship rolls Of the various cuopera
tivcs here total l,32S. a few farmers
belong to more than one cooperative
and a number Of neighboring farm
crs in Bottincau and Ward counties,
where county agents are not employ
ed at present, have been allowed 10
join Rcnvillc organizations.
Marketing a Speciality
County Agent Wilkinson specialized
in marketing while attending the
North Dakota Agricultural college
and when he started as county
agent in Renvillc county in March
1874. he decided to get action on
some Of the things he had learned
The story Of the launching Of the
first cooperative at Glenburn is re-
lated by Mr.. Wilkinson as follows
Il called meeting at Glenburn
so the farmers could discuss the
proposition Of forming livestock
shipping association. Only six farm
crs attended, so Il second meeting
was called "A short time later. Again
only a handful came. At the third
meeting, there were only four. After
the meeting was over, we stood on
the corner talking. Finally, in des-
pcration. | decided that we'd form n
shipping association right there.
II named the four men as the Of
ficers, and appointed some directors
that weren't present. Then ! went
down town and put a notice in the
paper stating that car would be
shipped week from tho following
Friday. After that I appointed a
manager. When Friday came around
enough stock had been brought in to
load two cars. Since then, the or
ganization has functioned success
luliy."
Livestock shipping associations are
located at Tolley, Norma and Glen
burn. handling livestock exclusively.
Produce associations are located at
Lansford. Sherwood. Lorraine and Mo
hall marketing butterfat. eggs and
poultry, in addition to livestock.
Much Poultry Shipped
These organizations last year ship
ped out five cars Of dressed poultry
and two ears Of live poultry. Through
savings in commission and transpor-
tation costs, the average returns on
these seven cars were two and one
third cents per pound above those on
individual shipments made the same
day to the same markets for check
ing purposes. During the months OF
November and December, about 81. 800
extra was secured on the $1,000
pounds of poultry sold in this way
Preparations are now being made to
handle the poultry in similar way
this year, and it is believed that the
volume will be much larger.
The five organizations handling
livestock consigned total Of 80 cars,
or more than one-third Of all live
stock shipped from the country in|
1925. which was PSI cars, according
to report from the railways.
tai Of 237,329 pounds. while the Unit
ed States census places the total
amount of butterfat sold from Rem
vile county the previous year at
373,346 pounds. Before the cream
was marketed comparatively, the
spread between prices ut Minot and
at various points in Renville county |
ranged from . to n cents per pound. |
pound, meaning an increased price Of
five TO ten cents per pound. both for
purchases by coOperativcs and other
buyers.
Surplus Funds Created
Similar price changes have occurred
with the other products sold through
the farmers organizations, the live
stock, poultry and eggs: that is, the
the consumers dollar than used to
be the case. In addition to bringing
higher prices for these products, the
cooperativcs arc building up surplus
funds of from $500 to $500. All |
operate on the patronage dividend |
basis and are legally incorporated.
Each organization has local man
ager. I'VE had lot Of trouble get
ting started. Now it would be a lot
more difficult to get US stopped. This
is the way one of the members de-
scribes County Agent Wilkinson's
project.
The Mohall shipping association
has 213 members, and their last years
business consisted Of 35,932 pounds
Of butterfat, 18 cars of livestock,
1887 dozen eggs, $4,000 pounds of
poultry, and 1913 pounds of hides, with
Total receipts Of $66,433.12
The Lansford produce association
with $50 members sold 1896 pounds
Of butterfat. 26 cars Of livestock, and |
q, 270 pounds of poultry for $685.
Ds9.22.
The Sherwood produce association,
24O members. handled the most but
terfat, 8C,44O pounds, and $3.50
pounds Of poultry for $35.3335O. The |
Lorraine produce association. 1872 men,
bory, sold 38,O65 pounds Of butterfat
and $40 pounds Of poultry for $15,-
226. The most poultry was shipped
by the 1870 members of the Norma
produce, association, 28,250 pounds,
which with 1886 pounds Of butter
fat brought 22,035.sO.
Business done by the livestock
shipping associations at Norma, Toll
tey and Glenburn totaled IS cars
sold for 468. 500.