THE I. A. A. RECORD 



Page EJeven 



Scott Meiks Tells Success 

 of Co-op's 



Indianapolis Producers Writes 



Checks Exceeding $130,- 



000,000 to Live Stock 



Shippers 



i^T"" HE fact that the Indianapohs 

 J- Producers' Commission Associa- 

 tion has accumulated net profits of 

 more than a half million dollars during 

 the eight and one-third years of its 

 existence is abundant proof that its 

 sponsors, the Indiana Farm Bureau Fed- 

 eration and the Illinois Agricultural 

 Association, were right in believing that 

 live stock could be marketed more eco- 

 nomically," Scott Meiks, manager of 

 the Indianapolis Producers, declared in 

 a recent radio address from station 

 WLS. "The efficiency of the organi- 

 zation has been proven by its steadily 

 increasing volume of business and in- 

 fluence in the Indianapolis market," he 

 continued. 



Checks Never Questioned 

 "In the little more than eight years 

 since the organization started we have 

 written checks exceeding $130,000,000 

 to our live stock shippers with never a 

 check being questioned. The same can 

 be said for all of the 12 Producer com- 

 mission associations operating on the 

 principal live stock markets of the 

 middle west. I believe this is a record 

 considering the volume of business, the 

 12 Producer agencies totaling $149,- 

 000,000 in sales in 1930. This record 

 can be excelled by few, if any, business 

 organizations. 



"The Producers at Indianapolis at the 

 very beginning adopted the policy of 

 setting aside a part of its earnings each 

 year and now has a very substantial 

 sum in its treasury as a guarantee to 

 its consigning members. In addition to 

 its reserves our members are protected 

 by a bond held by the United States 

 Packer and Stock Yard Administration 

 for the protection of its consignors. 



50,000 Members 

 "The Indianapolis Producers is com- 

 posed of nearly 50,000 live stock pro- 

 ducer members mostly within the two 

 states of Indiana and Illinois, with a 

 few in Kentucky and Ohio. It was 

 organized early in 1922 and began op- 

 erating on the Indianapolis market May 

 15 of that year. As a marketing or- 

 ganization it immediately made a place 

 for itself on that market becoming the 

 largest selling organization there. It 

 has grown steadily in volume, in pres- 

 tige, and in influence in the live stock 

 marketing field, and now ranks as one 

 of the largest co-operative marketing 

 organizations in the United Sutes. 



Operates at Low Cost 



"It has been the ambition of the 

 management and the board of directors 

 to make the Indianapolis Producers' 

 Commission Association the most eco- 

 nomical, the most efficient, and the 

 safest live sto;k selling organization in 

 the state. During 1929 it operated at 

 the lowest cost per car of any of the 

 Producer units. The Association is now 

 averaging a little more than one-third 

 of the live stock consigned to the In- 

 dianapolis market for sale. Its sales- 

 men are experienced, competent and are 

 zealously active in their service to our 

 member patrons. The entire personnel 

 are picked employees." 



Reasons for Low Prices 



Mr. Meiks gave the following reasons 

 for the drastic decline in live stock 

 prices during recent months: 



1. Underconsumption due to un- 

 employment in industrial circles. 



2. Underconsumption due to ex- 

 treme hot weather. ^;, , -.• 



3. Disorderly marketing with 

 bunched delivery to market due 

 to short pastures and shortage of 

 feed. 



4. A practically closed outlet to the 

 farms and feedlots due to the 

 widespread drouth which forced 

 many cattle and lambs to go to 

 the killers that ordinarily go to 

 the country. 



A normal supply of cattle was 

 in the country to be sold on the 

 market that demanded lower than 

 ordinary receipts. ...•;'.;:■.-.;., 



The largest supply of sheep and 

 lambs that the United States ever 

 produced was delivered to mar- 

 ket when the demand was the 

 lowest in years. 



Only one factor favored the 

 farmer and that was a short crop 

 of hogs and the prospect of a 

 lower than average fall pig crop. 



5. 



7. 



The honor list of Illinois counties 

 showing gains in carloads of live stock 

 shipped to co-operative Producer Com- 

 mission Agencies during the first six 

 months of 1930 as compared with the 

 first six months of 1929 is as follows: 



Macoupin -.55 



Sangamon . . . ..... . . f f. 



Whiteside ......... 47 



Mercer 44 



Ogle 40 



Vermilion 39 



Crawford- Jas. •. . . , V - > . . .27; :; ■ 



Greene ;....... .2< 



Peoria 25 



Scott 24 



Henderson 24 



Livestock Marketing News 



On September 16, Ed Kinsinger of 

 McLean county marketed 77 steers 

 through the Chicago Producers. Fifty, 

 averaging 958 pounds, topped the mar- 

 ket that day at $13.10, while the other 

 27 averaging 1,090 pounds brought 

 $12.85 per cwt. Mr. Kinsinger, pleased 

 with his returns, wrote as follows: ' ,. 



"The sale of my cattle last Tuesday 

 was highly satisfactory. This v/as not 

 an accidental good service but the kind 

 I have been getting every time I have 

 shipped to you. Thanks for the good 

 work." 



The Research Department of the 

 National Live Stock Marketing Associa- 

 tion states that while feed supplies and 

 prices appear discouraging to live stock 

 feeders, under such conditions feeding 

 commonly proves quite profitable. "In 

 sizing up the outlook as a whole for the 

 finishing of live stock," the Depart- 

 ment reports, "it appears quite favor- 

 able for feeding all Sfjecies, particularly 

 for finishing good cattle for both this 

 winter and next summer markets; hogs 

 for next spring and summer; and lambs 

 for this coming late winter or early 

 spring. The slack feeding demand has 

 resulted in relatively low prices for 

 feeder stock. With the improvement 

 of the consumer demand, and with re- 

 duced supplies of fed animals in pros- 

 pect next year, selling prices are ex- 

 pected to be sufficiently high to give 

 favorable margins. 1 , 



A new top for the season — $14.75 — 

 was established at the eighth weekly 

 auction of 4-H club calves at Chicago, 

 September 23. Wilson & Company paid 

 that price for a 1,090 pound Hereford 

 fed by George Lund of Granville, Put- 

 nam county, Illinois. Carey M. Jones 

 sold 2 51 during the day that averaged 

 936 pounds in weight and brought an 

 average price of $12.75 per cwt. 



Marshall-Putnam county had one of 

 the largest consignments with 65 head 

 that sold for an average price of $12.60. 

 Forty head from Warren county aver- 

 aged 937 pounds, average price $12.84; 

 18 from DuPage county averaged 

 $12.80; Champaign county 44 head, 

 average price $12.73; McDonough 

 county 30 head, average price $12.53; 

 and LaSalle county 17 head, average 

 price $12.35. 



— . i ■-■■■ '• 



During the week ending September 

 20 the National Feeder and Finance 

 Corporation purchased 700 steer and 

 heifer calves to be shipped direct from 

 the Texas range to cornbelt feedlots. 

 The steer calves cost $8.25 f. o. b. 

 Texas, and the heifer calves $7.25. 



