COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AND MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS. 



49 



these united to form the Sheboygan County Cheese Producers' 

 Federation. 



In July, 1913, the federation appointed a manager and prepared to 

 engage in active business. It was found, however, that all the 

 available storage space had been previously engaged, making it im- 

 possible for the federation to start immediate operations. Another 

 farmers' organization known as the Federated Farmers' Warehouse 

 Co. was then formed and a warehouse and cold-storage plant was 

 erected and made ready for use in the spring of 1914. The Cheese 

 Producers' Federation then rented the warehouse from the Farmers' 

 Warehouse Co. and engaged in business early in 1914. 



The method of procedure adopted was to sell the cheese independ- 

 ently of the local cheese board. At first the federation had difficult 

 work because of the opposition from some dealers and cheese makers, 

 and also because the new company was not known, but a trade was 

 gradually worked up by sending out a large number of letters to 

 cheese buyers. From April 1 to December 31, 1914, 6,125,480 pounds 

 of cheese were handled by the federation. A charge of one-fourth 

 of 1 cent a pound was made to defray expenses. The total sales 

 amounted to $887,501.69. The figures for the year 1915 were not 

 available at the time the federation reported, but a larger volume was 

 handled than during the previous year. 



Table IV. — Summary of reports of 653 farmers' marketing organizations, showing 

 paid-up capital and members, fees, value of buildings and equipment, and value of 

 assets in excess of liabilities. 





Num- 

 ber re- 

 porting. 



Paid up 

 capital and 



member- 

 ship fees. 



Building and equip- 

 ment. 



Assets in excess 

 of liabilities. 1 



Kind of business. 



Num- 

 ber re- 

 porting. 



Amount. 



Num- 

 ber re- 

 porting. 



Amount. 





328 



$2, 553, 463 



7,785 



716, 996 



5,331 



1,672,311 



19, 908 



179, 778 



6,915 



456, 057 



10, 606 



326 

 174 

 76 

 27 

 35 



$2, 857, 555 



8,765 



1, 199, 424 



6,893 



993, 215 



13,069 



204, 772 

 7,584 



205, 792 

 5, 885 



328 

 173 

 91 

 26 

 42 



$4,361,875 

 13 380 







172 



1 093' 339 





6*320 





84 



2 41l' 318 





26 499 





26 



321 146 





12 351 





43 



740' 675 





17 035 









Total 



653 



28, 578, 605 

 43,765 



638 



5, 460, 758 

 8,559 



660 



8, 928, 453 

 13 528 











1 Paid-up capital stock and membership fees not taken into account as liability. 

 85964°— Bull. 547—17—4 



