140 MARKETING AND THE MIDDLEMAN 



To a lesser extent he cooperates with producers in organizing 

 cooperative associations and in promoting rural finance. The 

 Field Agent in Marketing looks on the furnishing of reliable infor- 

 mation as the first step in solving the marketing problem. The 

 producers, it is supposed, when equipped with full and accurate 

 information can organize their own marketing agencies and take 

 care of themselves, freely using, of course, the advice and coopera- 

 tion of the Field Agent. 



National Association of Marketing Officials. The state mar- 

 keting officials and the various Field Agents in Marketing organ- 

 ized an Association which held its first two annual meetings in 

 connection with the National Conference on Marketing and Farm 

 Credit at Chicago in 1915 and 1916. This Association aimed to 

 bring together in one group representatives of all shades of opinion 

 and all varieties of practice in marketing matters. However, it 

 failed to function. In 1920 a new organization, the National 

 Association of State Marketing Officials, was formed at a Con- 

 ference in New York City. The aim is similar to that of the 

 old association. 



Bureau of Markets. The federal government in 1914 estab- 

 lished in the Department of Agriculture the Office of Markets and 

 Rural Organization. Since the creation of this office its scope and 

 activities have been rapidly enlarged. It is now a Bureau. Pri- 

 marily its aim is to investigate and present its facts to the public. 

 But it has now gone much beyond that stage. It aims to help 

 make history as well as merely to write history. It fosters coopera- 

 tion, based on correct business practice. It formulates and installs 

 correct accounting systems. It establishes standard and uniform 

 grades for cotton and grains. It furnishes telegraphic market 

 information on perishable products. The Bureau of Markets, as 

 previously mentioned, is in cooperation with the market depart- 

 ment of most of the States with such departments, and with the 

 Field Agents in Marketing. 



Parcel Post Marketing. The parcel post was looked on by 

 some voters as a promising method of introducing " direct market- 

 ing" and the elimination of the " middleman." The system has 

 been tried very thoroughly in the United States, but it has had 

 very little success in getting farm products direct from the farmer 

 to the city consumer. The physical difficulties have been over- 

 come. Containers have been devised, costing very little, which will 

 safely carry eggs or other highly perishable commodities a thousand 

 miles with a negligible per cent of damage (Figs. 21 and 22). 



