28 THE ERRORS OF THE PAST 



teach the farmer how to make proper use of the 

 forces of nature, and to work in harmony with 

 natural laws. But conditions are now such that 

 both producers and consumers feel there is some- 

 thing radically wrong with the business of market- 

 ing farm products. 



To the careful student of the problem it seems 

 evident that it is the lack of an efficient system of 

 distribution and marketing that causes much of the 

 trouble, and it is because of the lack of a marketing 

 plan that the present-day average farming cannot 

 claim to be a business, but simply an occupation. 



This country ^ has innumerable examples of success 

 in manufacturing, but where can be found one in 

 which all the thought is given to production and no 

 attention is given to the distribution and selling 

 of the products ? 



The farmer is himself a manufacturer, but when 

 the manner of selling his products is observed 

 the conclusion is formed that his marketing methods 

 are not worthy of the name, as they consist chiefly 

 of " dumping " rather than of marketing. 



Many a case of so-called " over-production " is 

 only a failure to distribute properly the products 

 to the points where they are desired. While one 

 market suffers from congestion caused by an over- 

 supply, another may be suffering for want of a 

 sufficient amount, and at the same time tons of 

 food products may be wasting in fields and orchards 

 for want of a profitable market. The remedy 

 lies in a more uniform distribution. 



Many reformers attribute marketing difficulties 

 to the presence of so many speculators and middle- 

 men, but it must be remembered that these inter- 



* Year Book of the U.S.A. Department of Agriculture. 



