meer te eee 
“ 
10 BULLETIN 1392, U. S, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
ARKANSAS FARMERS’ UNION COTTON GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION 
In the winter of 1920-21 leaders of the Arkansas Farmers’ Union 
became interested in the possibilities of organizing a cooperative 
cotton-marketing association according to the plan which was then 
attracting south-wide attention. As a result of the decision to 
organize such an association, exclusively for the benefit of members 
of the Farmers’ Educational and Cooperative Union, the president 
of the union appointed an organization committee in April. There 
were 18 men on the committee, including the advisory council of 
the Farmers’ Union, composed of 5 men, and 13 other members of 
the organization. The committee began work immediately. July 
30, 1921, was the date set for the close of the campaign, and the 
minimum number of bales to be obtained by that date, based on 
1920 production, was 40,000. 
The minimum stated in the organization agreement was not ob- 
tained by July 20, but the campaign was continued under certain 
provisions in ‘the ‘agreement which permitted continuation at the 
discretion of the committee. At the annual State meeting of the 
Arkansas Farmers’ Union, August 2, 1921, it was found that about 
3,500 signers, representing approximately 20,000 bales, had not 
exercised their withdrawal privilege, or had ‘signed the contract 
since July 20. Permanent organization was decided upon. Articles 
of incorporation and by- laws were drawn up and approved at a 
meeting on October 7, and the association was formally incor- 
por: ated under the laws of Arkansas on October 31, 1921. 
The board of directors is composed of 16 men, ‘representing the 
16 voting districts of the association. Unlike most of the associ- 
ations formed on a similar plan, no provision is made for the 
appointment of public directors. The membership of approxi- 
mately 4,000 is located in about 50 of the 54 counties of the State 
in which the Farmers’ Union has members , the area of most concen- 
tration reported to be the section in the. vicinity of Fort Smith. 
Headquarters are maintained at Little Rock. 
Although the association is of the state-wide, centralized type 
with a contract generally similar to the other associations of the 
group, it does not operate in all respects according to the generally 
accepted principles and policies of the group. It is not a member 
of the American Cotton Growers’ Exchange and is not affiliated 
in any way with other organizations, except the parent organiza- 
tion. It was sponsored and or eanized solely by the Farmers’ “Union 
during the same time that the State farm bureau was or ganizing the 
Arkansas Cotton Growers’ Cooperative Association. 
NORTH CAROLINA COTTON GROWERS’ COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 
Representatives of the North Carolina branch of the American 
Cotton Assoc 1ation and the organization committee of the proposed 
Tobacco Growers’ Cooperative Association, held a joint meeting at 
Raleigh, January 26, 1921, to perfect plans for organizing coopera- 
tive marketing associations for cotton and tobacco. ‘The meeting 
was attended ‘by several hundred growers, bankers, business men, 
extension workers, and agricultural leaders, many of whom had 
attended previous meetings at which the so-called commodity plan 
of cooperative marketing had been discussed. 
ST 
