The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1930-01-30
CENTRAL DID ABIG
BUSINESS IN 1929
The Cooperative Association
Handled 2O,742 Cars of
Stock During Year
Heavy Truck Shipping
Most of Stock Marketed at
South St. Paul Through
Organization
Heavy Truck Shipping

The Central Cooperative asso-
citation at South st. Paul, to which
by far the greater portion OF Gen.
trail Minnesota livestock is con-
signed, has for another year main
tanned it's position as the greatest
cooperative livestock sales agency
of any livestock market in the
United States, a record of which
all livestock producers in the north
west should be justly proud. The
above statement is made by j. S.
Montgomery, general manager of
the association, in a bulletin sent
out last week.
The Central was organized in 1921
by the shipping associations OF
Minnesota and adjoining states. 1t
was Immediately endorsed by the
Minnesota Farm Bureau Fedora
ton, also the Farm Bureau organ
izations of Wisconsin, South Da-
kota and North Dakota, and by
many other farm organizations.
Since it's organization it has had a
constant and consistent growth
until it now has 700 local shipping
associations which are stockhold-
er members of the organization.
These associations are located in
the states of Minnesota, Wiscon-
sin, North Dakota South Dakota,
Montana, Iowa and in the domin-
ion of Canada It is conservative
ly estimated that their membership
includes at least $4,000 livestock
producers. In addition to these 700
shipping associations there are
about four thousand individual
farmers mostly in a trucking ra-
dius of the South st. Paul market,
who are owners of $1.0O individual
shares of stock in the Central Co
Operative Association which en-
titles them to market their live
stock directly through the associa-
ton.
During the year of 1929 Central
handled rail receipts amounting to
1850 carloads of livestock, which
was 2998% of the total rail re-
ceipts consigned to commission
agencies for sale. In addition to
these receipts by rail the Central
handled the equivalent of 1882
carloads of livestock which arrived
at the market by truck, or total
business amounting to 2O,742 car
loads of livestock during the year.
This livestock consisted of 49,
head of cattle, 165, 103 head of
calves, 925, 391 head of hogs, 1853, 745
head of sheep, or total of 1896, 762
head of livestock.
The gross value of the livestock
handled by the association in 1929
was $36,121, 1890, as compared
with a gross sales of $32. 304, 1913 in
1928.
The total paid in capital of the
association amounts to a little less
than $4,000 and the net earnings
over and above operating expenses
for the years amounts to $118,281.
This substantial growth in BUSH
ness over 1928 in the face of de-
creased receipts on the market is
very gratifying to the management
of the organization and the earn
ings of the company will make it
possible to make a substantial re-
fund to the patrons. The total
saving by the Central to it's pa
irons in 1929 in lower commissions
will amount to between $4,000 and
100000 which is a very gratifying
earning with total investment of
less than $4,000.
The articles of Incorporation and
bylaws of the association, as well
as the cooperative law under which
the association is incorporated, pro-
vide that not to exceed go may be
paid on the capital stock of the cor
poration, that the earnings over
and above this amount shall be
distributed to the member patrons
on a patronage basis.
In addition to this immense saw
ing in marketing expenses the Gen.
trail Cooperative Association has
attained a sufficient volume of
business on the market so as to
be a factor in establishing price
levels which are more satisfactory
to the producer, thereby rendering
an additional service which it is
almost impossible to measure in
dollars and cents. The work of the
Central Cooperative Association at
South st. Paul has been pointed to
by members of the Federal Farm
Board as one of the examples of
successful cooperation which DEM
Onstrates that the farmers may
better their marketing conditions
by placing large volume of any
farm commodity in the hands of
their own sales agency, thereby
realizing more satisfactory returns
from the commodity. a member
of the Federal Farm Board in a re-
Gently published statement is quot
ed as saying that if the country
was as well organized in co-opera-
tive livestock marketing as Mime
sofa it would be a comparatively
simple matter to set up a national
livestock marketing organization
which could function successfully.
C. B. Crandall, president of the
Central, is now serving on a ma
tional committee working on plans
for the organization of a National
Livestock Marketing Association
under plans suggested bv the Fed