THURSDAY, FEB. 15, 1934 



ILLINOIS AGRICU 



.-«■ 



VALUE OF GROUP 

 EFPflRT IN 1933 



Vax Committees In Counties 



Watch Levies and Expen- 

 - ditures to Cut Burden. 



Future Achievements Depend On 

 Constructive Thinking And 

 ■ Action Of Militant Membershii 



Heavy decreases In nearly all 

 commodity values In the year end- 

 ing April 1, 1933, are reflected In 

 the reduction of 10.14 per cent In 

 the total 1933 assessed valuations 

 of personal ' property. This la 

 mor© than twice the percentaKC 

 of decrease In valuations of lands 

 and more than three times the 

 percentage of decrease In valua- 

 tions of town and city lots in the 

 same year. Such decreases in val- 

 uatlonM are found in most of the 

 counties and are usually substan- 

 tial. Twelve counties, however. 

 Increased their assessments of per- 

 sonal property, such increases us- 

 ually being small, but excocding- 

 five per cent in Pulaski county, 

 eight per cent in Fi^^nklin county, 

 ten per cent in Moultrie and Wil- 

 liamson counties, and seventeen 

 per cent in Maqon county. Such 

 Increases are Justifiable if they 

 represent assessments of addition- 

 al personal property or equaliza- 

 tion of all assessments. 



Reductions in valuations of 

 lands and occasionally of personal 

 property Avere due in some coun- 

 ties to the Farm Bureau and oth- 

 er organizations. In some counties 

 they seem to have been due to ac- 

 tion by the boards of review whol- 

 ly on their own Initiative. 



As In most years since 1922, the 

 Illinois Tax Commission did not 

 equalize valuations among the va- 

 rious counties of the state. This 

 was doubtless due in part to rec- 

 ognition of the difficulty of ob- 

 -.:^ taining satisfactory information 

 / upon which to base equalization. 

 The expected omission of part or 

 all of the 1933 state tax on proper- 

 ty probably also was Influential. 

 Since equalization by the State 

 Tax Commission can "be effective 

 only for state taxes, the omission 

 of all state taxes on the 1933 val- 

 uations of property has removed 

 for this year the urgent need of 

 equalization of such valuations 

 among the various counties. Un- 

 less further action Is taken to pro- 

 vide state revenue from other 

 sources than property taxes, the 

 need of equalization will return 

 In 1934 and will become even more 

 urgent in 1935. 



Effect On Taxes. 

 In ever>' year since 1921, the 

 I. A. A. Tax Department has es- 

 timated the reduction in taxes lev- 

 ied on property due to reduction 

 In valuations resulting from equal- 

 ization. In 1932 it Vas estimated 

 that the taxes on farm property 

 for that year .were at least $6,500,- 

 000 lesH than the total which would 

 have been levied if the high 

 state and county valuation of 1920 

 had not been heavily reduced by 

 equalization of valuations. It was 

 shown in 1931 that farm property 

 had shrunk from about 31.50 per- 

 cent of valuations of all classes 

 .. .jtrrtfiftrXjf tn \i?.a in ahniit — ?n a!i 



Whatever have \»een our ac- 

 complishments and attainments, 

 they are the result of the Impelling 

 force of the united thinking and 

 action of the membership. Presi- 

 dent Earl C. Smith said recently 

 in reviewing the progress of I. A. 

 A. activities during the year 1933. 



"The voice and the Influence of 

 the institution cannot and will not 

 be stronger than those for whom 

 It speaks. So let us not lose sight 

 of the thing that has made all 

 lironounoements of the institution 

 possible," continued Mr. Smith. 



"Without group action. we 

 would have accomplished noth- 

 ing. Without organization, our re- 

 cent achievements as well as those 

 of earlier years would not have 

 been realized. Organization, like 

 a machine, is merely a means to 

 an end; yet the productiveness of 

 the machine and its ability to do 

 the job for which it was designed 

 and built depends on how well it 

 Is maintained. The organization 

 machine must rest on a solid foun- 

 dation of membership. The united 

 strength and support of the mem- 

 bers hold It up and give it power 

 and influence to cope with the 

 great problems affecting the pres- 

 ent and future of agriculture. It 

 must be adequately financed. 

 Rctiuce Fc«? 



"Sometimes we hear that to In- 

 crease the membership, the mem- 

 bership fee should be reduced. In 

 every state where this has been 

 tried, it has resulted in a substan- 

 tial decrease in membership. We, 

 In Illinois, have a higher member- 

 ship fee than In any other state; 

 yet we have the largest supporting 

 Farm Bureau membership of any 

 state in the Union. There is a 

 reason, and that reason can be ex- 

 pressed in a single word — SERV- 

 ICE. While we as members have 

 put more in, we have also taken 

 more out. It has been said that a 

 Farm Bureau membership in Illi- 

 nois costs nothing, if the member 



Wins First Prize 



As Member Getter 



per cent 

 saving of 

 on farm 

 1931. It 

 that such 



in 1931. resulting 

 13,175.000 In state 

 property in 

 was further 

 reductions in 



in a 



taxes 



the year 



estimated 



valuations 



on farm 



and local 



$3,325,000 



had further c(jt taxes 

 property for all county 

 purposes to a total of 

 less than It would have been if the 

 old high valuations of 1920 to 

 1922 had remained unchanged. 

 The I. A. A. is the only organiza- 

 tion that has been consistently rep- 

 resenting farmers in tax matters 

 before the State Tax Commission 

 since 1921. 



Reductions In TiOvies. 



The omission of all levies on 

 property for 1933 wholly removes 

 the effect on state taxes caused 

 by reductions in valuations, but 

 in no way le.osens the effect of 

 such reductions on valuations for 

 county and local purposes. In 

 view of further reductions in val- 

 uations, therefore, both in 1932 

 and in 1933, the department esti- 

 mates that county^ and local taxes 

 on farm i)rnperty for 1933 will be 

 at least 13,500,000 less than they 

 would have been if the high val- 

 uations of 1920 to 1922 had been 

 maintained. 



In most of the counties of the 

 state, taxpayers again demonstrat- 

 ed the good results of organization 

 in exercising more effective control 

 over tax levies and expenditurfs. 

 Demand for greatly increased 

 township levies for some purposes, 

 especially fqv poor relief, revived 

 so much Interest among taxpayers 

 that attendance at town meetings 

 surpassed all recent record?. Simi- 

 lar interest was manifested in 

 school levies, especially in districts 

 wheie needlessly large balances 

 were being carried over from year 

 to year. 



CI^WDlfi HICK& 



Last October, when the call was 

 Issued for Country Life agents to 

 go o»it and increase Farm Bureau 

 membership, there was one who 

 was so sold on the Farm Bureau 

 movement, on collective effort and 

 the need for Illinois farmers to 

 unite for group action to solve 

 their problems, that in 20 days 102 

 Livingston county farmers signed 

 up largely as a result of his en- 

 thusiasm and reason. 



Yesslr! Livingston county thinks 

 a great deal of Its general agent, 

 Claude Hicks, who established the 

 best record for soliciting member- 

 ships of anyone in the Country 

 Life organization. 



This year Claude Is going out 

 to better his record. The runners- 

 up to Mr. Hicks are out to take 

 his place as "head man" among 

 the "go getter."*." It looks like a 

 merry tussle among the boys and 

 may the best man win. 



"PRAIRIE FARMS" EGGS 

 TO BE MARKETED IN 

 CARTONS CO-OP WAY 



Cull Poor Sows 

 And Be Ahead Of 

 The Game — Wilcox 



■■■i 





Under present price conditions 

 mo.<!t Illinois farmers could well 

 afford to cull out and sell five out 

 of every 10 sows on the farm if 

 this culling leaves five sows that 

 will wean three more pigs to the 

 litter than the average of the 10, 

 according to R. H. Wilcox of the 

 Illinois Cdllege of Agriculture. 



This statement is borne out by 

 Investigations of 106 cost records 

 kept by 34 to 37 central Illinois 

 farmers over a three-year period. 

 Figures from these farmers show 

 that 29 per cent of the sows 

 weaned spring litters averaging 

 four or less pigs, while another 

 , 20 per cent weaned spring litters 

 of seven or more. 



In the public mind butter and 

 eggs go together. To that end, the 

 butter produced and marketed by 

 Illinois Producers Creameries un- 

 der the trade name, "Prairie 

 Farms Butter" will soon be joined 

 on dealers" shelves and in homes 

 by "Prairie Farms Egge." 



According to .7. B. Countless, 

 sales manager of Illinois Produc- 

 ers Creameries, the success made 

 In marketing "Prairie Farms But- 

 ter" during 1933, when not one 

 cent was lost on any sale, will be 

 achieved during the coming year, 

 he believes, with the new product. 



Marketed in attractive cartons 

 roniparai)le to those used in pack- 

 URing the butter. "Prairie Farms 

 Kggs" will build it!< distribution 

 through the butter outlets already 

 ostai>Iished. This promises prof- 

 itable response at the outset, as 

 there will be little or no added ex- 

 pense Involved in establishing a 

 market. 



The original di!»trlbutlon will be 

 made out of Bloomington. Peoria 

 and Davenport where last year a 

 total of 1,824,741 pounds of butter 

 was made. New cooperative points 

 are in the process of formation 

 and officials promise that Prairie 

 Farms butter and eggs will be 

 available to hou.sewlves In a much 

 wider area than had been consid- 

 ered possible several years ago. 



NEW CARTON FOR EGGS 



uses the organization. It merely 

 costs 116 per year for non-mem- 

 bers who join but fall to use or 

 participate in its services. 



"Farmers are not Interested nor 

 should they be interested in main- 

 taining an organization Just for the 

 sake of organization. The only ex- 

 cuse for organization is to accom- 

 plish a worthy end and get things 

 done. If I thought that the work 

 of a state association was finished 

 or that the problems confronting 

 farmers were greatly reduced, I 

 would be the first to recommend 

 that we disband and prorate back 

 to the members whatever assets 

 have been accumulated. On the 

 contrary with each succeeding day, 

 we see and witness ever-Increasing 

 problems confronting the farmers 

 of state and Nation. 



Here Are Problems. 



"If Government could or would, 

 regardless of who happened to be 

 In control, restore to agriculture a 

 fair share of the national income 

 and legislate fairly for farmers 

 without their being heard, then 

 we could be less enthusiastic about 

 the need of organization. 



"If we were Justified in believ- 

 ing that our present marketing 

 system is perfect, that the farmer 

 is getting as much of the con- 

 sumer's dollar as he is entitled to, 

 we could say, 'Lets forget about 

 our marketing problems and ac- 

 tivities — lets stay home on the 

 farm, produce and let others mar- 

 ket our products for us.* " 



"If we could rest content in the 

 belief that we have a perfect tax- 

 ing system and that the tax bur- 

 den would be equitably distributed 

 and that farm property would 

 bear no more than Its Just share, 

 we could say, 'Lets dispense with 

 the Tax Department and quit or 

 do something else with the money 

 now spent on tax problems.' " 

 Must Strengthen It. 



"Did we believe there is no need 

 for farmer representation before 

 rate-making bodies, that we as 

 farmers can always depend upon 

 fairness from those who fix prices 

 on the services and commodities 

 that farmers must buy. we could 

 say there is small reason for or- 

 ganization. But we are forced to 

 recognize that we are living In a 

 highly organized world, a world 

 in which power and influence are 

 concentrated in huge corporations 

 and trade groups. You know and 

 I know that the complexities of 

 our economic and social order are 

 such that, without a powerful 

 voice speaking for farmers, with- 

 out the influence of organization 

 behind that voice, agriculture 

 would gradually drift into and re- 

 main in a condition of poverty 

 that would be as bad for the nation 

 as for those engaged in the busi- 

 ness of farming. 



"We must not only maintain the 

 organization but greatly strength- 

 en it if we are to perpetuate the 

 recognition thus far accorded ag- 

 riculture by Government and are 

 to further develop and make more 

 effective present government agri- 

 cultural policies. We must be 



SlttlJUIW 



strongly organized to maintr 

 proper representation of agricijjf 

 ture around the council tables 

 State and Nation. The accotae 

 plishments and program of tld 

 Farm Bureai^ In county, state ai^t 

 nation, coupled with the reaults 

 the roembership mobilization carfld 

 paign of recent months shouEf 

 stimulate each and every leader f 

 the Farm Bureau movement 

 Illinois to further action. V 

 must not feel content until eve 

 farmer in Illinois not only kno\ 

 of but understands the purposf 

 the policies and the program 

 the organization. 



C'oi).<4tructive Aclloii. 



"After all, everything we ho 

 to accomplish in the future w 

 depend upon the construct! 

 thinking and action of a largo a 

 militant nriembership. 



"I want to take this bpportuni 

 of extending to every Farm Bureal 

 members in Illinois, the deep an 

 preciatlon r)f the officers, t) 

 board of directors and the sta 

 of the Illinois Agricultural Associn 

 tion and associated companies f< 

 the continued con/idence and sui 

 port they have given to our effort 

 to sei ve the be.st interests of th 

 farmers of Illinois and Amerlc; 



"To this service, we rededicat 

 every rightful effort and purpo.** 

 of the Illinois Agricultural Associl 

 atlon in 1934." 



'UR 



1 



ISO 

 T 



Comp 

 der 



The 

 tions, 

 have 

 finanr 

 by th< 

 the 11 

 tion 

 record 

 during 

 Smith 

 nual n 



Und( 

 of the 

 Com pa 

 "servic 

 approa 

 before 

 scrutln 

 tive r( 

 of thei 

 their 

 close c 

 mannei 

 their r 

 membe 



li 



FIELOS OF FARM 



•'Pralrlc Farmers" Fre«li KgK«t Will Soon Bo Golnff from Pro- 

 ducer to Consumer Direct Through Illinois Producers Creameries. 



The power of the organization Is 

 never more apparent than when 

 it achieves success in a compara- 

 tively new field. While fire insur- 

 ance has long been offered by lo- 

 cal mutuals there has been less 

 progress in other field of Insur- 

 ance by farmers. When Illinois 

 Agricultural Mutual Insurance 

 Comparty was formed by the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association, 

 the express purpose was to insure 

 members' automobiles at lower 

 cost than available elsewhere. 



Operating smoothly from the 

 first, Illinois Agricultural Mutual 

 presented a 1933 financial state- 

 ment which was the strongest In 

 its history, and, in addition, in- 

 creased its policies by 3,000. This 

 company has saved Farm Bureau 

 members more than a quarter mil- 

 lion dollars on auto insurance 

 when compared with the cost of 

 similar in.surance In any state- 

 state-wide company. 



In a year when many life insur- 

 ance companies were unfortunate. 

 Country Life Insurance Company 

 increased its Insurance In force to 

 a new high of $54,065,000. This 

 represents an Increase of $7,000,- 

 000 over 1932. t:ountry Life's fi- 

 nancial statement shows that over 

 90 per cent of its investments are 

 In government, state and munici- 

 pal bonds, an extremely liquid po- 

 sition, fully justifying the confi- 

 dence placed in it by policyhold- 

 ers. 



Illinois Producers Creameries, a 

 comparative newcomer to Illinois 

 farmer-owned activities is show- 

 ing increasing strength in the pro- 

 duce marketing field. From plants 

 in Bloomington, Peoria and Dav- 

 enport Illinois Producers Cream- 

 eries marketed nearly 2,000,000 

 pounds of butter without the loss 

 of a single cent on any sale, and 

 with 98 per cent of all sales at a 

 premium over the Chicago mar- 

 ket. Using the trade name. "Prai- 

 rie Farms," this cooperative will 

 shortly market "Prairie Farms 

 Eggs" through outlets already es- 

 tablished. 



Soybean Marketing 

 Assn, Influences 

 Prices Upward 



Probably 

 appreciated 



less 

 than 



understood 

 any I. A. 



and 

 A. 



sponsored cooperative endeavor Is 

 the Soybean Marketing Associa- 

 tion. With a short crop last year, 

 the importance of the marketing 

 association's function was lost 

 sight of by many. 



However, the Soybean Market- 

 ing Association is largely responsi- 

 ble for the increase In price re- 

 ceived by members throughout the 

 state. Its plan of marketing is 

 flexible, enabling any member at 

 his own choosing to deliver beans 

 at any time and get the best price 

 available in the state. 



Future plans of the Association 

 are being given attention by the 

 board of d. rectors and the man- 

 agement and full details of the 

 1934 program will be announced 

 in due time. 



One man with ajcradl 

 way in a thousaiVd acr( 

 f ul combines mi 



nas lit 



agri( 



thin 



One man alone 

 big: problems oi 

 tion of thousanc 

 can do the job. 



Corn loans at 4 

 hog program, \>^eat 

 government support t 

 reduction, deval 

 able insurance 

 improved road 

 chinery — yes, hilgher 

 What's back off all 

 them possible? 



.ke shi 



5 ceni 



ation 



t a s 



far 



I 

 t 



Organized fan 

 thru the Count 



irs! ; 

 Fan 



Get \Yc 



■/• 



