The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-08-03
TENANTRY Is BAD
FOR COOPERATION

Raleigh, N. C.-Co-operative mar
ketlng of cotton in North Carolina
IS not due for expansion in the 1928
70 season. The North Carolina Cot
ton Growers Cooperative Assn, will
Eah,;It Il little less than its usual 10
10 10 per cent of the states crop.
Net that North Carolina cotton
farmers do not need cooperative ac-
ZION TO help increase their yearly in
come. From cotton, the farmers have
averaged under $500 a year. But the
average conceals the fact that three
tonrths of the cotton farmers are fem
anus who give up one-third to one
nall OF their crop for rent. The rest
OF thelr yearl y income goes for food.
clothing, fertilizer, interest on boT-
rowed money, too often leaving the
farm tenant actually in debt-by the
landlords figures. ~
Oohopso Of tire TEi-StaJr aTvl,a.,,
assn TWO years ago weakened COOP
eratlve sentiment in Virginia and the
Sarollnas where it operated Manv
OaFolma tobacco growers are also
cottoh growers and belonged to mark
etlng co-ops for both crops. None or
the farmers suits against the NORTH
carolina cotton COOP. attemnted ga
er the Tri-State debacle. came -
court however, and the cotton organ
Iz :,s standing is generally recog-
nlzed as good. 0's
Inc coop is not staging any bio
membership drive. It's energies under
manager U. B. Blalock are devoted
10 making the association a "bnsi-
ness organization of business farm
ers, AS Blalock sees it, the co-on-
eratlye must satisfy not only ife
members that it serves but mist do
the same for the cotton buying mann.
1acturers and for the financing bank
ers. -,
Membership is nearly 1919 less this
season in the coop because If . neu,
agreement, permitting members to
withdraw. Most of the growers who
quit raise comparatively few bales
and wanted to see if the newly insert
ca withdrawal clause really works. he
neVes Blalock. Membership in the
coop is open to all cotton growers of
the state-white or black, landlord mr.
tenant. VI
This year for the first time all the
Sco-op,s bales have been sold to Caro-
ma textile manufacturers. The co.
ops carrying charges and operatino
costs have steadily lessened in its siS
years of existence to below S430 .
Uale; Since the organization is non
Stock, hon-protlt, per cent of each
s e Is, return is put into a reserve
Iund; This provides advances to
members on their first delivery If
cctton each season, besides giving as
surance OF the organizations finan-
clal rating. The coop gets its mem
Ders credit at Az per cent instead ~
the ~ to 30 per cent interest CHARGED
non-n1embers, ~
Cooperative ginning, warehousinp
fertilizer buying and other Joint acfiy'
tiles practiced by some other cotton
co-ops are being studied by the North
Carolina association. It is associated
with other cotton co-ops in the Amer
lean Cotton Growers Exchange. It
Is conducted in conjunction with rbA
Exchange, a statewide essay contest
to interest young growers in coop
Grafton.
Cotton farm children begin work
When they are young and often miss
several months of the or 8 month
school term. The mothers work in
the fields as well as in the home. And
withall the family has a poor enough
living, raising little of its own food
stuffs in order to have more land for
ccotton-the money crop, or debt crop
that it is for many tenants. Health
Is neglected and digestive and dental
disorders are common.