UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
jj| BULLETIN No. 860 A 
lf#c r!n7iitr5hiitioTs frnsn the Rurfiau of Markets <. 
Contribution from the Bureau of Markets 
GEORGE LIVINGSTON, Chief 
aJt^jl 
Washington, D. C. 
August 20, 1920 
THE ORGANIZATION OF COOPERATIVE GRAIN 
ELEVATOR COMPANIES. 
By J. M. Mehl, Investigator in Cooperative Organization, and O. B. Jesness, 
Specialist in Cooperative Organization. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 
Forms of organization 
Joint stock companies 
Ordinary private corporations. 
The cooperative form 
Making preliminary survey 
Local conditions 
Prospective membership- : 
Capital 
Volume of trade 
Method of survey - 
Organization 
Organization meeting 
By-laws 
Organization — Continued. 
Stock subscription and member- 
ship 
Incorporation 
Meeting of incorporators 
Changing form of organization 
General suggestions 
Selection of plant 
Directors- 
Manager 
Stock certificates 
Maintenance agreement 
Emergency capital 
Speculative tendencies 
Appendix 
Page. 
21 
22 
23 
24 
26 
26 
27 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
33 
INTRODUCTION. 
This bulletin is primarily intended to furnish a plan of organiza- 
tion and method of procedure for persons required to assist in the 
formation of cooperative grain elevator companies. It should be of 
interest to producers contemplating organization, to ordinary private 
corporation types of farmers' elevators desiring to reorganize on the 
cooperative plan, and to persons interested in cooperative organiza- 
tion in general. While it has been prepared with special reference 
to conditions existing in the grain States, it is not intended to meet 
the particular requirements and conditions which are peculiar to any 
one State. Its scope is limited to matters which are regarded as 
fundamental and general, and the suggestions and recommendations 
made are to be considered with reference to and in connection with 
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