1976 July 13

INTRODUCTION

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WCA AND INDIVIDUAL FARMERS
Scope and Content Note: WCA established in belief farmers own initiative and financing could provide more effective means for marketing products and purchasing farm supplies and equipment.

EARLIER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPOKE FOR WISCONSIN FARMERS
Scope and Content Note: American Society of Equity helped farmers to purchase cooperatively; Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association established to help get better prices.

LOCAL EQUITY SHIPPING ASSOCIATIONS OFFER ALTERNATIVE TO INDIVIDUAL BUYERS
Scope and Content Note: Recalls one old livestock buyer known as “Old five cents off.” Equity founded to obtain better prices for farmers.

SUCCESS OF COOPERATIVES DOES NOT HALT DECLINE IN NUMBER OF FARMERS
Scope and Content Note: Number of farmers has declined because increased demand for produce and modern equipment have required greater acreage per farmer, brought increased costs and meant individual farmer must be more efficient. Cooperatives essential for marketing produce efficiently; no direct relationship between cooperative marketing and size of farm unit.

FARMER INFLUENCE IN MARKETPLACE
Scope and Content Note: Cooperative marketing has increased farmers' influence in marketplace. Cooperative storage facilities have allowed farmers to regulate supply according to demand, despite effects of weather. Recalls how during Depression steady production of tobacco without regulation or storage facilities produced low prices.

MULTI-REGIONAL COOPERATIVES
Scope and Content Note: Approves establishment of such multi-regional cooperatives as Associated Milk Producers Incorporated (AMPI) because of long-distance shipping, but stresses such cooperatives must remain sensitive to local organizations such as the Madison Milk Producers Cooperative and its producer-members. Feels cooperatives cannot operate effectively unless close relationship maintained with members.

WCA REPRESENTS AGRICULTURE'S LEGISLATIVE INTERESTS IN STATE LEGISLATURE
Scope and Content Note: WCA effectively represents farmers interests in state legislature, regardless of partisan politics.

ESTABLISHMENT OF WISCONSIN ASSOCIATION OF COOPERATIVES (WAC)
Scope and Content Note: Formed by several groups, especially Wisconsin Farmers Union, representing strong liberal consumer movement. Saw WCA as too conservative and producer-oriented. In northern Wisconsin, the Central Cooperative Wholesale (CCW) whose members included some communists, advocated lower costs for all workers and consumers. CCW as well as other disenchanted members of WCA, established a second statewide group, the Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives (WAC) in 1940's.

ANECDOTE ABOUT TOUR TO THE SOVIET UNION,
Scope and Content Note: Recalls while in Russia with a group from University of Wisconsin met American communist originally from Brule, Wisconsin. Father had worked for Central Cooperative Wholesale.

COOPERATION BETWEEN WCA AND WAC
Scope and Content Note: Occasionally worked together to support agricultural legislation, but WAC's closeness to labor movement precluded much collaboration.

END TAPE 10, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

CHANGES IN WAC LEADERSHIP
Scope and Content Note: Relations between WAC and WCA improved when Jack Kyle became WAC executive secretary, succeeding Erich Lenz, and Gilbert Rohde replaced Kenneth Hones as president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union. Hones rarely showed interest in cooperation. Both Kyle and Rohde improved teamwork among general farmers' organizations.

DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN WAC AND WCA
Scope and Content Note: Consumer and labor legislation.

WAC AND WCA JOIN TO FORM WISCONSIN FEDERATION OF COOPERATIVES (WFC)
Scope and Content Note: Not aware of specific leaders who brought WAC and WCA together; recalls idea of merger widely accepted.

AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS IN LEGISLATURE TO
Scope and Content Note: Agricultural interests well-represented in legislature, owing in particular to efforts of general farmers' organizations.

FREEDOM FOR FARMERS, INC., MEETING AT BALDWIN
Scope and Content Note: Freedom for Farmers, Inc., supported by Farm Bureau and Farmers Union, sponsored a meeting September 11, 1963 to combat aggressive organizational drive of National Farmers' Organization (NFO). Recalls NFO brought supporters to meeting from all over Midwest. NFO President Oren Lee Staley attended; recalls confrontation between Staley and three other NFO supporters, and police.

COMPARES BALDWIN MEETING TO HEARINGS ON EMPLOYMENT PEACE BILL
Scope and Content Note: Meeting at Baldwin much wilder; estimates 2,000 people overflowed gymnasium at Baldwin.

SWANTON'S SPEECH AT BALDWIN
Scope and Content Note: Reads excerpts from his speech at Baldwin, attacking NFO. [A paper copy of this speech is filed in the Archives Division with the Case file copy of this finding aid.]

END TAPE 10, SIDE 2

INTRODUCTION

CONTINUATION OF EXCERPTS FROM SWANTON SPEECH AT BALDWIN

INCIDENT AT BONDUEL
Scope and Content Note: Baldwin meeting occurred before two NFO picketers killed at Bonduel.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF COOPERATIVES
Scope and Content Note: Cooperatives have worked successfully to stabilize markets and increase returns to farmers.

FREEDOM FOR FARMERS, INC.
Scope and Content Note: Founded specifically in response to NFO organizing activities. Active in Wisconsin and Minnesota, it sought to bring to the attention of farmers the reasons they should continue to support general organizations and their cooperatives, and oppose NFO.

END OF INTERVIEW