Eighty-Five Percent or Nothing: Kennewick's Berry Growers Vote on Selling as One

The strawberry is again in the balance. The question of whether the berry crop of the Kennewick-Richland district is to be marketed through several channels or one is again up to the growers.

Although at the close of this year's season the Kennewick-Richland Marketing Union was incorporated for the purpose of permanently handling the crop, so far as the present board of directors are concerned no berries will be marketed unless at least 85 per cent of the total crop can be brought under the control of the organization.

Neither are the directors disposed to waste any time in personal solicitation among the growers to get them into the marketing agreement. They are proceeding in the belief that the purposes and objects of the Union and the benefits of cooperative marketing are well enough known to the growers to require no further explanation.

The Union has been organized along the same general lines as was this year's temporary organization. The directors may or may not choose to enter into a contract with any other agency for handling the marketing end, but the general features of the cooperative effort will be the same in either case.

It is the intention to widen the scope of the Union somewhat next year and include the marketing of early potatoes and asparagus. The rule, however, will apply to these crops as to berries: 85 per cent of the total acreage must be signed up before marketing will be undertaken. Later in the year, if the membership deems advisable, other crops may be taken in, but for the present the Union will confine its activities to these three products.

At a meeting of the directors last week it was decided to put the question up to the growers at meetings here and at Richland. The Richland meeting will be held Tuesday afternoon of next week and the Kennewick meeting Friday afternoon, December 8 at 1:30 in the Commercial club room.

Every strawberry, every asparagus and every potato grower is urged to be present for the purpose of making known his position. If 85 per cent of the acreage is pledged the directors will go ahead with marketing plans. If not the proposition will be dropped.

"The Richland directors are of the opinion that their growers will come in as a unit with 100 per cent of the acreage pledged," said President Lee M. Lampson. "While there may be a few down here that will want to stay out, there is no doubt in my mind but that 85 per cent or more will be signed up at next week's meeting. With one possible exception I believe every one of last year's members will be with us now, and one or two growers who went it independently last year have expressed a desire to get into the Union this year.

"The results of this year's efforts are too manifest to be disputed. One need but ride through the valley to realize that something different has happened to the strawberry industry. Where weeds grew in former years there are clean, well-cultivated rows now. With one or two exceptions every strawberry patch in the Kennewick-Richland district is today in almost perfect shape. They have been kept free from weeds, they have been fertilized as they were never before, and as a result next year's crop is going to be the finest ever produced in the valley.

"This year's marketing experience has put new life into the strawberry industry and has furnished an incentive to the grower to put in more work and spend more money on his patch. Not only are the old patches in better condition than they have ever been, but there will be a marked increase in acreage. Many new beds were set out last fall and more new ones will be started in the spring. The prospects are indeed bright."