208 THE BOOK OF BUTTER 



distinctly understood that uniformly high quality is the 

 most important consideration in the successful sale of 

 butter. For this reason, the small creameries near the 

 producers of the milk-fat should not be discouraged. 



165. Cooperative selling. In some districts cream- 

 eries have profited by organizing themselves in a coopera- 

 tive sales association. This organization hires a sales- 

 man who sells the entire output of the association. The 

 butter industry in a few states has been improved by a 

 state organization. Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, 

 Iowa, and Michigan have state brands for butter similar 

 to the " Lur " brand of Denmark. The purpose is to 

 raise the standard of the quality of the butter for the re- 

 spective states and to assure a high-class product to the 

 consumer. 



DISTRIBUTORS' MARGINS 1 



166. Wholesalers' margins. " The costs of market 

 distribution were investigated in each of the cities visited, 

 which included the larger and more important whole- 

 sale and jobbing markets in the United States. It was 

 found that the margins taken by butter distributors in 

 general depend upon the character of the business done ; 

 that is, whether wholesale or retail, and such factors as 

 volume of business, extent of charged accounts, competi- 

 tion, and general conditions of the market. The whole- 

 sale receiver sells large lots usually at a margin of from 

 one-fourth to three-fourths cent a pound with a fair 

 average of one-half cent per pound. The jobber who 

 distributes bulk packages or prints, employs salesmen, 

 maintains delivery equipment, and extends credit to the 



1 Potts, R. C., and Meyer, H. F., Marketing Creamery Butter, 

 U. S. Dept. of Agri., Bui. 456, pp. 27-28, 1917. 



