Show BURLEY TO TOBACCO BAG CO I GROWERS NO NOW ORGANIZED I Cooperative Methods Bring Big Change in Plan of I Marketing I Ithe LEXINGTON Ky Feb 20 From From the days when buyers went from barn to barn and bought tobacco to the I highly organized Burley Tob Tobacco cco Cooperative Cooperative Coop Coop- Marketing association which this year is advancing as much money I. I I to growers on a 40 per ler cent basis as asI was paid for the entire crop last season season season sea sea- son Is Ia the progress made In marketing I Kentucky's annual Burley tobacco of I pounds j I The farmers farmer's fight t for good d prices rand r I for his product t has b been one o of ups and downs The 1920 crop bi ought blought him the highest price he ever received for I his tobacco but the 1921 crop that cost upward r of f 18 cents a pound to I teP grow was sold OI at a loss s the seasons season's on average being 14 cents With a view to averting a repetition of this Judge Robert W. W BIngham Louisville newspaper owner became interested in the cooperative marketing market market- jug ing plan and in company with several several sev- sev eral ral growers visited Barney Baruch in New ew York and laid before him a plan for lor financing the crop GIVES GI VIEWS YIE On March 28 25 28 a meeting of tobacco- tobacco growers rowers from Wisconsin Indiana Ohio Virginia Kentucky ril y k korth North Tennessee and South Virginia Carolina TIn West Vae and J Georgia was held here at which Aaron presented the plan under which California fruit and and other producers are organized From this meeting the movement to organIze organize organize organ organ- ize the Burley tobacco growers was launched and after several months 85 per cent of the crop was pledged and the Burley Tobacco Cooperative Marketing Marketing Marketing Mar Mar- association incorporated in l' l North orth Carolina When the Kentucky general assembly assembly assem assem- bly Ny met the first of the year the Bingham Bingham Bingham Bing- Bing ham cooperative marketing bill was passed in record time and the association association association tion then incorporated in Kentucky In the meantime however the association asso asso- houses elation had llad in 0 Ohio secured 1 ri Indiana dI tobacco West wt- wt warehouses warehouses ware ware- Virginia Virginia Vir Vir- ginia and Kentucky for Its exclusive use tise The War Finance corporation and banks In the interested districts pledged almost to the asso asso- On January 26 the warehouses here were opened for the receipt of or pledged tobacco bacco t and it was graded upon de delivery delivery delivery de- de livery by the grower and a check for foran foran foran an estimated value of 40 per cent of the worth of the crop to the growers Four d days ys later the houses throughout the Burley district were opened and tobacco began to pour in FI E YEASt FIVE Tn CO CONTRACT OT This plan will be in operation for forat forat forat at least five years the farmers having signed up for this period of time Prior to 1904 the barn to barn sale was in vogue After period the loose leaf warehouse where the to tobacco tobacco tobacco to- to bacco was taken b bv by farmers and auctioned auctioned auctioned off was used extensively The first attempt to form a tobacco pool took place In Cincinnati in 1897 but was short lived The famous Equity o society with its attendant night riding and other evidences of or dissatisfaction dis dis- dis- dis satisfaction was organized n n 1905 The urley Burley society was organized alon along similar lines the next spring After several years the Equity disbanded The Burley however continued to op op- op- op erate crate It is said that never more than 30 Per cent of the crop was pledged to It in any year S The loose leaf leat warehouse system has been in use use during the last few years and there now are several hundred hundred hun hun- dred such houses In Kentucky alone with many others in n the adjoining sta states The crux was reached in January 1921 when farmers offered their high I priced 1920 crop for sale The average price paid on the opening day dav on the whole was far below the cost of or production production prof pro pro- I f and many growers faced ruin |