Show streamlined distribution increases farm income consumers heeded marketing plans are developed standards raised for years jefferson county kentucky growers sent their irish potatoes into northern markets to compete with plentiful supplies from other sections of the country when the 1941 harvest season opened last july with the northern market heavily glutted grower members of the st U matthews atthews produce exchange jefferson county co opera tive prepared to give up potatoes as a cash crop in a last det desperate effort to salvage their cash crop R W hite president of the exchange called his membership to gether ether for a meeting with a group of cf distributors and restaurant operators a instead of trying to move the potatoes into overloaded outside markets the growers agreed with several distributors to seek to develop a market within the state through a kentucky potato campaign 11 the resulting drive enabled the tores stores to move a large percentage ge of the crop locally and to boost prices paid the association 40 per cent now instead of reducing their production the members of the exchange plan a 10 per cent increase this year in line with the federal governments request tor for greater production of fresh fruits and vegetables to aid the food for victory program the kentuckians Kentuck lans ians experience Is one of many examples of how growers throughout the country are attacking the major problem created by the increased prod production action called for in the food for victory drive find ing profitable markets for the great crops of fresh fruits and vegetables now ripening in the fields and orchards of america production no longer Is the problem farmers throughout the nation are responding wholeheartedly to the governments appeal tor for more resh fresh fruits and vegetables for americas dining tables this years crop yields intention reports of the department of agriculture indicate will be the largest since 1633 1933 production increases in certain crops and in certain sections oi of the country are tremendous through june 13 the department of agriculture reported rail shipments of commercial truck crops were 13 per cent greater than a year ago move ment was heavier for beans beets carrots cauliflower giden corn cucumbers mixed vegetables onions spinach cantaloupes strawberries and irish potatoes during one two week period alone shipment of f rose commercial early potatoes rose nearly 2000 cars above the corre sp spending pon ding period of 1941 growers improve production along the fruit front increases as large as those tor for fresh vegetables are not likely it takes years to develop new fruit trees however growers are expected to improve production through more applications of fertilizers better orchard management practices and elim elimination lna ion of as much waste as possible I 1 si pro production harvesting and processing ces sing with production under control the nations growers now roust must make lure ure that their vitamin bullets reach the americans for whom they are intended As secretary of agriculture Aerl culture recently pointed out production Is only the first i step food as one of the munitions of total war Is effective only when it is in the right form at the right place and at the right time realizing more than ever that their job does not end with the hervest harvest ast but instead extends to the consumers sur ners market basket farmers are paying increasing attention to the necessity of streamlining the distribution system to eliminate waste and to increase their own cash returns with fruit and vegetable growers throughout the country getting only 35 cents of the retail dollar tor for their sales through all trade channels growers are seeking to perform their own operations at the lowest possible cost while it at the most economical marketing channels working with distributors extension directors county agents and heads of state colleges of agriculture growers are developing marketing programs and are making organized efforts to raise grade and pack standards to meet consumer consumer demand movements of early season poor varieties and immature produce shipments shipment of which in the 2 1 2000 more I 1 latest figures ot of the department of agriculture revea reveal that there here were more persons employed on american farms on june I 1 than on the same date batea a year ago past built consumer resistance to better grades during peak movements ari are being reduced growers 1 we aye building their home markets with the active aid of distributors tribu tors exten extension ilon services and agricultural ri leaders leaders retail distributors challand chain chal nand and independent i i at the request of growers are staging timely advertising and promotion campaigns I 1 in brief growers are si striving riving to place marketing on a BP e curative cula tive basis and to develop full operation cooperation co among growers shippers distributors and state and federal marketing agencies la in the job of moving food from farm arm to dinner table farmers are increasing their marketing efficiency in a variety of ways in alabama tor for exam example ale thousands of bushels of tomatoes grown in blount county in recent years were bought by ft itinerant lerant truckers at unusually low prices the truckers then haul edthe tomatoes miles across country to atlanta and sold them to who wholesalers ae a al often the wholesalers trucked them back more than miles to birmingham only a short distance from blount county farmers got almost nothing consumers frequently paid sky high prices tor for the tomatoes because c use of the expenses of thi the trip various handling costs and profits yet the farmers themselves got almost nothing thus when the A P last summer guaranteed the blount Count ians lans a market for their tomatoes if they would set up a marketing operative cooperative co to assure quality and quantity the growers responded immediately with the active backing ot of the agricultural extension service and the marketing support of the stores 75 growers formed the blount county tomato growers association bought a secondhand second hand grader and 1600 tomato crates with an investment of less than and began operations the first of september association members averaged a bushel the first two months double the top average in iii past years in new england new hampshire potato growers worked out with chain stores a direct farm to store marketing operation which returned to the farmers 78 cents of the retail dollar compared with the national average share of only 52 cents tor for all grades marketed through trade channels in pennsylvania grower members of the pennsylvania cooperative potato growers association have developed a direct farm to retail store system unique in the urinals annals of farm marketing the cooperative sells 60 per cent of its output on a streamlined basis whereby growers deliver individually to nearby stores with no middleman save the grocery counter both farmer and consumer benefit potatoes tor for which the grower Is paid from 17 to 19 cents per peck are sold to the consumer for only 20 21 to 21 cents dur ing the 1941 42 marketing season the association sold pecks lor for fruit and vegetable growers throughout the nation face other big problems resulting from rom the nations war effort transportation both rail and truck is becoming more and more of a problem as rail facilities are taxed to capacity working with the extension services other agricultural leaders and distributors farmers are moving to solve this problem too movement of produce directly from farm to retail store is in being increased where pos passive siVe farmers are finding markets closer to home for thel fruits and vegetables |