EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 321 



(d) Publicity. 



The State Farm Bureau, having determined to publish a state paper, 

 has asked the assistance of the Markets Department for plans for 

 co-ordinating the publicity departments of the various Commodity 

 Exchanges, meetings with the Board of Directors of the Michigan Potato 

 Growers Exchange and the Michigan Milk Producers Association have 

 been attended in developing plans for this project. 



(e) Produce Marketing Department. 



A Produce Marketing Department has been established by the Michi- 

 gan State Farm Bureau in response to a general demand for tlie purpose 

 of marketing co-operatively poultry products, vegetables and other 

 perishables. Mr. I*atch of this department has given considerable of 

 his time to advising with the management and to presenting the plans 

 of same to local farm organizations in the state. 



(f) Legislative. 



Assistance in legislative matters has been confined to plans for secur- 

 ing a more mature and united opinion among farmers on prospective 

 legislation and on co-operative enacting laws. 



(g) Seed Department. 



Assistance to this division has been limited to a conference with the 

 management relative to linancial operations and to developing a market 

 for Michigan grown seed. 



July 1st, 19120— July 1st, 1921 750,000 



July 1st, 1921 — July 1st, 1922 1,000,000 



July 1st, 1922— July 1st. 192:i 1,.jO0,000 (Estimated) 



HI. COMMODITY EXCHANGES. 



(a) Michigan Potato Growers Exchange. 



The Markets Department has been in close touch with the Michigan 

 Potato Growers exchange during this year and all members of the 

 Markets Staft' have given more or less attention to its marketing and 

 transi)ortation problems. 



The Michigan Potato Growers Exchange has suffered severely from 

 car shortage, both box and refrigerator, and a vigorous effort has been 

 made in conjunction with the Michigan State Farm Bureau to get per- 

 manent relief from this shortage. An organized effort has been made, 

 also co-operating with the Michigan State Farm Bureau, to secure an 

 adjustment of rates on potatoes as between Michigan and northwestern 

 points. Substantial progress has been made along this line and com- 

 l)etitiye points will be compelled to pay rates consistent witli the dis- 

 tance of markets. 



The attention of the Markets Department has also been directed 

 towards the problem of standardization and improvement of the grade 

 of the P^xchange out])ut and research work is in ])rogress on the major 

 markets, the condition of Michigan {totatoes arriving and other problems 

 in the co-ordinating of potato producers with demand. The Markets 

 11 



