TE'S VALLEY SETTLER is published
every Friday by the Matanuska
Valley Farmer's Cooperative
Association at Palmer, Alaska.
Mng. Editor; Marie Wilson
Subscription rates; 'll.00 year
Ey mail; 1.75 year
Mailed anywhere; 1© copy
This paper is issued for the
purpose of giving information and
news of the ^atanuska Valley
Farmer's Cooperating Associations
work, problems, accompli aliments,
and alao, news of local and- gen
eral interest; and to help foster
the cooperative spirit of the
farmers of the Matanuska Valley.
CO-CPS IN AGRICULTURE
Marketing the products of the
farm or purchasing the necessary
supplies to grow then, and obtain
ing the required credit to carry
on farming operations are all
as much a-part of the business
of farming as producing crops
or livestock. Singly, farmers
today are in no position to bar
gain effectively with established
groups in these fields. But
through cooperation they have
the opportunity to increase ef
ficiency, lower costs, and improve
quality.
Producers Cooperatives or Market
ing Associations are non-profit
organizations established for the
purpose of collective bargaining
for better prices of farm produce,
and the mutual benefit to its
membership as producers - not
as stockholders; and the ultimate
aim of better living conditions
on the farm. Any profit made by
a producer Cooperative reverts
back to the members through dive
idends, In this, a coooerative
differs from a corporation or
private business concern whos aim
is to amass money for the firm
and stockholders.
The Farm Credit Administration
has estimated that more tham three
million persons hold membership
in thexe organizations and at
least a half million more pat
ronize them without accepting
the responsibilities of member
ship. Sales of farm products
and farm supplies by cooperatives
now exceed two billion dollars
annually, with 395 associations
reporting sales of more than one
million dollars eaah, 34 associa
tions reporting sales in excess of
ten million dollars each. These
figures are compiled by the Farm
Credit Association at V/ashington
D.C. and repeated here to show ■
the growing importance and power
of Farmers Cooperatives in the
United States-.
Cooperation is the new trend of
farm life and a method of doing
business. Advantages to a member
of a cooperative accure primarily
through*his patronage with the
association and not because of
any financial investment he may
have made. Besides this there
are various services thich can
be obtained through the Co-op ,
most important of. which is the
purchasing power of commodities
used by the farmer and his family.
Each step in development of a
substancial Co-op often requires
painful faith, trust and locality.
Yet in the end it is worhh the
effort expended. And any member
who withdraws to avoid responsi
bility during the development
period will probable creep back
to roast when the "works all done
some fall. "
No longer is cooperation held out
to the farmer as a' sure for all
his ills, nor is it being sold to
him on the basis of community
spirit or religious zeal. However,
it has become an economic need,
for efficient operation and it is
apparent that the movement has
successfully passed tbrovigh the
age of adolescence and that cooper
atives ere to remain a permanent
part of our agricultural marketing ’
system.