Cooperative Marketing Of Forest Products

"This bibliography was prepared as an aid to federal, state and county foresters who are interested in forming cooperative associations for the management of forest land and the markeing of forest products. ... Cooperative marketing of forest products in a comparatively new development in this country and the literature is scattered and fragmentary. All referecnes located on the subject have therefore been included even when they consist of only a page or a paragraph." Signed by Mildred B. Williams, Librarian.

"Farmers' cooperative organizations for the marketing of farm produce have increased in number very rapidly in recent years. Certain kinds of produce are no very commonly marketed through associations. Woodland products also may be marketed in this manner. In fact some cooperative shingle mills are already in operation, and box factories maintained for the supplying of boxes to fruit growers at cost might be considered cooperative enterprises. Much more might be done in this line, and this bulletin points out that what has been done in the cooperative marketing of other farm products can be done with woodland products also, with benefit both to the farmer and to the woodlands." -- p. 2

The Forest Products Marketing Laboratory of the U.S.D.A. Forest Service's Northeastern Forest Experiment Station has been studying the history of the forestry cooperative, and has analyzed the experiences of the cooperatives that have failed as well as those that have succeeded. In addition, the New Services Division of the U.S.D.A. Farmer Cooperative Service has a continuous program of research to assist members and managers of cooperatives. Out of these studies we can offer some practical guidelines to any group that is thinking about starting a forestry cooperative.