REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE OFFICE OF MARKETS 

 AND RURAL ORGANIZATION. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 

 Office of Markets and Rural Organization, 



Washington, D. C, /Septe?nber 15, 1916. 



Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the work of 

 the Office of Markets and Rural Organization for the fiscal vear 

 ended June 30, 1916. 

 Respectfully, 



Charles J. Brand, Chief. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



Although the work of the Office of Markets and Rural Organization 

 has increased greatly during the fiscal year, it has been conducted 

 along the four principal lines shown in the preceding annual report 

 of this office: (1) Marketing and distributing farm products; (2) 

 rural organization investigations; (3) investigation and demonstra- 

 tion of cotton standards and cotton testing; and (4) enforcement of 

 the United States cotton futures act. All of these lines are further 

 subdivided in organization, work has been completed in each line 

 with resulting publications, and further work is in progress as here 

 reported. 



MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTING FARM PRODUCTS. 



The work under this general classification has been conducted 

 along the same general lines as reported last year and under the same 

 project leaders. 



cooperative purchasing and marketing. 



All of the work previously reported under this item has been con- 

 tinued in response to the evident need under the joint direction of 

 Mr. C. E. Bassett and Mr. Clarence W. Moomaw. This work in- 

 cludes the study of problems connected with cooperative purchasing 

 and marketing, the giving of aid both in person and by correspond- 

 ence to groups who wish to organize for such purposes, assistance in 

 the reorganization of associations, the study of existing State laws 

 on cooperation, and work on proposed laws to encourage cooperation. 

 Drafts of the proposed new T laws have been submitted to State au- 

 thorities and are being revised in accordance with their criticisms. 

 All work of a legal nature mentioned in this report has been done in 

 active collaboration with the office of the solicitor. 



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