COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURE


tributors for carrying on their functions. This margin was
$193 in 1935. including about $11 for processing taxes, and
$172 in the low price year of 1933. including about S2 for
processing taxes The proceeds from these processing taxes
were used to increase returns to farmers though rental and
benefit payments.

 These intermediate charges represent var\ ing degrees
of transportation, processing, and marketing Trucking
vegetables from market gardens to the nearest city is much
less expensive than shipping the same kinds of vegetables
from Texas to New York Practically no processing is done
on eggs and potatoes, but turning wheat into crackers is a
complicated matter Costs of city wholesale and retail
marketing also vary as between commodities, between
cities, and betwe en dealers Improvements in the efficiency
of marketing will tend to reduce these costs Real improne-
mets could result in lower prices to consumers, better
income for fai melrs alnd greater profits to those pIocessors
and dealers whose efliciencv is increased most

 Between 1915 and 1920 the margin between farmers
and consumer's prices nearlly doubled Duting the period
between 1920 and 1935, at no timn did prices Iall so low is
in 1932 and 1935 In 1933 the 58 kinds i'f food cost the
consumers ml(re th.a in the pite-wa periodl whereas the
farmers lt.leild stbhtantlatlIk lio. NI pritduting them -
(Leaflet No. 123. U S D A.)