Published once a week in Palmer, Alaska for the Mat
anuska Valley Farmers' Co-operatins; Association for
the purpose of giving news of the Association's work,
problems and accomplishments.
REACHIflG PnOTHER ITlILESTOnE
Notices for the Annual Meeting of the Association were mailed
this week* The event will take place on August 15th. An all day
meeting will be held starting at 11:00 A.M. Reports indicating the
financial condition and the operating expences for the fiscal year
June 1, 1950 to May Jl, 195^> will be given. Just how good or bad
the years' operations will be are not known as yet, as the Auditors
have not completed their work.
This last year has been one of turmoil and trouble. The present
war started just a few days after the beginning of this fiscal year,
and we have had many difficulties ever since. First and foremost has
been the constant turnover of labor and the v/age increases caused by
the higher wages allowed most of the Government contractors. It has
been difficult to hire new employees or hold old ones with the scale
for common labor going up to as much as $2.77 per hour. Constant
changes in porsonel have made our operations less efficient. We have
had to put inexperienced men on jobs that require some skill and know
ledge; and frequently there have been grevious mistakes costing the
Co-op considerable money. The Army has taken one of our best men, who
had been trained for an important job, causing the Co-op difficulty
in replacing him with another operator.
Shortage of shipping space has caused a lot of trouble. Sone de
lays in shipping have cause! serious shortages, making it difficult to
operate, and inconvenienced the farmers, too. Unless feed and supplies
cm me through on time it is difficult to raintain the steady schedule
required in a country like this with seasons so shat and time so valuable.
The installation of the new recombined milk plant has been a big
proposition, and it has not been easy to got it going without undue ex
pense or trouble. There were some people who were dubious about the
quality of this milk being good enourh to take the place of the frozen
milk that the Army has been using; however, there is no reason to wor
ry about that now, as it has been very satisfactory so far.
Increased sales of ice-cream have made some serious problems. Our
manufacturing equipment proved inadequate, and delivery trucks were
unable to make their schedules until we put a new refri rerated truck
into service. Wo have a new model Continues freezer coning from the
States, that will make I50 gal. per hour, to bo in service next month.
The water situation has been a troublesome one this summer. Last
fall the citizens of Palmer were informed that a serious shortage would
occur this spring, and thet the Co-op would not be able to make the
necessary improvements without financial aid from the Community. This
was made very plain in several notices in this paper and to the various
groups \vith whom we were in touch. However, some of our local politi
cians who have been anti-Co-op for a long time demanded that the Co-op
go ahead and provide more water anyway and in the meantime nothing was
done. The contest over Incorporation and the water issue has been un
pleasant, but your management feels that it is our duty to look after
the interests of the Co-op's members first.
Two new Directors will be elected at this meeting, and it behoves
every member to start thinking a bout the men or women that he wants to
look after his interests for the coming 3'oar. Any proposed ammendmonts
to the by-laws will have to bo considered, too, at this meeting, so it
looks like a full day.