EXTENSION DIVISION. 277 



on this project as soon as the active shipping season is passed, with the 

 idea of completing the organization for next year's work. 



The Federated Fruit Groiccrs: 



Two years ago the executive committee, through President Howard, of 

 the American Farm Bureau Federation, appointed a committee of 21 to 

 represent the organized fruit interests of America, to study the program 

 of fruit marketing with a view to recommending a national plan. The 

 Markets Department has been asked to assist in this work and the Di- 

 rector has attended two meetings of the Committee in Chicago and one 

 in New York. A plan has been recommended and an organization com- 

 pleted. More recently this organization has made a contract to buy out 

 the North American Fruit Exchange, a large commercial distributing 

 agency, which had several important contracts with co-operative fruit 

 organizations in Micliigan. The elimination of these contracts sliould 

 remove practically all obstacles to the completion of a state-wide fruit 

 growers' association. 



MieMgan State Farm Bureau Produce Exchange: 



In response to a general demand from farmers within the State, the 

 Michigan fcytate Farm Bureau has recently established a "■Prioduce Ex- 

 change" as a department, with headquarters at Detroit. The reason for 

 not organizing this as a separate exchange was that the produce to be 

 handled is widely scattered and lacks concentrated volume, so that 

 local organizations can with difficulty be built around this service, and 

 as it is believed that local organizations are absolutely essential to the 

 organization of commodity exchanges, it was thought that the general 

 machinery of the State Fann Bureau would be more sensitive and adapt- 

 able to the will of the producers than a separate organization. The 

 Produce Exchange is expected to operate very largely as a separate or- 

 ganization, entering into contract with the local established units of 

 various character for the handling of eggs, butter, poultry products, 

 small f iiiits and vegetables, but will not operate in competition with otber 

 commodity exchanges. 



The Michigan Live-Stock Exchange: 



Assistance to the Live-Stock Exchange, during the year 1922 has been 

 principally on their problems of establishing co-operative commission 

 houses at Detroit and Buffalo and the working out of a proper organiza- 

 tion for such service. A commission house -has already been established 

 at Detroit which is at present the largest factor in the handling of live- 

 stock on the Detroit market. Michigan has joined with the state farm 

 bureaus of Ohio and Indiana in the establishment of a commission house 

 at Buffalo. This house is to commence operations about the 1st of Sep- 

 tember. The Markets Department assisted in working out plans for this 

 tri-state organization, which is to be associated with the National Pro- 

 ducers' Association, a national far-m bureau association devoted to the 

 handling of live-stock from a larger vieAvpoint. 



