AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CO-OP MEMBERSHIP and MANAGEMENT
During the past two years that I have farmed here in the Valley, con
siderable progress has been made by the Association. Prices paid far
mers have been high; not only because of wartime conditions, but also
ecause of cur cooperative marketing,,"Por the same reason we have been
)le to purchase our farm supplies at an advantage. Few, if any, l'ar
irs deny that cooperative marketing and buying of frrm supplies is
desirable. In view of this it is important that the Association have the
support of all the members. Our present manager and £oard of Directors
are conscientious,- well liked, hard working men who are doing a tough
job to the best of their ability. Their honesty and integrity are be
yono reproacn<> *
There are, however, certain undesirable conditions which exist within
oar organization today. They are self-evident and this writing has to
do with the correction of these things rather than just complaining
about them*
It ' undesirable that (1) n farmer should have to wait an undeter
mined- length .of time to receive payment for his produce after the Assoc
iation has accepted the produce, sold it, and received payment- for the
produce* (2) It is undesirable to have any department within the assoc
iation operate at a loss,
In order to suggest corrections it is necessary to consider our
present system of operation. As it now works, after the Associftion *
receives ue'ymont for the farmers produce the Manager can and does use
the farmers money for any use or for any length of time he deems proper
In what he fe.Is Is in,the Interests of the Association,
The thought behind the procedure is that the manager can turn this
-nonej ovt'r several times at a profit to the Association before the
farmer receives ‘It. ri'his of course is true to a certain extent, if he
uses it wisely end is lucky. The fault of"this argument, however, is
that the farmer could also do this if the money were in his hands., Our
farms need developing and improving nhd money is needed by the individ
ual farmer for hi3 operations^ Whatever a farmers plans may be1 he can
ot carry them out if‘hr has no way of knowing when he will receive
ymenc fcr his crops Jc seriously handicaps his operations in this
specc. Also is is the opinion of most farmers that’the individual is
?tber qusiix'ied to judge his own personal needs and make his own elans
than is anyepe man,. It is our own money, isn’t it? The farmer should
receive his pay as soon as the Association receives it. Expenses of
one ration of the Association should be strictly budgeted and authorized
deductions made from the farmers check to cover his fair sharer of
those expenses, the consumer units also bearing their fair share, as is
now the-case/. If additional money Is needed for expansion or other
Durposes, it should be voted by the farmers or by vheir representatives,
the Beard of Directors. In this manner specific funds would be raised for
specif" 0 rmrposes. We would )get what we wanted, Itfe our money , let’s
keep co nerd of it Individually, and use It cooperatively only as we
specify, I believe the Association would expand' foster- and operate
■no re efficiently if this were the order of business--specifIc duties
designated for the manager, specific funds voted by the Board or members
for specific purposes, specific time designated for payment to the
^armer for his produce- there are more arguments in favor of these
changes, but until someone upholds the old system, no more need bo said.
There are many reasons why it is undesirable for any or all units
within the Association to operate at a loss. A lack of support from
the membership and loss of profits are but a few of them. It is not
tecessary to enumerate these things, however, it is better to seek why
^hese losses occur and correct the mistakes mode previously. Our pres nt
ystem of operating these units is fairly well known to most--a general
‘nvencory and audits are made at a specified time each year Tho^e is no
yay in which the Board of Directors, General Manager, Assistant General
manager, or department heads can tell whether they are operating at a
”ofit or loss, excepting at the close of the fiscal year, They work in
“ dark until the yearly audits and inventories are made, These are
'essarily large tasks when attended to once each yenrc They ar< also
i.me consumers and the Associations business has progressed considerably
;n into the next fiscal year before they are completed, The manager.not
eving anything to guide him, must work during the year on the assumption
Cont. on the next page. 12