PALMAR, ALASKA ... DOROTHY M. BELL
Published every Friday at Palmer, 'Alaska!, for. the Matanuska
Farmers *' Cooperating Assbci'ati on for the purpose! of , giving .Qews
Associations work, problems, and accomplishments.
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There is perhaps no accupation where individuals • are more independent1 ^
than in the farming class. In years past when a farmer produced prac.t'i*r .
cally everything he needed on hip farm he had no need for necessarily
cooperating with other farmers except in n neighborly manner wherein
labor was the chief item of exchange. As agriculture developed in its
scope the•necessity for working together increased, although by this
cime- the farmer had become by nature very individualistic. It has there
fore been very difficult for him to adapt himself to the idee that he
would be better off to market cooperatively with his neighbors rather
than find his own market, and be at the mercy of the retailer,.middlemen,
and shippers, * . ,
What awakened the farmer to. this■necessity of working together?
1. the opening of agriculture west of the Alleghenies presented many
problems of marketing ns ,low prices to the fnmrrs, high cost’ of trans
portation., wide margins on commodities purchased by the farmer find too
much surplus that was a tot,nl loss to the farmer.
2. the forming of big trust companies that' were gaining ccntr 1 S.
shipping, marketing conditions*-*-1* - were squeezing the farmer so
that-his margin of profit did not afford an adequate living. Bp cause
of these adverse conditions the Grange was organized and through the
efforts of this organization and others the Cooperative movement had
its start.
tTow that the farmers have realized the necessity of working together
to maintain markets, price levels, smaller margins on commodities
purchased, and. some means of handling and controlling 'surpluss^s,—
Why does it hurt that Co-operative to sell outride Its markets?
Just as soon as members start selling outside they begin undoing all the
good that the Co-operative movement hasjd.one,
1. They take the market that the Co-operative might otherwise have ; nd
in turn injure fellow members who are loy.ai to the Association and de
pendent upon the Association to sell their products.
2. by piecing ungraded prbducts on the market which may (and this 5.s
espe daily true here) pass as products of the Association. In case of
inferior products this definitely lowers the quality standard that the
Association has' tried to*establish and may cause the Assoclation to lose
Its market.
3. by weakening the Influence that* n Cooperative is supposed to have in
keeping pricb levels, up* and ' maintaing;hg markets.
The individual argues that in case of surplus he should be all- wed to
sell outside. If there is a surplus? --theii how can the indivi ual find
a market where the Association cannot? At that time of all others the
Association should be of1 the most value to the member,because it- takes
the risk of marketing off the shoulders of the member. In the t?me of
surplus products we run the greatest risk of harm to our Association by
selling outside,because at thi.s time someone is going to start cutthroat
competition and knock the prices- down for everyone. Collective marketing
was established to put a stop to just such practices and to maintain
price levels.
The fact that the Co-op should buy the farmers' produce does not
mean that farmers should simply go wild in production. This ov rproducfc
tion of one or more commodities has been one of our biggest pr blems#
Before the marketing season arrives there should be some ascertainment
of markets and some planning by the members In filling thosb markets.
Not only must cargful planning in the amount rtf produce needed to satis
fy the markets*?"'but it must be dependable and of the best quality in
order to hold the market. We might have a monopoly at the present# but
the future hangs on satisfied customers. Our best is not too good. Our
products have been famous for quality—let us keep them that’way.