The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1927-01-19
Andrew Boss Urges Better
Farm Organization Form w.

Farmers are practically inorganic
ed and, as result, cannot well con-
troll either their production or their
marketing, Andrew Boss, vice director
of the Minnesota experiment station,
declared at Fargo recently.
The Minnesota agriculturist spoke
before the Tri-State Grain Growers
meeting, his topic being "Should
Farming Be Mode of Life or Bust
ness?" Mr.. Boss was member of
President Coolidge's special advis-
DRY commission on agriculture.
ut has been a national policy in
America to develop the family sized
farm with a system of production
capable of adequately supporting the
farm family" Mr.. Boss asserted.
This objective has been held up as
an ideal in the education of the Am
erican citizen and has become an AM
erican tradition. Thus, farming has
been developed as mode Of life rath-
er than as business.
The primary function of agricul-
ture, the speaker told the grain grow
ers, is to produce food and clothing.
He cited as the first difficulty the fact
that farmers must supply raw pro-
ducts for an inelastic and often sat-
urated demand.
The second fundamental, he declar-
ed, sis that the farmers are practi-
cally unorganized and therefore cam
not well control either their produc-
ton or their marketing.
at must be admitted" he explain
ed, shat the organization of agricul-
ture is much more difficult than the
organization of industry or labor.
"The diversity of interests, the dis
tances between farms, the impossi-
bility of getting together at one time
or place, and the diversity of produc-
tion in the different agricultural areas
make it a stupendous task"
That agriculture is not organized
is convincingly shown in score card
rating recently presented by the In
diana Farm Bureau federation, ne
said.
''In the present period of agricul-
tural distress, farmers are often crit
icized as being inefficient, unbusiness-
like and short-sighted," declared Mr..
Boss. "May / venture the opinion
that in these respects they are Meth
er better nor worse than those in 9TH
er vocations ?"
Like other human beings, Mr.. Boss
said in defense of the farmers, they
exert themselves as much and no more
than is necessary to get the things
they want.
In following farming as mode OF
life, the American farmers have amp
ly demonstrated their ability to pro-
duce more than the public can con-
sumo, he opined. He then added, 1T
may be that they have produced too
abundantly rather than wisely"
So productive have they become
with farming as mode of life and
with all the attending inefficiencies
that they have placed themselves at
temporary disadvantage in purchasing
power by the very abundance of their
products, Mr.. Boss believes.
1.-THE conditions prevailing in agri-
culture at the present time Mr..
Boss stated, demand the closest at
tention to economical production and
Ito good business organization.
production must be planned with
consideration for probable shifts in
demands and prices. Government
forecasts and outlooks will be found
of great assistance in this matter
The future farmer must be a reader
and thinker. Organization for
specific production often leads to
reduced cost per unit"
Mr.. Boss declared that much OF the
efficiency of industry is due to well
managed labor In farming, he said,
the problem of labor management is
much more difficult.
at is possible, however, he added
3'to adjust the production program or
the farm as to provide employment
for the members of the farm family
so that productive work may be had
throughout the year.
"If farming is to be a business,
there must be productive employment
for the available labor throughout the
entire year. 1t is essential, also, that
the production load be adjusted to the
available supply of labor. More III
tensive cropping, an increase IN the
amount of livestock kept and the
production of better quality products
are ways in which labor can be utiliz,
ed to advantage.