Benton County Hay Growers Form Regional Cooperative
Producers from four counties rally to form the Northwest Hay Growers Association, consolidating market power through a collective board.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Local hay growers will be interested in the following account of the organization of the board of directors of the recently incorporated Northwest Hay Growers Association, published in last Sunday's Yakima Herald. L. A. Hunt of Hermiston, Ore., was elected manager of the Northwest Hay Growers association at the organization meeting of the board of directors held in the Commercial club rooms. Mr. Hunt has taken a leading part in the organization just completed covering the four counties of Kittitas, Yakima, Benton and Walla Walla. The election of the directors was ratified at a meeting of 105 delegates from all districts of the four counties. The board elected W. L. Dimmick of Yakima as president. H. C. Lucas was appointed by the Director of Agriculture, S. L. French, to represent the general public on the board, holding the same rights as other directors. The board approved the marketing contract and resolved to manage operations until the annual meeting in May, 1925.
“The board approved the marketing contract. According to the bylaws, the board holds office until the annual meeting in May, 1925.”
The formation of agricultural cooperatives was a vital tool for economic survival for Washington farmers in the early 20th century. Today's growers continue to grapple with similar questions of market power and regional coordination in an increasingly globalized supply chain.
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