Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-15

data were obtained regarding the live
stock produced in the area, rail and
truck transportation, facilities avail
able, site for concentration yards, the
attitude Of the producers toward CO.
operative marketing and the experience
of cooperative associations already
established. On the basis of the in
formation obtained, a plan was devel-
oped for the organization of re-
gional live stock selling agency which Is
now operating at four points in the
Cedar Rapids territory. This organiza-
ton later became a part of the Iowa
Live Stock Marketing Association which,
in turn, is aff1liated with the National
Live Stock Marketing Association, and
has obtained loans through the national
association to enable 1t to acquire IA
cilities and merchandise the products
delivered to it.
The board, thus far, has undertaken
and completed, or partly completed,
more than 100 major projects of this
kind. Seventeen of these have dealt
with the problems of cooperative or
CARNATIONS in the Northeastern States,
including a comprehensive survey of
the cooperative associations in these
States made as a basis for future CO.
operative development. Fifteen such
projects have been carried on in the
East North-Central States, 25 in the
West North Central States, As in the
Southern States and 20 in the II West
ern States. This does not include nu
merous instances in which contacts have
been made with cooperative associa-
tions, extension workers, State depart
ments of Agriculture teachers of voca-
tional agriculture and others who are
working with cooperative associations,
either as directors, officers or mana
gers, or in research or educational
fields.
Help the Farmers.
The financial and other assistance
extended to co-operativeS by the Farm
Board is to enable agricultural produc-
ers to have something to say about
the price they get for their products
In doing this our purpose is to help
the farmer, not hurt some one else. Ger
tainly no one has valid complaint If,
by marketing his own product, the
farmer receives a better financial re-
turn than when some one else does the
Job for him. If cooperative marketing
does not get this result it will not sue
cced
Producers generally are, coming to
see the benefits of organized marketing.
Without question the activities of the
national cooperative sales agencies
were helpful influence in the market
the past year. Low as they were,
prices of agricultural commodities
would have been lower except for them.
The Farmers National Grain Corpora
ton has merchandised more than 100,-
100000 bushels of grain for its 81 CO.
operative member units; the American
Cotton Cooperative Association, with
IL State and regional associations as
members, handled more than 100000
bales Of cotton; the National Wool Mar
keting Corporation, its first year,
handled 35 per cent of the wool clip
of the country and 95 per cent of the
mohair for its 20 cooperative member
units. The National Live Stock Market
ing Association now has 20 cooperative
members and last year marketed about
three-fifths of the live stock sold CO.
operatively.
The Farm Board believes that or
gained effort by farmers is the key
to the solution of their major economic
problems. There Is no magic by which
the Government can do this for them,
Notwithstanding the flowery promises
of few people who seem to be more
interested in getting farmers votes
than in lettering their financial posi-
ton.
In large measure the success of the
cooperative program depends upon
the willingness of the farmer to work
with, not against, his neighbor. The
Farm Board can help, but the actual
job of building and operating co-opera-
tive marketing machinery and adjust
ing production to the probable market