DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



231 



The organization of cream marketing associations is a phase of co- 

 operative farm marketing worthy of consideration by any dairy com- 

 munity which has not a local creamery or other local marketing associa- 

 tion. In many communities where dairying is not yet extensively de- 

 veloped, a cream marketing association is to be preferred to the pre- 

 mature organization of a local cooperative cream, cheese factory or milk 

 condensery, as a very much smaller investment is required and the dif- 

 ficulties of the management of a factory are eliminated. The successful 

 operation of a large cream marketing association may be the means of 

 testing the strength of the community in cooperation and lead to the later 

 organization of a cooperative association for the manufacture of dairy 

 products, such as butter, cheese, condensed milk or ice cream. In all 

 organization work a certain amount of good business management Is 

 required. In the past we have witnessed failures in the operation of a 

 large number of farmers organizations. This is no more true of creameries 

 or other dairy organizations than farmers organizations of other kinds. 

 Poor business management and failure on the part of those who furnish 

 the raw product to cooperate in supporting the home institution is too 

 often the real cause of failure in farmers organizations. What has been 

 accomplished through organization in other fields can be accomplished 

 through cooperation and organization in the dairy industry. All that is 

 needed is the intelligence to perceive the benefits to be derived and the 

 determination to work together to obtain these results. One trouble with 

 our American farmers is that they have harbored so long the idea that 

 they must be independent of every one else, even their fellow-farmers, 

 that they have become selfish in their ideas, and it has become a spirit 

 of selfish independence. As long as this spirit continues it is practically 

 useless for us to think of attaining the greatest development of the dairy 

 industry, for it is certainly evident to most of us, if not to all of us, that 

 organization is an essential factor for the development of the dairy 

 business. 



When we can fully appreciate the benefits to be attained by organi- 

 zation in the dairy business, it will be an easy matter to organize cow- 

 testing associations; community breeders associations; cream marketing 

 associations and farmers cooperative creameries. We who appreciate the 

 importance of organization should give of our time and lend our efforts 

 to encourage the dairy farmers of our communities to organize. Educa- 

 tion is a slow process. It takes generations to transform a race and it 

 requires many years to change the habits of a generation. The keeping 

 of a poor unprofitable cow is a habit with many dairymen, so is the use 

 of a scrub sire. When our dairy farmers realize that the road is easy 

 to obtain better dairy stock and that their profits will be increased when 

 they cooperate with their neighbors in organizing the dairy interests of 

 their community, you will find they will be quick to seize the opportunity. 

 It is education that is needed and organization is a sure sign of a pro- 

 gressive, thinking people. We should then be teachers, pointing out the 



