The records are arranged in three categories: Minute Books, 1934-1961; Financial Records, 1940-1971, and Membership Records.
The Minute Books contain minutes of the board of directors regular monthly and special meetings, annual membership meetings, and occasional special membership meetings. The primary purpose of the board of directors meetings was to audit and pay bills. Such topics as changes in shipping rates, drivers' salaries, condition and maintenance of trucks, and the succession of officers and managers were also discussed. At the annual meetings, members of the board of directors were elected, financial reports were distributed, and arrangements were made for auditing the books. Guest speakers at annual meetings included representatives from the Equity Co-operative Livestock Sales Association, county extension agents, and speakers from the state Department of Agriculture. Special meetings were called to approve changes in management and major purchases.
Among the Financial Records, the financial statements and audit reports show the co-operative's assets, liabilities, and operating expenses. The year-end reports are computer printouts listing, for each member, the number of cattle, calves, hogs, and sheep sold, the gross market value received for the livestock, and the amount paid to each member. The sales ledgers report, for each day a shipment was made, the amount and type of livestock, its gross market value, market expenses, the net value to the co-operative, and the expenses for the sale. The shipping records are computer printouts listing, for each month, the amount of livestock sold by each member, the gross value of the livestock, and fees charged. The tax ledgers contain information similar to that in the shipping records as well as the weight of the livestock and the amount of tax. Records in the tax ledgers are arranged by date of shipment.
The Membership Records consist of two computer printed membership lists, which also indicate subscribers to Equity News, presumably from some years after 1964 when the co-operative introduced automated record keeping. Also included is a computation of equity received by members from the Equity Co-operative Livestock Sales Association, 1948 through 1951.
