THE I. A. A. RECORD 



Page Five 



I 





(Continued from page 4) 



It is true that certain economies might have 

 been effected by direct sales from the drover to 

 the butchers — but the drover was not in a posi- 

 tion to claim his share of the saving. The 

 butcher got it. It is self-evident that it was to 

 the tatter's advantage to go out from the city 

 and meet the drover, otherwise why shouldn't 

 he have waited at the market place and pur- 

 chased his needs there? 



In its fundamentals direct marketing appar- 

 ently hasn't changed much. The livestock 

 farmer attempting to sell as an individual is still 

 sacrificing his bargaining ability under the mis- 

 taken idea that he is preserving his individual 

 rights and privileges. \Chen he hauls his stock 

 to the local concentration point he is still trad- 

 ing with the buyer in the buyer's territory and 

 on the buyer's grades, weights and terms. Of 

 course, he can return home with his stock but 

 that is generally difficult and always expensive. 



It might be argued that the livestock farmer 

 is a long way from home when he is on a ter- 

 minal market. That is true but the seller at 

 least has the advantage of competition between 

 buyers and the protection of government super- 

 vision in weights, trade practices, etc. 



Most important of all he is still transferring 

 his ownership long before his stock reaches the 

 consuming market, and giving over control of 

 his volume into the hands of the purchasers and 

 processors who are at liberty to use his stock in 

 effecting general price levels to their liking. 



Doubtless the "butchers" of old argued that 

 they wanted to save money in the marketing 

 process and doubtless they did — for the 

 "butchers." The livestock farmer was not then 

 and is not now in a position to claim his part 

 of the saving. He may be misled into believing 

 that he is getting his share but when he counts 

 the full cost in weights, grades and effect on 

 price levels the net result is about the same as it 

 was a thousand years ago. 



There is some merit in "direct marketing," 

 doubtless there are possibilities of effecting a 

 saving in market expense, but if the livestock 

 farmer benefits by the system he will have to 

 control it himself. Until he does have marketing 

 machinery through which he can move his live- 

 stock to the packer under his own control, he 

 had bettter support the present facilities at his 

 disposal, i.e. the local shipping association and 

 the cooperative selling agencies on the terminal 

 livestock markets. 



Livestock buying is being again inaugurated 

 at Bloomington. It is the same old proposition 

 in different clothes. From the standpoint of 

 livestock farmers of McLean county it has the 

 same disadvantages as did the system which was 

 forbidden by the Roman Empire back in 980 

 A. D.— Ray E. Miller. fT^ v : i 



- State Produce Co-op 



(Continued from page i) 

 at the rate of seven per cent per annum to 

 be paid only out of the net earnings of the 

 Association when and as such dividends shall be 

 declared by the board of directors. 



Class B stock shall be entitled to draw no 

 dividends, either capital or patronage, and shall 

 be entitled to no distribution of the assets of 

 the Association in the event of liquidation. 

 The policyholders of such stock shall be en- 

 titled to one vote for each and every share of 

 such stock held by them. 



Under the Co-operative Marketing Act of 

 Illinois control of the co-operative must rest 



in a board of directors chosen from among the 

 member producers of the commodity marketed. 

 Thus, under this Act there is no possibility of 

 directors being chosen from among those not 

 directly interested and producing the commodity 

 marketed. 



Patronage Dividends 



The common stock of the State Marketing 

 Association shall only be issued to, and owned 

 by, county or district co-operative associations 

 of producers of dairy and poultry products. 

 Shares of common stock may be transferred only 

 with the consent of the Association. 



Holders of common stock shall not be en- 

 titled to any dividend on the common stock as 

 stock dividends, but the holder of a share of 

 common stock (to be held only by producers) 

 shall be entitled to his share of the net savings, 

 the distribution of such savings to be pro-rated 

 on a patronage basis. 



The board of directors shall consist of IS 

 members to be elected at the annual meeting of 

 shareholders and serve for a term of one year 

 or until their successors are duly ^elected and 

 qualified. At the close of each annual meeting 

 the directors shall hold a meeting and shall 

 elect the officers consisting of a president, vice- 

 president, secretary, and treasurer. All officers 

 shall be members of the board of directors ex- 

 cept the secretary and treasurer who may or 

 may not be directors. . - 



Here Are Officers 



Officers and directors elected at the Decatur 

 meeting who will apply for incorporation papers 

 arenas follows: S. M. Elkins, president, McLean 

 county; William Krause, vice-president, Logan 

 county; Claude J. Martin, secretary-treasurer 

 Mason county; Burton Leamon, Richland coun- 

 ty; Clarence Shurtleff, Edwards county; Guy 

 Pomeroy, White county; Benjamin Folck, Craw- 

 ford county; Perry Journey, Adams county; T. 

 G. Jackson, Brown county; H. B. Smith, Mc- 

 Donough county; R. J. Ash, Hancock county; 

 Elery Leefers of Macoupin county; and Walter 

 Scott of Scott county. Bloomington was chosen 

 as headquarters of the new organization. 



Organization of the local co-operative market- 

 ing associations into state-wide and district or- 

 ganizations has the approval of the Federal Farm 

 Board which has advised that local co-operatives 

 must federate into large units if they would 

 obtain the full benefits of the Agricultural 

 Marketing Act. 



The local co-operatives now loperating handle 

 approximately 4,000,000 pounds of butcerfat 

 annually in addition to consi<^rable quantities 

 ot eggs and poultry. | 



Big Turnout Expected 



From Illinois Bureaus 



C^XCEPT for the voting delegates, the bulk 

 ■*— ^ of the crowd at the coming A. F. B. F. con- 

 vention is expected from the middle west states, 

 including Illinois, Iowa, and Inidiana. 



All the sessions are open t» Farm Bureau 

 members and it is hoped that representatives 

 from every Illinois county will be there. 



For those driving to Chicago for the meeting, 

 it is suggested that automobile$ be left in the 

 outlying sections. Transportation by elevated 

 lines, interurban, buses, street (:ars, and subur- 

 ban trains is available from every part of the 

 city and from neighboring suburbs. For those 

 who drive in, parking space may be found a 

 few blocks from the Sherman Hotel in Grant 

 Park just east of Michigan Boulevard. 



Special Rates j 



Railroads have reduced their rates for the 

 convention so visitors may go from any point 

 in the United States for a fire and a half. 

 Certificates for the special rate may be obtained 

 from county advisors and Farm Bureau officials. 



Directors of extension from 45 states will be 

 entertained at a banquet on Friday night, Dec. 

 6, and the following night, Dec. 7, another 

 dinner will be given to representatives of the 

 farm and city press. 



Further requests for information should be 

 made at A. F. B. F. headquarters, 5 8 E. Wash- 

 ington St., Chicago. 



DIRECTORS OF NEW ILLINOIS PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION 

 Left to right sitting: R. J. Ash, Hancock county; T. G. Jackson, Brown county; Wm. 

 Krause, Logan county, vice president; and Claude J. Martin, Mason county, secretary-treas- 

 urer. 



Left to right standing: Burton Leamon, Richlan4 county; S. M. Elkins, McLesm county, 

 president; Elery A. Leefers, Macoupin county; Clarence Shurtleff, Edwards county; and 

 Perry Journey, Adams county. 



