THE CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE 



experiment has recently been made of organizing one small honey-selling 

 organization in the province. 



Some thirty-one seed centres have recently been organized in Ontario 

 by the Canadian Seed Growers' Association. As yet only half a dozen of 

 them have seed for sale. 



There have been organized some nineteen or twenty district breeders* 

 associations, each of which holds a yearly sale of the stock of its menibers. 

 A number of farmers' club? in the province have for many years been carry- 

 ing on the co-operative consignment of live stock, one club having an annual 

 turnover of Sioo,ooo. 



There are i6o creameries and 1,000 cheese factories. Most of them are 

 joint stock companies but are co-operative in so far as most of their stock 

 is held by those who furnish their material. Dividends are however large- 

 ly declared on stock and not on the produce so furnished. Dairy farm- 

 ers all over the coimtry are organized in associations, which do not as a 

 rule trade in milk but intervene between producers and the trade, enabling 

 contracts. At one centre only there is a producers' organization which 

 collcclb iLs> members' milk and retails it with very apparent and growing 

 success. 



There are between 300 and 400 farmers' clubs in the province. Their 

 main object is educational but some of them are trying to market one or 

 more products. A few are attempting to consign live stock, and the orga- 

 nization of other marketing associations has arisen out of many of them. 



A number of recently formed organizations are endeavouring to trade 

 in man}' commodities. The Manitoulin Marketing Association at first 

 marketed wool but is now dealing also in lambs and cattle. It aims at 

 marketing practically all the products of Manitoulin Island. 



In their initial stages co-operative associations are not equipped for 

 taking over all the functions of middlemen and dealing directly with con" 

 sumers. Their trade is largely with the wholesale houses, and so far their 

 business has been too limited largely to affect the price of farm produce for 

 consumers. In practically every instance however they have improved the 

 quality of output and reduced waste. The egg circles have practically 

 eliminated that share of the 17 per cent, of bad eggs, estimated to come onto 

 the market, for which their members were once responsible. The producer 

 has in consequence received a slightly higher price for his eggs — on an aver- 

 age for the year from one to three cents a dozen more than before — and the 

 consumer pays the old price but receives better value. The progress of 

 co-operation in the province certainly justifies a hope that the cost of mar- 

 keting will be lessened and the consequent gain shared by consumer and 

 producer. 



The following figures, which are approximate, give an idea of the move- 

 ment towards association and co-operative marketing in this province. 



