BETTER FRUIT 



AN ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY IN THE INTEREST OF MODERN, PROGRESSIVE FRUIT GROWING AND MARKETING 



By-Laws of the Fruit Growers' Agency, Incorporated 



Article I. — Name 



Sec. 1. The name of this corpora- 

 tion shall be The Fruit Growers' 

 Agency, Incorporated. 



Article II. — Objects 



This exchange is organized for the 

 purpose of supervising the performance 

 of a uniform contract which exists be- 

 tween the growers and their respective 

 sales agencies, for the selling of the 

 fruit products of the Pacific Northwest; 

 to provide the means and facilities for 

 carrying out the provisions contained 

 in this contract as hereinafter set forth; 

 to establish and maintain an "exchange" 

 for the promotion of business and social 

 relations among its members, and espe- 

 cially the advancement of the mutual 

 interests of the fruitgrowers and fruit 

 shippers of the Pacific Northwest, by 

 all proper and legitimate methods; to 

 collect and disseminate information; 

 to secure improvements in transporta- 

 tion and storage services and condi- 

 tions; to encourage competition by hon- 

 orable methods only; to adjust by fair 

 and etiuitable means grievances and 

 difTerences; to correct trade evils and 

 abuses; to prohibit all customs not in 

 accordance with sound business prin- 

 ciples; to secure the unification of con- 

 tracts anil accounting methods; to se- 

 cure uniform methods in the physical 

 handling, grading and packing of fruit 

 from tree to car; to provide the neces- 

 sary facilities for the extension and 

 development of domestic and Canadian 

 markets; to provide the necessary facil- 

 ities for the promotion and conduct of 

 export shipments and sales and work 

 through joint agents and consignees for 

 this purpose; to underwrite steamship 

 charters and develop new fruit trade 

 routes; to co-operate with federal 

 agencies in such lines of work as they 

 may undertake in behalf of the fruit 

 industry; and to form and carry out 

 plans for the mutual protection and 

 benefit of its members in the harvest- 

 ing, marketing and distribution of the 

 Pacific Northwest fruit and produce 

 crops. 



To enable this corporation to carry 

 out the jmrposes for which it is organ- 

 ized, it shall have the power: 



1. To do all things necessary, proper 

 and legal to carry out the purposes to 

 its organization as above stated. 



2. To buy, rent, lease, actiuire and 

 own such property, real or personal, as 

 may be necessary for carrying on the 

 business of the corporation and to sell, 

 lease, mortgage, release and handle the 

 same. 



3. To aid in any manner any corpo- 

 ration or association organized for like 

 purpose as this one, and to do any acts 



and things necessary for the success 

 thereof and to assist it in carrying out 

 the purpose of its organization. To co- 

 operate with and become a member of 

 any state, interstate or national organi- 

 zation organized for the same general 

 purpose as this. 



4. To borow money and secure the 

 payment of the same by bond, mort- 

 gage, note, hypothecation or pledge of 

 any property belonging to the corpora- 

 tion and to issue such promissory notes, 

 bonds, debentures or other evidences 

 of indebtedness as may be deemed nec- 

 essary by the Board of Trustees, to 

 meet and discharge its obligations, to 

 advance and promote the lawful pur- 

 pose of its creation. 



5. To make and enter into contracts 

 with its members, other persons, asso- 

 ciations or corporations and to do any 

 and all others acts and things neces- 

 sary to carry out the purpose of its or- 

 ganization and which may be author- 

 ized by law, and to assist its members 

 in every way practicable in the conduct 

 of their business. 



6. To sue and be sued. 



Article III. — Membership and Dues 



Sec. 1. (a) The membership of this 

 corporation shall be composed exclu- 

 sively of individuals, firms or corpora- 

 tions which are (1) growers, (2) grow- 

 ers' organization and (3) growers' sell- 

 ing agents who handle an average of 

 one hundred or more cars of fruit and 

 produce per year, and who are actually 

 domiciled and do business in the 

 States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho or 

 Montana. 



(b) There shall be two classes of 

 membership, to-wit: (1) An active 

 membership which carries with it the 

 right to vote and hold office; (2) a (|ual- 

 ilied or passive membership which does 

 not have the right to vote or to hold 

 ofiice. 



(c) The annual fee for active mem- 

 bership shall be $100.00, payable in ad- 

 vance. The annual fee for passive 

 membership shall be .?5.00, payable in 

 advance. 



(d) Eligibility for membership: (1) 

 Any growers' resident sales agent who 

 is engaged in the actual sale and distri- 

 bution of an average of not less than 

 100 cars of fruit or fruit and produce 

 per year may become an active member 

 only; (2) any grower whose average 

 production is not less than one car i)er 

 year and any growers' organization 

 which handles an average of not less 

 than one hundred cars of fruit or 

 produce per year may become an active 

 member. Any grower regardless of the 

 amount of his annual production may 

 become a qualified or passive member. 



(e) Every applicant for membership, 

 active or passive, shall agree and obli- 

 gate himself to enter into and perform 

 the uniform selling contract adopted by 

 the corporation and to conduct his 

 business in compliance with the by- 

 laws and such rules and regidations as 

 the corporation may from time to time 

 make and promulgate. 



(f) Such person, firm or corporation 

 desiring to become an active or passive 

 member of this corporation shall make 

 application to the chairman of the 

 membership conmiittee in writing, ac- 

 companied by the membership fee 

 and a general statement covering the 

 applicant's financial responsibility, the 

 length of time engaged in business, the 

 character of his or its business, and 

 references as to the business standing 

 of the applicant. Such application and 

 statement shall be presented to the 

 membership committee as hereinafter 

 provided. 



(g) Members failing to pay their dues 

 and assessments may be suspended or 

 dropped from the roll at the discretion 

 of the Board of Trustees, and shall 

 thereupon forfeit the rights and priv- 

 ileges of membership in the corpora- 

 tion, but no member shall be expelled 

 except by a two-thirds vote of the 

 trustees, and no such expulsion shall 

 act to relieve the member so expelled 

 from liability for unpaid dues and 

 assessments. 



(h) The resignation of an active 

 member shall not be accepted except 

 upon four weeks' notice to the Execu- 

 tive Secretary in writing, and the pay- 

 ment of all dues and other obligations 

 to the corporation, including those of 

 the fiscal year, April 1 to March 31 

 (inclusive). 



(i) After an active member has once 

 been elected the fact that he shall in 

 any one year fail to ship the requisite 

 nuTiiber of cars shall not ipso facto 

 terminate his membership. However, 

 if in two successive years he shall have 

 failed to ship the requisite avei'age 

 number of cars per year, he may be 

 dropped from membershii) upon the 

 allirmativc vote of two-thirds of the 

 Hoard of Trustees. 



(j) Any member guilty of conduct or 

 business dealing i)rejudicial to the good 

 name, standing or best interests of this 

 organization, or who wilfully fails or 

 refuses to perform any contractual 

 obligation incident to membersliip. may 

 be deemed unworthy of membershii) 

 and expelled herefrom by a two-thirds 

 vote of the active members of the 

 Board of Trustees of this corporation; 

 provided, however, that the accused 

 shall first be given a fair and impartial 

 hearing before the Board of Trustees. 



