MARKETING SOUTHERN-GROWN SWEET POTATOES. 41 
PRESENT ORGANIZATIONS. 
In 1921 a wave of enthusiasm for cooperative marketing swept the 
South and efforts to organize the growers of the different southern 
crops into so-called commodity organizations were vigorously begun. 
The first State-wide sweet potato association to be formed and oper- 
ated on a long-term contract plan was in Arkansas. At the time of 
incorporation in the fall of 1921 there were 25 local incorporated 
associations, all of which were organized on the same plan. The 
combined membership in the locals was approximately 600 and the 
total capacity of the storage houses owned or controlled was about 
200,000 bushels. Marketing contracts for a period of five years are 
in effect-between the individual members and the local associations 
and between the locals and the State organization. One member 
from each local comprises the board of directors of the State associa- 
tion, which directs the association through an executive committee. 
All sales are made by the State association, pooling is practiced, a 
brand is owned and used, a standard has been adopted for containers, 
and inspection has been carried on to a limited extent. 
In Texas a State-wide association has been formed on a similar 
plan. It began functioning in 1922, with a reported membership of 
30 locals composed of 1,500 growers. Several other States are either 
organizing or proposing to organize on the same plan. In South 
Carolina there is a State association which has in its membership 
most of the larger storage houses of the State, both cooperatively and 
privately owned. This association, which antedates the one in 
Arkansas, has a contract with its members which may be terminated 
at the end of each season. Seven men elected by the members com- 
prise the board of directors. Pooling is practiced and all sales are 
made by the State association — members grading, packing, and 
loading under its direction. 
A number of small associations exist in the different States, usually 
confined to small groups and restricted areas. Many of these are 
loosely organized and have few features which give them any degree 
of stability. Little attention is being given to the formation of small 
associations, except as units of the large associations, organized or 
sponsored by State and National farm organizations. 
FEDERAL SERVICES IN MARKETING. 
THE MARKET NEWS SERVICE. 
In 1917 the Bureau of Markets (now the Bureau of Agricultural 
Economics) established a market news service on sweet potatoes in 
order to facilitate marketing by making available to the public 
impartial market information. During the main shipping season 
market reports are issued daily in mimeographed form from Wash- 
ington, from one or more branch offices, and, under special conditions, 
at important shipping points. They contain information on the daily 
movement of cars by States of origin and report wholesale prices 
being paid each day in a number of the important markets. Reports 
from each of these markets give the condition of the weather, the num- 
ber of cars arriving since the preceding report, the number of cars on 
track, and facts relative to supply and demand conditions. These 
mimeographed reports (fig. 19) are mailed on request to growers, 
shippers, dealers, and others interested. Reports are also sent by 
telegraph to those who desire telegraphic reports and arc willing to 
