Published every Thursday at Palmer, Alaska, for the Matanuska Valley Farmers*
Cooperating Association for the purpose of giving news of the Associations Work,
Problems and Accomplishments,
SUBSCRIPTION BY MAIL $1,775 BOX $1.00
SINGLE COPY 10^
SIZING UP YOUR CO-OP
■A : \ . .
It is' a good idea now and then to stop and appraise from an unbiased standpoint your
Co-op or any other business enterprise in which you are interested. . A dry goods deal
er learns to know brands—goad and poor quality or materials and how to judge them.
A man dealing with machinery likewise knows good and poor quality in his line. Farmers
learn ta know quality in dairy stock, chickens, pigs and other livestock as well as
feods fertilizers, and machinery. Methods of judging a business ere a little more
difficult, but nevertheless effective when the proper standards for judging are sot
up. It is easy enough to check books and judge a business financially, but how are we
to judge the value of a Co-operative to the members of that Co-oporative. Standards
for that have also been fairly well established.
One of the first things to be done, however, is to get acquainted with your co-op.
Everyone is busy, but one should nevefc be too busy to pay attention to ones bus-iness
affairs and the Co-op is part of every members business. F.F. Hill, Governor, Farm
Credit Administration, says, "Getting better acquainted with your cooperative is a
practical means of extending the horizon of your business opportunities. More -than
that, it is the means of strengthening the personal relationship which must necessari
ly exist between you and your farmer-controlled enterprise."
From a Farm Credit Administration bulletin we find nine principal factors listed as
a Co-op Yard Stick. They are ns follows:
1. Is there an oconomic need for a Co-op?
2. Are the Associations*s membership relations satisfactory?
3. Is the management good?
4. Are the operating policios sound?
5. Are the directors properly qualified for their jobs? .
6. Is the Associations fina ncial condition satisfactory?
7. Do past history and present conditions point toward successful future operations?
8. Is the volume of business satisfactory?
9. Can the Co-op meet or overcome competition?
Whether tho economic need for a Co-op was great enough at the time of the formation of
the present Co-operating Association in the Valley is on. unsettled question. One thing
v.e do know is that it was organized from the top down. In other words, it did not
grow gradually from the feeling of need or necessity. It did not start out as Land O'
Lakes did—with a borrowed dosk, an idea, no money,and no membership. (Except for
’no money") It did have to borrow. But whether things could havo boon done any dif
ferent is another quostion. Could the Co-op have been sot up here in any other way
when we had a completely stocked store,warehouse,garage and several other units under
operation?
What are the economic needs that usually lead to tho formation of a Cooperative?
According to J.E. Wells, Jr, who writes for the Farm Credit Administration, they arej
1, It may be the need of farmers for increasing their not incomos by getting market
ing and purchasing services at lower costs than they would otherwise pay,'
2 , It may be the neod to correct unsatisfactory trado practices,
3, It may be the need to develop improved quality or better marketing methods.
But it must bo a real need and one that is recognized by the farmers themselves,When
farmers fool tho need for a. Cooperative, they will be loyal and interested in that
Cooperative. Should oach farmer in the Valley begin handling his produce independent
ly, it wouldn’t be long before tho greater majority would bo clamoring for a Coopor
tive to handle it for them. Have you over stopped to think what independent selling
for all the farmers of the Valley would moan?
Is there an Economic neod for a Cooperative in tho Valloy now? We believe thab there
is —and a very great neod.
L. T. Mayhugh, President of the Texas Federation of Cooperatives, has this to says
"In our opinion, if agriculture is to bo revitalized, it will bo dono through cooper
ative effort by farmors who are aggressive and willing to work together. First, they
ir.ust work together with their own group, and second, with any group of citizens in
rural or urban communities interested in really doing something for ogriculturo,
Cont, on pp, 5