68 Cooperation in Agriculture 



surplus earnings at the end of the season are prorated 

 proportionally to the associations, or deficits are met by 

 proportional assessments. 



Necessity of Preserving the Individuality of the Associa- 

 tions 



While there must be a complete unity of management, 

 it is fundamental that a central federation shall be formed 

 so as not to destroy the initiative and individuality of each 

 locality or of different groups of farmers who may be asso- 

 ciated for a common purpose in the same locality. It 

 may permit a large individual producer to market his 

 produce through it, the central agency handling the prod- 

 uce of the individual grower on the same basis as it handles 

 the produce of the associations. In this way, a large 

 grower who would otherwise dispose of his crops as an 

 individual will often become identified with the coopera- 

 tive movement. He will reap its benefits and will give 

 to it his experience and advice. The central agency should 

 not attempt to consolidate or amalgamate the growers of 

 the different associations into one central body, nor should 

 it dictate or control the policies of the local organizations. 

 The local organizations must be preserved with a large 

 amount of freedom and individuality. To amalgamate 

 farmers into one large central organization will kill local 

 pride and ambition. It is fundamentally wrong in prin- 

 ciple. On the other hand, it is sound public policy to 

 preserve the local associations by federating those that 

 are formed for the same special purpose into a cooperative 

 central agency through which their respective businesses 



