THE I. A. A. RECORD 



A. B. Leeper 

 Fruits and 

 Vegetables 



FIVE SPECIALISTS DIRECT THE CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF THE ILLINOIS AGRICUL- 

 TURAL ASSOCIATION. IN ADDITION TO ASSISTING THE COUNTY FARM BUREAUS IN ORGANIZING . "5 

 PRODUCERS INTO NEW COMMODITY GROUPS, THESE MEN STUDY SUCCESSFUL CO-OPS. IN OTHER * 

 STATES, GATHER PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THOSE ALREADY ESTAB- T 

 LISHED HERE. EDUCATIONAL WORK AMONG PRODUCERS, AND MANAGEMENT SERVICE ARE IMPOR- I 

 TANT FEATURES OF I. A. A. MARKETING ACTIVITIES. 



A Year of Progress In Co-operative Marketing 



Substantial Gains Are 



Made In Co-op. Selling 



Survey Shows Illinois Farmers Are 

 Worifing Together 



THE year 1929 saw more real co-ojwrative 

 marketing progress in Illinois than in! any 

 similar period in years. 



Early in the year the Pure Milk Association, 

 organized and sponsored by the northern | Illi- 

 nois County Farm Bureaus and the I. A., A., 

 won its fight for recognition on the market. 

 Today it is one of the largest collective bar- 

 gaining associations in the country and controls 

 substantially all of the whole milk going to 

 the Chicago market from points in Illinois, 

 northern Indiana, and southern Wisconsin. 



With fluid milk co-operatives operating at 

 Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, Springfield, Bloom- 

 ington. Champaign, and Quincy, and with new 

 collective bargaining associations now being 

 formed at St. Louis, Decatur, and Rock Island, 

 Illinois soon will be the best organized state 

 in this respect in the middle west. 



Producer To C<)iisumer 



At Quincy, Springfield, St. Louis, and Wau- 

 kegan, farmer-owned companies are not only 

 processing but also distributing milk and dairy 

 products. The Highland Dairy Farms Company 

 is an important factor in the distribution of 

 milk on the St. Louis market and handles prac- 

 tically all the production of dairymen aroUnd 

 Highland and adjoining communities in Madison 

 county. 



A move to organize northwestern Illinois 

 dairymen who sell to the condenseries was 

 launched at Dixon several weeks ago. Future 

 activities of the dairy marketing department will 

 be directed toward co-ordinating the various 

 Illinois milk co-operatives. 



Educational Program 



Livestock marketing activities have centered 

 in a broad program of education among live- 

 stock growers and shippers this year. Teaching 

 the principles of co-operative marketing, the 

 need for collective action in the sale of live- 

 stock has been the watchword of the livestock 

 marketing department. Scores of tours to the 

 terminal markets at Chicago, Peoria, East St. 

 Louis, and Indianapolis have been held. There 

 the growers have received first-hand information 

 : ■ about the work of their own Producer co-opera- 

 tive selling agencies. 



A thorough study and analysis of grain mter- 

 keting both in the United States and Canada 



has been made by the grain marketing depart- 

 mept, and now plans for further marketing ac- 

 tivities in Illinois are rapidly materializing. The 

 I. A. A. is working hand in hand with the 

 Illinois Farmers' Grain Dealers Association and 

 its leaders to this end. As these plans are 

 definitely formulated they will be presented to 

 the membership. 



Soybean Men Organized 



The first co-operative association of soybean 

 growers in the United States was organized dur- 

 ing the year by Farm Bureau and I. A. A. lead- 

 ers. The Soybean Marketing Association, open 

 to all growers, has established headquarters at 

 Champaign. The membership signup is well 

 underway. The association expects to have con- 

 trol of the bulk of the 3,000,000 bushel soybean 

 crop grown annually in Illinois by the time the 

 19)0 crop is harvested. 



The grain marketing department assisted the 

 Egyptian Seed Growers' Exchange in obtaining 

 Federal Farm Board aid and the promise of 

 ample funds to advance growers on red top seed. 

 Further assistance to red top growers will be 

 given in 1930. 



During 1929 the number of co-operative pro- 

 duce marketing associations was nearly doubled 

 until now more than 40 are operating through- 

 out the state. These produce associations or 

 cream clubs average about 150 producers each 

 who deliver approximately 100,000 lbs. of but- 

 terfat in a year. Produce is sold a year in 

 advance to the highest bidder. The cream clubs 

 have been successful in reducing the cost of 

 assembling cream. They have had a strong in- 

 fluence in improving quality and increasing the 

 net price to the farmer from three to five cents 

 per lb. Approximately 4,000,000 lbs. of fat 

 are sold annually through these co-operatives. 



Form State Co-op 



More recently steps were taken to federate 

 these marketing activities through the organiza- 

 tion of the Illinois Produce Marketing Associa- 

 tion. The centralized creameries in the state 

 have shown a disposition to co-operate with the 

 produce co-operatives of late and several con- 

 ferences between creamery and producer repre- 

 sentatives have been held. These augur well 

 for a satisfactory arrangement between buyer 

 and seller. 



A start toward developing a chain of pro- 

 ducer-owned roadside markets for selling fruit 

 and vegetables was launched in July in north- 

 ern, central, and southern Illinois. To market 

 (Continued on page S) 



Livestock Growers Talk 

 Co-operative Marketing 



Get First Hand Information On 

 Marliet Towns 



TTOW Illinois livestock growers are spread- 

 -*- -■- ing the gospel of co-operative marketing 

 is revealed in the reports of community meet- 

 ings held throughout the state received by the 

 I. A. A., livestock marketing department. Mar- 

 keting problems are discussed and information 

 is presented by farmers who have studied co- 

 operative marketing first-hand at the terminal 

 livestock markets. 



"During the month of November we held a 

 series of 14 community meetings in different 

 parts of the county," writes T. W. May, farm 

 adviser in Madison county. "A number of men 

 have given some excellent talks on livestock 

 marketing and the Producers Commission Asso- 

 ciation. The men 'asked to speak were selected 

 from those who attended the tour to the Na- 

 tional Stock Yards. These men have proved 

 themselves able to discuss very intelligently some 

 of our marketing problems and to urge live- 

 stock growers to cooperate in selling their stock. 

 These talks are stimulating increased interest 

 in a better marketing system." 



Best Ever Held 



"The livestock marketing meetings have just 

 been completed and without question have been 

 the best series ever held," writes S. F. Russell 

 of Adams county. "Local leaders had meet- 

 ings well arranged and discussions were ex- 

 cellent. Reports were made on the tour to the 

 National Stock Yards also on the county-wide 

 marketing conference conducted here several 

 weeks ago. Exactly 970 men and women at- 

 tended the 12 meetings." 



Approximately 400 attended a series of live- 

 stock marketing meetings held in Knox county, 

 according to A. R. Kemp, farm adviser. These 

 meetings were conducted at Altoona, Appleton, 

 Victoria, Knoxville, Williamsfield, Oneida, and 

 Hermon. 



"Organized agriculture has been responsible 

 for most of the progress in the farming busi- 

 ness," said Harry C. Gehring, president of the 

 Knox County Farm Bureau at the Altoona meet- 

 ing. "That is why the Farm Bureau appointed a 

 livestock marketing committee. A marketing 

 system without producer control will never 

 favor the farmer, but the system of co-opera- 

 tive selling now being followed on the big 

 (Continued on page !) 



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