Farmers’ Organisation For Meat Marketing

Northern Advocate, 8 October 1941, Page 7

Farmers’ Organisation For Meat Marketing

Soliciting support for the Co-opera-tive Primary Producers’ Society, an organisation formed by the Farmers’ Union for the handling of meat on a co-operative basis, the acting-secretary (Mr. R. Fairburn) addressed the Whangarei sub-provincial executive of •the union at the quarterly meeting yesterday. "Potentially this is the most important thing the union has done for the last 20 years,” said Mr. Fairburn. Previously factors determining the return to farmers had been beyond their control, but the war had provided an opportunity formerly not existent and with the Government tlie sole buyer the union had been able to form an organisation which was similar to that formed and operated most successfully by Argentine producers. No Finance Needed “This will be a long-term project, but we want supplies to come along quickly,” he said. "If each union member sends in one beast it will be sufficient to establish the organisation firmly. We have an export license and farmers who in the past could not control their own business now will be able to do so.” The society would be run on co-oper-ative lines exactly as were dairy companies except that no capital expenditure would be required. No private capital was involved and all profits would be rebated to the supplying farmers. The president (Mr. A. Briscoe Moore) said it was up to farmers to support the organisation and give it a good start. Governmental Support The Government was right behind the society and would give it full support, a position which augured well for success, said Mr. Fairburn. There was no desire to clash with the Pig Marketing Association and there was no reason why both organisations should not operate without friction. Detailing the Argentine organisation, the president said it had been commenced in only a small way but had progressed rapidly. The meeting decided to commend the society to branches and individual members for support, the hope being expressed that there would be no clash with the existing co-operative organisation and that the business of both would grow.