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Four of the men who helped with the orgonlxotion of the Illinois Fruit Growers 

 Exchange bock in 1931-32 talk over old times at the Fruit Exchange annual meet- 

 ing in Carbondale. Left to right: W. L. Cope, Marion; J. A. Gage, Jefferson; E. A. 

 Bierbaum, Union county farm adviser; and R. B. Endicott, Pulaski. 



FRUIT GROWERS SEE 



CROP 



b 



"A 



PRICE 



GOOD fruit crop at a 

 good price" was predicted 

 for 1947 by L. L. Colvis, 

 retiring manager, at the 

 26th annual meeting in 

 late March of the Illinois Fruit Grow- 

 ers Exchange held in Carbondale. 



Colvis told the membership that the 

 Fruit Exchange handled more than a 

 million dollars worth of fruit last year 

 for Illinois growers and forecast an 

 even bigger year in 1947 with higher 

 quality fruit with a wider reputation. 

 Calling for support of the Fruit Ex- 

 change by southern Illinois orchard- 

 ists, President A. O. Eckert, St. Clair 

 county, said: "Agriculture in the fu- 

 ture will be no stronger than its co- 

 operatives. Keep them strong and ag- 

 riculture will remain strong." 



"Service to the member will be our 

 first interest," T. L. Davis, new man- 

 ager of the Fruit Exchange, said as he 

 was introduced to the membership for 

 the first time. Davis said he expected 

 the organization's new cold storage 

 building to be in operation by harvest 

 time. 



O. D. Brissenden, lAA organization 

 director, paid tribute to the "folks in 

 the fruit belt who despite frost, in- 

 sects, disease, and long years of wait- 

 ing have faith in the fruits of hard 

 work. Keep doing the best job you 

 can in your community and. you will 

 be doing all America a service." 



The organization's subsidiary Fruit 

 Exchange Supply Company distributed 

 patronage refunds valued at $24,720.- 

 56. The refunds went to 800 patrons 

 who bought the record-breaking 

 amount of $549,349.45 of orchard sup- 

 plies, insecticides and fertilizers dur- 

 ing the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 

 1946. 



Half of the patronage refunds were 

 paid in cash and half in stock on all 

 dividends of $500 or less. On those 

 over this amount a maximum of $250 



in Class A six per cent preferred stock 

 is issued and the balance in cash. 



The increase in stock was author- 

 ized by the membership at the annual 

 meeting to provide additional finance 

 for the efficient operation and conduct 

 of the business. The company is now 

 authorized to issue 4000 shares of pre- 

 ferred stock and 3000 shares of com- 

 mon. 



About 400,000 bushels of fruit and 

 vegetables, mostly apples, were mar- 

 keted by the Fruit Exchange last year, 

 according to the manager's report. 

 The volume was slightly under 1945 

 because of the short peach crop. 



The Fruit Exchange last year han- 

 dled a record apple crop of high qual- 

 ity amounting to 223,456 bushels. Re- 

 tiring Manager Colvis said that pre- 

 cooling of peaches and federal inspec- 

 tion services would be continued next 

 year. He attributed the enviable rec- 

 ord of the Fruit Exchange to these fac- 

 tors and the wide area of distribution. 



Colvis pointed out that Illinois fruit 

 was eaten last year in every state from 

 Massachusetts to Nebraska and from 

 Minnesota to Texas. 



Four directors whose terms expired 

 in March were reelected. They are 

 Arthur Foreman, Pike county; H. E. 

 Hartley, Marion ; D. B. Kirtland, Craw- 

 ford ; and Trevor Jeffries, Jefferson. 

 Officers of the Fruit Exchange also 

 were reelected as follows: A. O. Eck- 

 ert, St. Clair, president; E. D. Mc- 

 Guire, Jackson, vice president; and F. 

 G. Anderson. Union, secretary-treas- 

 urer. 



Other speakers included Dr. Chester 

 Lay, president of Southern Illinois 

 Normal University; S. C. Chandler, 

 state entomologist; and Fred P. Bierer, 

 Fruit Exchange Supply Company man- 

 ager. 



Board and management of the Illinois Fruit Growers Exchange, an lAA affiliate, are 

 shown together after election of officers. Left to right, standing: H. E. Hartley, 

 Marion; Lyman Creed, Marion; Trevor Jeffries, Jefferson; Dr. L. A. Floyd, Bond; 

 L L. Colvis, former manager of the exchange and now lAA secretary of marketing; 

 and Secretary-Treasurer F. G. Anderson, Union. Seated: R. B. Endicott, Pulaski; 

 William Beauman, Johnson; C. R. Boland, Edgar; President A. O. Eckert, St. Clair; 

 T. L Davis, manager; and Arthur Foreman, Pike. 



MAY, 1947 



23 



