The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1949-03-18
A VISIT TO THE HEART OF THE COOP MOVEMENT

You've all heard stories about the country yokep
who saw the sights of the city for the first time
Well, that's about the way felt all during last week
in st. Paul.
While it is true have visited many cities in years
past this visit different Not fresh from nine
weeks of the legislature being camped just the
street. this trip first of all represented few days of
relaxation. Editorials and other copy having been
prepared ahead of time, it of ''The Voice
go hang" for a few days-and-thats just what
happened.
Last week | attempted to tell you in few words
something about the Farmers Union Central Elk
change; what it is what it represents to its many
thousand farmer-owners throughout the Northwest,
and why the pride of 'This - The
growth during the past Is years of this consumer
cooperative into multi-million dollar organization
is indeed remarkable-particularlyw when considers
that almost half of it's life in a period of uncer
tain weather conditions and depressed farm prices
Later in the week I paid visit to the Indiana
limestone home of the Farmers Union Grain Term
ina Association Without question this is of the
most imposing structures in the Twin Cities, and
found st. Paul people hardly less enthusiastic than
their rural neighbors, this newest office edifce
in their city.
But, magnificent is the physical structure,
spacious the many offices, and, richly fur
nshed the board of directors and the
office of General Manager Bill Thatcher, these
only part of the story of GTA-the Coop Way
AS the Central Exchange represents the efforts of
northwest farmers in building economic security
consumers, GTA is the concrete expression of their
attempts several decades to gain voice in the
marketing of their produce in the trade channels of
the nation and the world. The growth of GTA into
huge marketing Coop spells the end of which
saw the building of many 20 to 40-room mansions
on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi by Twin
City "grain merchants'-at the expense of grain
growers of the northwest Such mansions in the
future, if built will be the farms in Montana, the
Dakoas-will belong to those who produce-not those
who manipulate. GTA-the Coop Way is building
economic security for 100000 grain farmers
a security that little more than dream few
short decades ago.
Farmers Union Livestock Association
Another sde-trip took me down stream to South
st. Paul and the Farmers Union Livestock Association
establishment. While not far advanced as GTA or
FUCE, FULA represents still another phase in the
battle rural America is making to gain economic
security From talking with various cold hands" at
the game / gained the impression that because of
shorter margins, greater market vcissudes etc.. this
part of the overall farmer-co-operatve movement has
had even tougher shedding in becoming established
than either GTA the Central Exchange but that
the Coop is gradually forging ahead. FULA
owns its own building in South ST. Paul. has sufficient
space ALLEGATIONS in the stockyards and owns and
operates string of rendering plants stretching from
Montana to Wisconsin, in addition to branch stock
yards and offices in West Fargo and Billings.
Convention Impressions
In writing about the Exchange convention 1 could
go into great detail the many excellent reports
and speeches that given but this would be super
lists complete picture in the next issues of the Farm
ers Union Herald and M F. u. News. Instead some n
'idelights on the convention seem more "down the
alley' of this writer.
was particularly impressed by the attentiveness
If the than 1000 CE stockholders in attendance
Whether listening to NFU President Jim Patton en-
'hasize the need for 1907 parity for family-type
armers; Jerome Locke outline the need for MVA;
JE General Manager Emil Syftestad give his annual
eport on operations or GTA Attorney w E. Rumble
EXPLORE probable economic trends in the next few
ears, deadly serious attitude prevailed at all times.
To this portion of the best educated farmers in
america, all this important. AS businessmen
hey were deeply interested in how their enterprise