CHAPTER VII 



COOPERATION IN THE HANDLING, DISTRIB- 

 UTING AND SALE OF FARM PRODUCTS, AS 

 ILLUSTRATED IN GRAIN, DAIRY PRODUCTS, 

 EGGS, AND COTTON 



THE handling, distributing, and marketing of farm 

 products through cooperative associations is more highly 

 developed than any other form of agricultural cooperation. 

 Hundreds of associations have been formed to standardize 

 the harvesting, handling, grading, warehousing, distribut- 

 ing, and selling of farm products, to prevent disastrous 

 competition by bringing about an equitable distribution of 

 the product throughout the country, and to handle the 

 products in other ways collectively rather than individu- 

 ally. These organizations, which are more numerous in 

 the Central West and Western states, may also be engaged 

 in some phases of cooperative production and in the co- 

 operative purchase and sale of supplies. The handling, 

 distribution, and sale of farm products have been organized 

 most extensively in the dairy industry around the co- 

 operative creameries and cheese factories ; in connection 

 with the cooperative gram elevator companies in the 

 Central West ; and among the fruit-growers, especially 

 in California, the Northwestern states, and other irrigated 

 districts. The cooperative method is also developed to 

 a greater or less extent hi the cotton industry, hi the rice 



120 



