SEVENTH

BIENNIAL REPORT

OF

Florida State Marketing

Bureau

THE BUREAU STAFF

L. M R hodes ......................................... ................................ Com m issioner
Moses Folsom ............ ..... ........................................... Secretary
Neill Rhodes ...................................................... Assistant Commissioner
J. M. Burgess .................................................... Specialist, Dairy Products
S. W. Hiatt ......................................... Specialist, Fruits and Vegetables
L. H. Lewis ..........................Specialist, Live Stock and Field Crops
F. W. Risher ................................................. Specialist, Poultry and Eggs
F. H. Scruggs .................................................. Specialist, Market News
Floyd M H ouser ........................... .......................................... Telegrapher
Effie L. Cureton .............................................. ........................ Stenographer
E dna R osenkranz ........................................................................ Stenographer
Kathryn L. Vernon ................................................................. Stenographer
Sara W right .................... ...... ... ... ........ .......................... Stenographer
W L Jackson .................................................................................. M ultigrapher
O. C. Edrington ....................................................... Assistant Multigrapher
Robert Bennett .................................................... Assistant Multigrapher

STATE OF FLORIDA
BUREAU OF MARKETS
204 St. James Bldg., Jacksonville, Florida

To His Excellency Doyle E. Carlton,
Governor of Florida, and Chairman of the
Agricultural Marketing Board,
Tallahassee, Fla.

Sir:

We have the honor as Commissioner of Agriculture and
Marketing Commissioner to submit herewith the Seventh
Biennial Report of the Florida State Marketing Bureau, from
March 1st, 1929, to February 28th, 1931.

Very respectfully yours

NATHAN MAYO
Commissioner of Agriculture

L. M. RHODES
Marketing Commissioner
and
Sec'y of the Agricultural Marketing Board.

Jacksonville, Fla.
February 28, 1931.

FOREWORD

MUCH has been done for better marketing of farm pro-
ducts in Florida during the past two years. Through
the wise action of the last Legislature, the State Market-
ing Bureau was provided with funds which permitted
large extension of its activities. The work done by this
Bureau during the past biennium is set forth somewhat
in detail in the accompanying report. We believe that
the services rendered to the producers by the Florida
State Marketing Bureau entitles this organization to take
rank with the foremost of like agencies in the United
States.

We give this report to the public with a modest
sense of pride in the achievements which it records and
with the hope that the work done during the past two
years may be continued in an increasing measure in the
future.

NATHAN MAYO
Commissioner of Agriculture.

SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT
OF

Florida State Marketing
Bureau

The Seventh Biennial Report of L. M. Rhodes, Com-
missioner Florida State Marketing Bureau, a Division
of the Florida Department of Agriculture,
respectfully submitted by
Nathan Mayo, Commissioner Florida Department
of Agriculture
L. M. Rhodes, Commissioner Florida State
Marketing Bureau

THE Legislature of 1929 created the Agricultural Mar-
keting Board, composed of the Governor, the Com-
missioner of Agriculture and the Marketing Commis-
sioner, and added $35,000 to the appropriation of the
Florida State Marketing Bureau. This enabled us to em-
ploy five marketing specialists, increase our clerical help,
and to generally supplement the activities of the depart-
ment. Our work in all its phases has been constantly ex-
panded, marketing problems have increased in volume
and number, and likewise the work of the department
has increased. These numerous and complex marketing
problems have made the duties and activities of the Bu-
reau so widespread, varied and numerous, that it is
practically impossible to present them in detail in a brief
report. We touch some of the most important activities
for the past two years.
The Florida State Marketing Bureau has continued
its work during the past two years, striving daily to
meet all requirements and conditions faithfully and ef-
ficiently, as they have been presented.
Grades and Standardization
WWHEN the Florida State Marketing Bureau was es-
tablished there was not an official grade, either
State or Federal, on any Florida product. Realizing that

STATE MARKETING BUREAU 5

excellence in quality is one of the keynotes to successful
selling, and that the unchangeable, ironclad, inexorable
rule is for produce to sell on its merits, and that both the
quality and merit of products are set forth in the grade,
the Marketing Bureau started the agitation for U. S.
grades; assisted the Specialist from the U. S. Department
of Agriculture in working out and establishing U. S.
grades on practically all Florida products, and in legaliz-
ing these grades, and in 1921 prepared, in cooperation
with the State Department of Agriculture, the Standardi-
zation Fruit and Vegetable Law, adopting the Federal
grades on fruits and vegetables as official for Florida.
Grading is a process of separating products into
groups or grades of uniform sizes, kinds and quality.
Standardization makes these grades permanent and de-
fines the nature and character of the commodity included
in grades, or the defects which exclude them from these
grades.
One of the basic factors in successful marketing is
grading and standardization. During its entire existence
the Bureau has encouraged in every way possible the im-
provements of grades and standards of Florida products,
and special effort has been put forth during the past two
years, and very material improvements have been made,
but there is much more to be done along this line. New
special grade booklets have been prepared.

Shipping Point Inspection
COOPERATIVE State and Federal shipping point in-
spection is a service conducted jointly between the
State Marketing Bureau and the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture. An examination of the product is
made, the grade and condition is determined, and a certi-
ficate given certifying the grade and condition. It enables
the shipper to know what grade of products he is ship-
ping; it gives the receiver a correct knowledge of what
he is buying, and enables him to distinguish between the
commercial value of different shipments. This service
has been made very essential by recent Federal legisla-
tion and is coming into more general use every year.
During last year, 1930, nearly 25% of all the car-
load shipments of fresh fruit and vegetables in the United
States were inspected at shipping point, a total of 243,-
699 cars, with only 293 re-inspections and only 238 re-
versals.
During the past seven years the Florida State Mar-

6 SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT

keting Bureau has cooperated with the United States Bu-
reau of Agricultural Economics in the inspection of 55,-
476 cars at shipping point and 1,716 cars at receiving
point, with only 48 re-inspections, on 18 of which the
original inspection was sustained, leaving only 30 re-
versals.
The Florida State Marketing Bureau started this
service in Florida in 1922. There are forty of the leading
agricultural states cooperating in this modern, essential,
important service. The New England States are planning
to have a joint agreement on it. It is self-sustaining and
is maintained without special state appropriation.

Market News Service
SINCE carload shipment of fruits and vegetables is in-
creasing much more rapidly than the population who
consumes them, and Florida, shipping 10% of the perish-
able tonnage of the Nation, is confronted with increasing
competition, both in competitive areas and competitive
commodities, Market News, which is the voice of market-
ing, has become a very vital factor in marketing Florida
produce.
We are now operating seven stations in coopera-
tion with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, United
States Department of Agriculture; they paying 50% of
the expense of operation, except live stock reporting. In
other words, whatever amount Florida appropriates to
Market News service the United States Department of
Agriculture appropriates the same with the exception of
live stock reports. So Florida gets twice as much mar-
ket news as it pays for, and already has the most service-
able and efficient Market News service of any state in
the Union. We hope to improve this by adding another
special station, securing a livestock market news service
equal to that for fruits and vegetables, through the co-
operation of the United States Department of Agricul-
ture, and a more complete and extensive radio service.
During the past two years we have sent out 20,601,-
728 words in Market News messages (which would be
more than 206,000 ten-word messages) covering Florida
fruits, vegetables, live stock and poultry, in the most com-
prehensive way that it is distributed by any state market-
ing bureau in the United States. It has been available
during the past two seasons to all producers and shippers
on the movement of more than $200,000,000 worth of

STATE MARKETING BUREAU 7

fruits, vegetables, live stock, poultry and eggs. It serves
Florida growers and shippers in five general ways:
1st: Daily shipment and market bulletins by mail
which go out to nearly 2600 persons. Also the semi-
weekly live stock report which goes out to about 500 per-
sons.
2nd: Shipments and markets by radio have been
broadcast daily from WJAX in Jacksonville, three times
a day over WQAM in Miami, and recently twice a day
over WRUF, Gainesville, connected by remote control
with the State Marketing Bureau at Jacksonville: first
report from Jacksonville starting 11 A. M.; last one from
Miami at 6:55 P. M. This serves in the earliest way pos-
sible 98% of the productive territory of the State.
3rd: Daily newspapers and the Associated Press are
supplied by the Bureau with shipment, passing and mar-
ket prices on Florida produce.
4th: Special daily shipment and market telegrams
are supplied to more than twenty large fruit and vege-
table shippers.
5th: Telephone market news on fruits and vege-
tables, poultry and eggs is supplied to many producers.
Our Market News field offices are at Winter Haven,
Miami, Leesburg, Sanford, Hastings, Jacksonville, one
divided between Bradenton and Plant City; and nearly
500 reports from Jacksonville on live stock going to North
and West Florida.

Marketing Charts, Handbooks, Etc.
THE Bureau has published and distributed market
charts, covering average movement and prices of
commodities during the different months in the year;
growers and shippers handbooks; annual records of car-
lot movements; grade booklets, giving revised and up-to-
date official grades; and mimeograph reports, giving vari-
ous kinds of marketing information. These have been in
general demand, and have been widely circulated and
furnished to all who desired them. Information about the
State, its soils, crops, resources, etc., has been sent out
by the Bureau to every state in the Union and many for-
eign countries.
The For Sale, Want And Exchange Bulletin
THE For Sale, Want and Exchange Bulletin is distri-
buted regularly to approximately 20,000 homes, ad-
vertising and listing, without cost to farmers, for sale or

8 SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT

exchange all, kinds of agricultural produce; plants, seeds,
shrubs, live stock and live stock products, poultry and
poultry products; and all kinds of farm implements. It
also carries want ads for all these products and imple-
ments, and for farm owners seeking help, farm managers,
laborers, dairymen, herdsmen, poultrymen, etc. and for
such men seeking farm employment. This bulletin has
been publishing during the past eleven years and has
listed approximately $46,500,000 worth of the various
farm products and implements. A close check on our files
and records indicate that no less than $35,000,000 worth
of these commodities and implements have been bought,
sold or exchanged through this bulletin. Our files con-
tain letters from practically every community in the
State praising this service. If one per cent commission
had been charged on the sales and exchanges through
this bulletin, it would pay every dollar appropriated to
the Bureau since it was established fourteen years ago.

Adjustments
WHILE the Florida State Marketing Bureau is not a
collection agency, and is powerless to force settle-
ment of accounts or claims, it has given every aid and
assistance possible in collecting accounts, adjusting claims
and arbitrating differences, and settling controversies be-
tween shippers and receivers. This service rendered by
the Bureau has benefited practically every agricultural
community in the State. Our files are full of expressions
of appreciation for the assistance they have received
through this service. The claims collected and adjust-
ments made during the past fourteen years amount to
more than one-half the entire appropriation for the Bu-
reau.

Financial Standing And Commercial Rating of Dealers
A CAREFULLY revised list of dealers, produce mer-
chants, commission men and other buyers in all parts
of the United States is kept by the Bureau, and is ready
at all times for distribution to growers and shippers. In-
formation as to their financial standing and commercial
rating is readily supplied to growers and shippers upon
request; such information has been extensively requested,
promptly given and used in every section of the State. It
is an important factor in the marketing activities of Flor-
ida.

STATE MARKETING BUREAU 9

Locating Markets
THE Assistant Commissioner, who is a trained market-
ing, specialist, and thoroughly familiar with markets
and market conditions, spends all his time in the office.
He, as well as the Field Marketing Specialists and Com-
missioner, all act in an advisory capacity for producers
and shippers when requested, and assist them in every
possible and practical way to. locate markets, make con-
nections with buyers, give them information as to pros-
pective sales, and the demand for products in the various
markets. No time or effort is spared in trying to arrange
ready sales for any kind of Florida agricultural products
at any time, and everything possible is done to improve
marketing conditions.
The Bureau has tried to increase the consumption of
Florida products by Florida people; to seek new mar-
kets; ascertain consumption capacity of the various mar-
kets for Florida produce; to find out the possible ex-
pansion of undeveloped markets; to bring about a closer
cooperation of growers, shippers and distributors and
marketing agencies; to broaden, extend and improve in
every practical way the distribution and sale of Florida
products; and to encourage cooperation and business rela-
tions between producers, distributors and the general
public.

Cooperative Marketing
THAT cooperative marketing is both.just and sensible,
and is a part of our agricultural marketing program,
is generally conceded.
The fact that more than 12,000 cooperative associa-
tions transact $2,600,000,000 of business annually, and
that the number of cooperative associations in the United
States has increased 120 per cent in number and 331 per
cent in volume of business in fifteen years, shows beyond
contradiction that a large percentage of agricultural pro-
ducers believe in it and want to practice it. The United
States Government has put its approval on it, as is proven
by the Acts of Congress and the operations of the Federal
Farm Board and the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
That it is the duty of the Florida State Marketing Bureau
to help promote, direct and foster cooperation is clearly
set forth in the Cooperative Marketing Act, the law
creating and prescribing the duties of the Marketing
Bureau, and the Act creating the Agricultural Marketing

10 SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT

Board. These duties being prescribed and required by
law, and the fact that approximately 40 per cent of the
agricultural products of Florida are sold by and through
cooperative associations, require that we give cooperative
associations their share of service, so we have, when re-
quested, done what we could in an advisory way to aid
and develop cooperative effort in the State. During the
past two years, through the efforts of the Federal Farm
Board, the Agricultural Extension Division, the State Mar-
keting Bureau, and the producers of the State, real pro-
gress has been made.
Many letters and telegrams from cooperative as-
sociations, expressing their appreciation for the assistance
the Bureau has given them, are in our files. On January
28th, 1931, Roscoe Ryan, Manager of the Central and
North Florida Poultry Cooperatives, in an address in
Jacksonville to the poultrymen of North Florida, said,-
"You people do not realize the value of the Florida
State Marketing Bureau to you. They leave nothing un-
done that will help you. We have sold this year 730,365
dozen eggs, and I say without reservation or fear of con-
tradiction that the Florida State Marketing Bureau has,
by their splendid assistance to us, added 10c per dozen
to our income on eggs, or $73,036.50. I have made a close
check on the different markets of the country and the
records justify me in saying this."
This is a saving of $73,036.50 according to Mr. Ryan,
which is more than the annual appropriation to the Bure-
au, and these two poultry associations do less than one
per cent of the total cooperative business of the State.
The Bureau is no respector of individual or organiza-
tions. It puts forth just as much effort to assist inde-
pendent marketing agencies, independent shippers and
individuals with their marketing problems as it does to
assist cooperatives.

General Information
THE Bureau keeps very complete records in regard to
the State, and is called on almost daily by Chambers
of Commerce, banks, real estate boards, loan companies,
prospective purchasers of Florida land, and people ex-
pecting to locate in Florida, for various kinds of informa-
tion in regard to everything pertaining to the agricultural,
horticultural, industrial, economic, financial and cli-
matic conditions in the State.

STATE MARKETING BUREAU 11

Other Marketing Advice
IN addition to furnishing this Market News information
we have sent out, during the past two years, 1,904,574
pieces of mail, covering every phase of marketing. Spec-
ial advice and service has been given by personal con-
ferences, telephone, telegraph bulletins and newspaper
quotations covering: plantings, competitive areas, domes-
tic and foreign competition, cold storage holdings, as-
sembling, grading, packing, inspection, processing, stand-
ardization, transportation, containers, routing, refrigera-
tion, precooling, diversions, classification, unloads, pass-
ings, seasonal offerings, deterioration, shipments, foreign
demand and supply, market preferences, quarantines,
embargoes, drying, canning, advertising, where to ship,
how to ship and reputable dealers to whom to ship; in
fact all kinds of preparation, distribution and marketing
information has been given including special marketing
and sales advice on 17,069 carloads of produce with an
approximate value of $11,711,748. Special marketing
advice given on produce in less than carlots valued at
$3,546,684. A total volume of business on which special
sales advice was given amounting to approximately $15,-
258,432. There are many who claim that this service is
worth more than the cost of the department.
Field Work
THE Marketing Specialists and Assistants added to the
Bureau by the Agricultural Marketing Board have
only been in the service nineteen months, as the additional
activities were not completely organized until August
1st, 1929.
During these nineteen months and the other five,
from March 1st, 1929, to August 1st, 1929, the Market-
ing Specialists, Commissioner and other Assistants have
traveled 230,925 miles; addressed 694 farmers' and ship-
pers' meetings, attended by 60,568 people. Taken part
in 1,626 marketing conferences, attended by 14,634 grow-
ers and shippers; delivered 567 radio addresses; con-
ducted or assisted in 630 cooperative sales, attended by
36,540 people, participated in by 15,750 producers; as-
sisted in selling at these sales 937 cars of live stock and
poultry which brought producers $1,218,728. Assisted
in selling from office 1,765 cars of live stock, poultry,
wool, corn, syrup, sweet potatoes, grapes, pears, hay, and
pure bred animals for breeding purposes, which brought
producers $1,486,130.

12 SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT

They have assisted in the sale of poultry and dairy
products from the office amounting in value to $995,846;
making a grand total of live stock, poultry and dairy pro-
ducts, and general field crops amounting to $3,700,704.
Much service has been rendered in grading, standardiz-
ing, organizing, etc.
The Marketing Specialist in live stock and field crops
gives the live stock producers and shippers of Florida
every service possible in the grading and marketing of
cattle, hogs, sheep, etc. In addition to advising as to
timely selling and timely marketing, this Specialist is on
the ground at sales to aid in securing the highest bids on
live stock offerings and to advise the shippers as to load-
ing methods, working highest bids or conducting various
cash sales at shipping point whereby the shipper is given
the highest market prices f.o.b. shipping point, and has
not, as was formerly the case, been compelled to consign
his live stock.
The Marketing Specialist in poultry and eggs pro-
vides a similar service for Florida poultrymen, aiding
them in every way possible in the grading and stand-
ardization of their products; in the formation of coopera-
tive marketing poultry and egg associations; in carlot,
truck, express, or other sale of their offerings at the high-
est possible price. In these loading station schedules,
which were inaugurated by this department for Florida,
the producer sees his poultry weighed at car door, re-
ceives his cash; and the entire transaction is closed in his
presence.
The Marketing Specialist in dairy products aids the
dairymen in the sale and distribution of their various pro-
ducts; in various organization work, and has spent most
of his time in the field in this line of endeavor; and in
addition has aided both the poultry and live stock Spec-
ialists in conducting their work.
The demand for the services of the Specialist in fruits
and vegetables has required that he spend most of his
time in the field, in attending various farmers' meetings;
advising as to grade, pack, cooperative marketing and
marketing matters in general.
While the effects and results of the activities of the
Specialist in Market News have extended to all trucking
sections of the State, he has been required to remain
close in the office in covering the Jacksonville market;
in publishing the special State-Federal fruit, vegetable,

STATE MARKETING BUREAU 13

poultry and egg reports from the Jacksonville office;
and in giving several radio broadcasts daily over WRUF
and WJAX.
Other New And Special Work
THE expansion of the Florida State Marketing Bureau
has been so rapid in the past two years that it has
been almost financially impossible to properly provide an
adequate service under established projects, yet by the
application of the strictest economy and the most efficient
business methods possible, we have not only expanded
in every direction in the usual line of activities, but
several additional projects have been initiated. For
instance, the first and only general live stock market re-
port available for Florida live stock producers was begun
by this department, giving a special semi-weekly live
stock report covering all the principal southeastern mar-
kets. A special year-round daily market report in ad-
dition to all the regular Market News reports issued by
the Florida State Marketing Bureau, in cooperation with
the U. S. Department of Agriculture, covering the prin-
cipal Florida markets of Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa.
has been provided for the benefit largely of shippers of
less than carlots.
A new Market News station for the lower West Coast
section was provided solely through the efforts of the
Bureau in the last biennium. A special arrangement was
made giving Plant City a seasonal Market News station.
Special daily egg and live poultry quotations for not only
the principal Florida markets but New York, Chicago,
and the principal northern and eastern markets, have also
been carried regularly for the first time in the history of
the State. A special arrangement was made with the U.
S. Department of Agriculture by the Florida State Mar-
keting Bureau for Federal-State inspection of eggs, and
a considerable volume of Florida eggs are now being
graded and sold under regular Federal standards.
The first state-wide cooperative vegetable marketing
association was formed through the Florida State Mar-
keting Bureau, the Agricultural Extension Division and
the Federal Farm Loan Board.
Conclusion
IN conclusion let me say that every person connected in
any way with the Florida State Marketing Bureau has
had farm experience and is interested in the development
and success of Agriculture.

14 SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT

Our motto is "Render the Maximum Service at the
Minimum Cost."
Realizing that there are in the realm of the Bureau's
operations unlimited possibilities and unmeasured op-
portunities for service, we will, in the future, as we have
in the past, labor unceasingly to meet the requirements
of the task before us.
A detailed financial statement of the expenditures of
the Florida State Marketing Bureau will be found on the
following pages.
Respectfully submitted by
L. M. Rhodes, Commissioner,
Florida State Marketing Bureau.

STATE MARKETING BUREAU 15

FINANCIAL STATEMENT
of the
Expenditures of the Florida State Marketing Bureau
July 1, 1929, to Jan. 1, 1931
FOR PERIOD July 1, 1929, to July 1, 1930.
APPROPRIATED PER ANNUM
General Appropriation $37,560.00
Supplemented by Special Appropriation $35,000.00

General
SALARIES ........................................................ $19,460.00

Special
$18,430.69

M U LTIG R A PH ..............................................
Maintenance of equipment and sup-
plies such as paper, envelopes, ink, etc.,
for issuing daily market reports, bul-
letins, etc.
ADDRESSOGRAPH ....................................
Upkeep and supplies.
P O S T A G E .........................................................
General office, semi-monthly bulletin,
special reports, etc.
T E LE G R A P H ...................................................
General office, leased wire maintenance,
special reports.
STATIONERY & OFFICE SUP-
P L IE S .............................................. ...........
Office equipment, rating agency books,
trade directories, typewriters, station-
ery, ink, stencils, water, miscellaneous.
TELEPH O N E .................................................
TRAVELING EXPENSES ..................
Commissioner, marketing specialists
traveling expenses, auto upkeep, etc.
R E N T A L ............................................................

MARKET NEWS .......................................

$:
Special daily market reports, Jackson-
ville, Winter Haven, Plant City, Brad-
enton, Sanford, Hastings, Leesburg.

5,500.00

90.00

850.00

2,400.00

1,100.00

300.00

2,000.00

1,860.00

4,000.00

37,560.00

1,402.60

109.28

582.40

1,876.21

2,431.06

506.82
5,250.81

1,140.00

3,270.13

$35,000.00

L6 SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT

FOR PERIOD July 1, 1930, to Jan. 1, 1931.
APPROPRIATED PER ANNUM
General $37,560.00
Special $35,000.00

SA L A R IE S .......................... ...................$....... $
M U LT IG R A P H ................................................
ADDRESSOGRAPH ....................................
P O ST A G E .............................. ...............
TELEGRAPH ...................................................
STATIONERY & OFFICE SUP-
P L IE S ............................... .....................
TELEPHONE ...................................................
TRAVELING EXPENSES ..................
R E N T A L ............... ........................... ....................

MARKET NEWS

TOTALS

General
9,520.02
4,192.93
72.16
559.68
1,130.63

850.93
165.20
611.77
930.00

.......................................... 1 ,3 0 8 .14

.......................................... $ 19 ,3 4 1 .4 6

Special
$10,430.00
527.25
351.53
430.00
644.89

1,072.99
403.05
3,959.17
570.00
423.61

$18,812.49

BALANCE for remaining six months-
(January through June inclusive)
General $18,218.54
Special $16,187.51