CHAPTER XXXVIII 



CO-OPERATIVE LIVE-STOCK SHIPPERS' 

 ASSOCIATIONS 



The origin of co-operative live-stock shippers' associa- 

 tions has been generally credited to a community about 

 Litchfield, in Meeker County, in south-central Minnesota, 

 where it was organized in 1908. It has also been reported 

 that this kind of an association was organized in Winnesheik 

 County, Iowa, in 1892.* Wide-spread attention to the sub- 

 ject of co-operative shipping of live stock dates from about 

 1912, and was based upon the Minnesota work. Prof. W. H. 

 Tomhave, then in Minnesota, who later removed to Pennsyl- 

 vania State College, gave much publicity to this subject. In 

 1916 the United States Department of Agriculture published 

 Farmer's Bulletin 718 on "Co-operative Live-Stock Ship- 

 ping Associations," and this undoubtedly greatly promoted 

 such organizations. 



The plan of organizing co-operative shipping associations 

 is comparatively simple. A group of men agree to co-op- 

 erate in the marketing and selling of their live stock. A 

 constitution and by-laws are framed to provide for officials 

 to represent the management and to look after certain neces- 

 sary details of organization. The constitution may briefly 

 specify the name of the association, its business head- 

 quarters, purpose, and management. It also provides for 

 membership, officers, elections, amendments, and quorum. 

 The by-laws set forth the vital details of business manage- 

 ment. The officers usually consist of a president, vice- 

 president, secretary, treasurer, and a board of directors. The 

 latter, as a rule, appoint a manager whose business it is to 

 look after the marketing of the live stock. The following 



♦Harry R. O'Brien, The Country Gentleman, Nuv, 15, i919, 



