Page Fourteen 



THE 1. A. A. RECORD 



Why Club Members Should Market Their' 

 Livestock Co-operatively 



By GAILLORD WAGNER, Pontiac, Livingston County, III.. 

 Sweepstakes Prize Essay In State-wide Contest 



THE co-operative marketing of livestock 

 by 4-H Club members is necessary for 

 many reasons. 



Before our local producers' association 

 was organized we had several stock buyers 

 in our locality who bought our stock in a 

 good many caso at prices below what they 

 were actually worth to the producer. We 

 s«>ld this way simply because there 

 wais no other means of selling. The 

 buyer i would purchase the good 

 along with the poor at lump prices. 

 The prices paid were so low in 

 many {cases, it worked hardship on 

 the producer. Hog growers were 

 not acquainted with the kind and 

 quality (if livestock the market de- 

 manded. 



which creates a competitive selling rather 

 than a competitive buying market. 



Too Many Sellers 



In other words the bargaining power is 

 in the hands of the buyer instead of the 

 seller. If all livestock would be handled 

 through the co-operative selling agency, the 



The First Step 



THE essay by Gaillord Wagner published 

 herewith was awarded first prize in the 

 northern Illinois division, and grand sweep- 

 stakes prize in the state-wide essay contest 

 conducted by the livestock marketing depart- 

 ment of the Illinois Agricultural Association. 



Aft^r our local association was 

 organized, a manager was selected, 

 with whom we listed the stock we 

 wished to sell. As soon as a car- 

 load Was ready for shipment, the 

 manager notified the owners and 

 they brought the stock to the local yards 

 where it is loaded and shipped to the 

 terminal market. After the stock is sold 

 at the terminal market, the proceeds, with 

 expenses deducted, are sent to the man- 

 ager who remits the correct amounts to 

 each of the owners. 



We have not only done away with the 

 local buyer, who was making large returns 

 at our expense, but we also Icirned the kind 

 of stock the ni.irket demands. If we have 

 good stock to market that is the proper 

 weight land quality or if we have a poor 

 gradft, each is sold in a class according to 

 weight and quality and a fair market value 

 less actual marketing expense is realized. 



At the Terminal 



The next important step in our co- 

 operative marketing is a co-operative sell- 

 ing agency at the terminal market. This 

 organization handles selling at cost and full 

 profits are realized by the producer. 



At the different terminal markets over tiu- 

 coun|try there are numerous commission or 

 old line selling agencies that handle live- 

 stock on a commission basis and their 

 profits go to the owners of the firms. These 

 commission firms greatly outnumber the 

 actual btiyers of our livestock which creates 

 a situation that is not to the best interests 

 of the producer. Instead of the buyer go- 

 ing out and bidding for his stock, he makes 

 the rounds and finds out what the numer- 

 ous agei^cies have to offer and of course 

 buys from those who will sell the cheapest. 



The county Farm Bureaus supervised the 

 contest locally and submitted their first prize 

 essays in the state contest. Gaillord will be 

 presented with a SSO gold watch. First prize 

 winners in the central and southern Illinois 

 districts will be awarded gold watches valued 

 atS25. Second prizes of SIO each will be award- 

 ed in each district. 



This method would afio bring a closer 

 relationship between the producer and the 

 consumer in that the producer would know 

 just what the consumer demanded and raise 

 stock accordingly. 



, It is the duty of every 4-H Club mem- 

 ber to market his livestock through the 

 co-operative system. We clubbers of to- 

 day are the stock producers of to- 

 morrow. This system has been 

 brought about by the efforts of 

 our fathers and we should fall in 

 line with them and help protect 

 the co-operate system which is now 

 well on its way to success. 



We learn co-operation through 

 our activities in 4-H Club work. 

 Thus we can carry our training 

 over into co-operative marketing 

 and yet at the same time derive a 

 further profit thereby. ^ 



As we go to press the Judges are at work 

 deciding the other prize winners among the 

 many essays submitted. 



buyers would greatly outnumber the sell- 

 ing agencies and would naturally create a 

 competitive buying system that would 

 mean higher bidding on our livestock. 



Every buyer knows, when he goes to the 

 yards, what the firm he represents wants 

 for that day and if there is only one agency 

 selling that particular kind of stock, he is 

 going to buy instead of bargaining with 

 other commission firms. He knows also 

 that if there 'is but one selling agency, he 

 will have competition for that stock and 

 will have to bid up to get it. 



Reader's Forum 



(Continue J from page 9) 

 probably the best library, as an indi- 

 vidual, of any other man or person in 

 tills county. 



That I bought the first carload of limestone 

 in this county, Is true. Then everybody made" 

 fun of me (1911). I am known as a man 

 who does his own thinking in political and 

 religious matters. During the world war my- 

 oldest son served over there in France mostly 

 single-handed at a listening post. 



Guscav Rudert, Union County, III. 



Gaillord Wattner 



The Agricultural Situation 



(Continued from page U) 

 we are looking forward to more drastic 

 efforts being made purely of distress. The 

 distress is real. _ 



The preceding speaker spoke about this 

 $2,000 income of the workers. There are 

 6,000,000 people raising cotton in this coun- 

 try whose average family income in cash is 

 less than $300 per year. That can easily 

 be proven. That income of $2,000 a year 

 would be an immense fortune to any one of 

 them. It doesn't sound very high or very 

 large in these days, but compare it with 

 the poor tillers who are raising the cotton 

 that makes the cloth you wear; family after 

 family working for a combined cash in- 

 come of less than $J00 a year. 



That sort of thing must pass. If you 

 can be more broad-gauged in dealing with 

 the labor question, see merit in the laboring 

 man in having money so he can buy more, 

 why not apply it to agriculture? Somehow 

 it will be done. I don't know how much 

 o£a part we may have in bringing it about, 

 one is going to do it in the not dis- 

 ure. Gentlemen, I thank you. 



