Interested cooperatives and farmer controlled marketing organizations 

 should consider selecting a committee consisting of at least one 

 knowledgeable representative from each firm to work out a program for 

 the best type of marketing organization to handle members' fruits and 

 vegetables. Additional advisory assistance might be supplied by the 

 New Jersey State Department of Agriculture, the Cooperative Extension 

 Service, Rutgers University, and the Farmer Cooperative Service of the 

 Uo S. Department of Agriculture » 



Success for any marketing organization requires a sound economic plan, 

 determined leadership, and adequate financing from loyal members. 



The Fabian-Burns report, AoE., 316, includes a section entitled Alter - 

 natives for Developing Marketing Power , These alternatives cover 

 merger, and centralized, federated, and combination types of regional 

 associations. Information from reports such as USDA, MRR 826 — ' includes 

 considerations in developing a coordinated marketing program could 

 further stimulate the committee in the planning stage. The committee 

 could use these reports for discussion purposes and then pursue their 

 appraisal in depth for the operation needed. 



After a tentative decision is reached on the type of organization 

 best suited for the industry, selected personnel should visit the 

 most successful counterparts in the fresh produce industry and study 

 their operations. This experience would assist the group in develop- 

 ing their plan of operation. 



Cooperative Joint Sales Agency 



One approach we recommend to interested cooperatives and farmer- 

 controlled firms in New Jersey's fresh fruit and vegetable industry 

 is to establish a cooperative joint sales agency. This type of sales 

 program would enable participating firms to enlarge and strengthen 

 their market position and obtain benefits they could not realize 

 from individual efforts. 



Benefits which may be derived from an efficient coordination of market- 

 ing functions include lower unit sales and promotional costs, adequate 

 financing by combining resources; better market distribution, more 

 orderly marketing of total production, higher total sales value for 

 production, improved standardization of produce, and reduction in 

 transportation and distribution costs. 



y 



Richard S. Berberich, Coordinated Marketing Programs of Selected 

 Fruit and Vegetable Cooperatives, Mktg. Res.Rpt. 826, U o S. Dept . 

 of Agri., September 1968. 



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