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 . 
Kind of business. 
Grain elevators 
Average 
Creameries and cheese factories. 
Average 
Fruit and produce 
Average 
Cotton warehouses and gins 
Average 
Miscellaneous 
Average 
Total . . . 
Average. 
Num- 
ber re- 
porting. 
328 
172 
'84' 
26 
653 
Paid up 
capital and 
member- 
ship fees. 
$2, 553, 4G3 
7,785 
716, 996 
5,331 
1,672,311 
19, 908 
179, 778 
6,915 
456,057 
10,606 
28, 578, 605 
43, 765 
Building and equip 
ment. 
Num- 
ber re- 
porting. 
326 
"i74 
""76 
"27" 
"35' 
638 
Amount. 
$2, 857, 555 
8,765 
1, 199, 424 
6,893 
993, 215 
13, 069 
204, 772 
7,584 
205, 792 
5,885 
5, 460, 758 
8,559 
Assets in excess 
of liabilities. 1 
Num- 
ber re- 
porting. 
328 
173 
'9l' 
43 
660 
Amount. 
1 Paid-up capital stock and membership fees not taken into account as liability. 
85964°— Bull. 547—17 4 
