Published once each week in Palmer, Alaska, for the
T.'atanuska Valley Farmer’s Cooperating Association,
for the purpose of <-'lvin~ nev-s of the Association’s
work, problems and accomplishments*
CO-OPERATIVES ARE GRUUJIQG
Now that another year has rolled around, It Is time to survey the
progress of the Co-operative movement during the last year. We find
that it is still Towine? steadily. The Farm Credit administration
says that membership in the 10,975 co-operatives has now reached
6,38i|,000. This is an Increase of over half a million, which is the
rate of rein for the last three years. Business done by the associa
tions amounted to over nine billion dollars. Of this, about seven
billion represents farmers’ products marketed and the other two bill
ion represents supplies purchased by members. Grains accounted for
over two billion dollars, and dairy products came in a close second
followed by many other lines of endeavor. Minnesota rated number 1
in number of co-operatives, members and volume of business done. Wis
consin, California and Illinois fallowed in that order. Sponsoring
organizations included the National Grange, the Farmers’ Union, Farm
Bureau and. many other orrfanizat i-ns. In many cases the members cot
tcoether and formed a Co-operative without any affiliations. Farm
organizations, Uni Ans an"* Church Ar'’^niz'itlr'ns usually help a
lot, vut are not essential.
Statistics show that Co-operatives are much more numerous in the
more prosperous parts of the country. In the southern states where
the stand ard of livin'- is the lowest in the United States, Co-opera
tives are scarce and membership is lev'. This seems to prove that the
highest, standard of livin'- c^n be attained in the places where Co-op
eratives are the best organized and numerous. This certainly proves
that Co-operative members receive more f*r their products sold through
a Co-operative, and f*et more f-r their money from their consumer Co
operatives. The farmers in the mi idle west are pieople who have tc be
shown. Thev d~ not j-in or support many organizations that have not
proven beneficial to them. 4.11 of their training makes them careful
and suspicious >f anythin- new, and, when anyone tries to sell them
anything, it had better be oml,
Many of the people in the Matanuska Valley have rone through the
trying times that afflicted the middle western states at various times
during the last fifty years. V/e know all about privately owned el
evator’s holdinr prices of wheat and corn down and cheatinr on grades
and weights. is a result c^rne the Co-operative rrain associations
which certainly helped to alleviate this condition. There was a time
when the orange pr^wers in California were entirely at the mercy of
unscrupulous commission houses, located in the Mo eastern cities,
- thousands of miles fr^m the ~r-ves. CoM fruit was in many instances
sold at hi ~h prices, and, when the "rrwer cpct returns, the commission
h use reported that the fruit had spoiled, or that market had declined
so that the buyer couldn't pa^ a fair price, triers so far away, had
to accept the results, because they couldn't afford to so far t
f1 id out what reall7,T happehed.
’i spite ">f ail this, there still remain individuals, who don’t
t< I.; eve in Co-operatives. You ask why? v'e all kn^w that there are a
niJr-0)f r of people wh0 are like the reputed old farmer, when asked if he
v. .hvfii in a certain thinr, replied "I don't know anythinr about it,
v a I'm asrin it”. This represents a lot of people opposed to Cc-op
e-»‘ives, and we may have them with us for a lone; time. There are
rr .a;' people who refuse to jMn Co-operatives because they disapprove
cI i he methods and actions of some Co-operative members. This is jus
tified in many instances, and it behooves loyal, conscientious members
to be careful of their actions.
Millions of people are disgusted with all political parties and re
fuse to work with them because they have so many members who are sel
fish, greedy self-seekers. Still vie have to have some means of poy
con't. on paae 3 _