PALI',SR, ALASKA, ‘ Dorothy M. Boll, Editor
■ js
Published every Thursday at Pa' ner, Alaska, for the Matanuska Valley aimers*
Cooperating Association for the purpose of giving news of the Associations "Srk,
Problems and Accomplishments,
SUBSCRIPTION BY MAIL $1.75 BOX $1.00 SINGLE COPY lOtf
SUCCESS IN COOPERATIVE MARKETING
One of the biggest problems that our own Association lias had to solve has boon that
of Cooperative Marketing. No have been faced with problems that are entirely foreign
to Cooperative Associations in the States. This is due to the fact that Firming is
a now industry in the Territory. Merchants’and Consumers had become accustomed to'
depending on "outside" shipments of produce. This is a ancll part of the problems.
Host of them lie within the Cooperative itself. First, the farmers have never been
sure of how much they can market and therefore they often misjudge in their own plans.
No haven’t boon able to supply fresh produce over a long enough period of time. There
are countless others that will have to be solved before wo eon gain a stable market
for the producers of the Valley. However, no matter how many or how big the problems
may bo, Cooperative effort and planning on the part of the members'and the management
can do wonders in solving problems, G. Alvin Carpenter, Secretary, of the Utah
Council of Farmer Cooperatives, has some very cxcollont ideas along those lines.
**Many successful business organirations, whether private, Corporate, or coopcrativo
in nature, have started from small beginnings. Many 3uch organizations have reached
their present development because those responsible for their direction have grown
up with them and have learned the fine art of working together. They have loarhod
to cooperate by cooperating. In dealing with farmers* cooperative associations, wo
need to recognize that "it is the mon who corporate and not tho commodity."
"it takes men working togother intelligently in accordance with c-ound businoss rulos
to moke cooperatives function successfully. It is this human factor in cooperative
business undertakings that explains why cooperatives must build from the ground, up and
must start as an oil economic ventures.
'*Ju3t because there is on opportunity to improve the marketing situation through co
operative organization docs not, in itself, moan that the goal will bo realized v
unless and until farmers learn to work together in tho carrying out of somo'of'tho
functions of marketing and distribution in which they have a common interest.
"When once a .group of farmers has made a successful start in a cooperative venturo,
there is no more basic essential for continued success than to have within it a
membership that is thoroughly familiar with its activities and responsive to its
n^cds.••.
"Farmers arc not likely to stick together for the mcro sake of organization. They
work together in their associations for the seme reason that business men or labor
unions unite-namely, that it is to their individual'advantage to pool their efforts
to obtain certain bargaining advantages in the market.
*jf an association is managed in such a way as to yield its members more returns in
the way of services or prices for the product than private marketing agencies can
give; that association has little, trouble in securing and maintaining a strong member#
ship. If such is not tho care,.the members soon lose interest.
''One of the first principles for a successful cooperative enterprise is that the
association must meet some specific oconomic need. It may bo that existing facilities
rr; already available for efficient marketing of the particular product in a given
run,...
'•Competition for products within a specified area cither from private concerns or
other cooperative marketing associations should bo considered carefully. It nay be
tnnu transportation, storage and other mnrkoting facilities are inadequate. It may
be that the products produced by the members arc not among tho most profitable
'•'tics and that tho ocononic outlook for the particular predict is unfavorable.
"C- (operatives, like all other forms of business organization',‘must bo established and
• r ra4-fed upon sound business bases and business principles,,,.
'■T ly a well-financed association con weather the storm of distress without either
Cont. on pago 3