White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1934-04-19
Cooperation Asked
On Growers Code
BY A. L. Brockway

House Bill No. 1870, Chap. IL, Laws OF
Washington, Extraordinary Session OF
1933-34, which Act may be known ana
cited as the "Washington Agricultural
Adjustment Act"
The general purpose Of this Act IS
stated in Sec. Cd, namely:
ITO establish and maintain such
balance between the production and
consumption of agricultural commodl-
ties, and such marketing conditions
thereof, as will establish prices to
farmers at level that will give ag-
ricultural commodities a purchasing
power with respect to commodltles
that farmers buy, equivalent to the
purchasing power of agricultural COM
modities in the basic period. The basic
period in this case of all agricultural
commodities shall be the pre-war per-
iod, August, 1909 to July, 1914
Section of this Act provides as fol-
lows: I'm order to efectuate and carry
out the declared policy of this state
and the provisions of the Agricultural
Adjustment Act of the United States,
the Director of Agriculture OF this
state is hereby vested and empowered
Cd to make rules and regulations With
the approval of the Governor and to
provide for the regulation and control
of production, storage, transportation,
sale and distribution of the agricul-
tural commodities or products thereof
or competing commodities and pro-
ducts thereof for such time as the
present economic emergency exists and
CD to enter into marketing agree
ments with professors, associations OF
producers and other persons engaged
in the handling, manufacturing, pro-
ducing, processing, dealing or sale OF
agricultural commodities or products
thereof in this state. The making OF
such agreement shall not be held to
be in violation of any provisions OF
the statutes of this state: Provided,
that no such agreement shall be and
remain in force after the termination
of this act"
How Established
The principal thing the State De-
partlnent of Agriculture has to offer
lis authority The department has the
authority, but the industry must pro-
vide the power.
When a really helpful code has been
adopted by majority of the industry
the authority of the state steps in and
by adopting that marketing agreement
makes it effective on the minority.
The leaders in the industry shoulc
be the best judge as to whether OF
not a marketing agreement for frul1
growers could be made effective or val
liable to the industry. The state haS
no men available to go out and assis
in the formation of marketing agree
: ments.
In other words, the question /
squarely up to the growers OF frul
themselves. If they desire fru1
growers code, they must do the pre-
liminary work of: First, conducting al
: investigation to determine that mar
: keting agreement providing for min
e imuln code price to the grower IS Tea
: sible. Second, calling together repre-
e sentatives of the industry to forrnu
late a marketing agreement or cod'
This instrument ordinarily CONSIST
of marketing agreement and COO
: OF ethics, setting forth what is to 9
# considered fair trade practice and Whs
d is to be considered unfair. 1t may carr
!, an exhibit giving prices and rules Il
u revising and setting out these price
Y from time to time, or the lnstrume1
II may take the nature of code, IN
e far as prices are concerned, and there
i by set out such margins or basic prlr
l. ciples on which prices are to be d
termined.
How Administered
If fruit growers code is drawn,
will then be necessary for every han'
"a Ter of the fruits covered by that COZ
or marketing agreement to carry
Pc license with the Department OF Agl
IL, culture.
!. Retailers will require retail llcens
and wholesalers must carry Wholesal
l., licenses. Under these licenses the +
~ tailers could be compelled to sell
~, certain prices and the wholesalers
&c retailers could be compelled to pu
~ chase at certain prices or, under &C
Va tain conditions, at price mark-ups.
COsts-HOw betrayed
The proceeds from dealers llcens
are used for the general administrati
of the act.
The actual policing and enfore
ment of the act must be taken CT
of by the industry itself The indus'
must make some sort Of an asse
ment to pay for the enforcement a
immediate administration.
VIC Summary
The Department of Agriculture w
Furnish authority and license de
ers. Sec. IA of the Agricultural AdJu
=, ment Act provides license fees OF If
~ 81 to $25 per annum for retailers
from $50 to $3.50 for professor