1975 March 14

INTRODUCTION

LONG HISTORY OF SWANTON FAMILY PARTICIPATION IN FARMERS' ORGANIZATIONS
Scope and Content Note: Grandparents and parents active in Grange from the 1870's. Parents belonged to Blooming Grove Grange, and Swanton and his brother also became active Grangers in 1920's.

SWANTON JOINS AMERICAN SOCIETY OF EQUITY IN, 1919
Scope and Content Note: Served as secretary-treasurer of American Society of Equity local. Purchased coal cooperatively to steam tobacco beds in early spring, and to power threshing machines in August. Lime purchased cooperatively from quarries near Milwaukee and Waukesha; shipped by rail to Dane County.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMERICAN SOCIETY OF EQUITY AND EQUITY LOCALS
Scope and Content Note: After merger of American Society of Equity and Farmers Union in western region of Wisconsin [in 1934], tie between American Society of Equity and local units was discontinued. Members of Swanton's local not impressed by James Tittemore's political aspirations in 1918.

HOW SWANTON CAME TO JOIN FARM BUREAU
Scope and Content Note: Potential new members recruited by neighbors who had already joined Farm Bureau. At first, members organized on county basis; local chapters evolved as membership increased.

WHY SWANTON JOINED THE FARM BUREAU
Scope and Content Note: Farm Bureau active in farm supply purchasing program and supportive of various marketing cooperatives.

FORMATION OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN COOPERATIVE TOBACCO POOL
Scope and Content Note: Farmers at the mercy of the buyers. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and UW College of Agriculture helped organize Northern Wisconsin Cooperative Tobacco Pool, which at its peak had between eight and nine thousand members. Emerson Ela, a Madison attorney, employed as general manager; helped obtain from Federal Farm Board a loan of $500,000, used to advance farmers between 50 and 70 per cent of the value of their stored tobacco. During late-1920's major tobacco companies "pulled their buyers off the road and let the farmers set," since tobacco companies had enough tobacco for the next three years. About 1931-33 tobacco companies' supplies ran low, and Tobacco Pool sold stored tobacco at prices high enough to more than cover advances made to members. Example of cooperative marketing instead of dumping.

CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSION OF THE NORTHERN WISCONSIN COOPERATIVE TOBACCO POOL
Scope and Content Note: During the late-thirties and early-forties, membership in Tobacco Pool declined, due to higher prices and a "much, much better relationship between the tobacco companies and the growers."

ORIGINS OF THE MADISON MILK PRODUCERS COOPERATIVE IN, 1922
Scope and Content Note: When farmers got together in 1922 to thresh, they complained of the low price of milk. Met in October at old Burke Town Hall to found the Madison Milk Producers Cooperative to bargain with Madison dairies. Swanton elected president. Soon began to meet monthly with officers of the local dairy companies, Al Kramer and B.H. TerBeest [A.H. Kramer, Kennedy Dairy Co., Inc.; B.H. TerBeest, Capital Dairy Co.], to discuss such problems as regulating production as demand in the milk market fluctuated. Farmers and milk dealers visited markets in Chicago and Milwaukee.

MADISON MILK PRODUCERS START CHEESE FACTORY TO PROCESS SURPLUS MILK
Scope and Content Note: In early thirties, MMPC converted rennet plant into a swiss cheese factory which benefited both farmers and dairy companies. Some cheese sold locally but most marketed through Land O' Lakes Cooperative. MMP worked with Wisconsin Swiss-Limburger Cheese Producers Cooperative. Also worked closely with the Milwaukee Milk Producers Cooperative and its general manager Charles Dineen.

CONFLICT BETWEEN MADISON MILK PRODUCERS AND WISCONSIN COOPERATIVE MILK POOL
Scope and Content Note: Wisconsin Cooperative Milk Pool led by Walter Singler demanded that cooperatives combine in militant action to combat depressed milk prices. Since MMPC price held up better than that of other cooperatives, they neither joined Milk Pool nor participated in any milk strikes.

MILK STRIKE, OCTOBER 1933
Scope and Content Note: Strikers blocked all roads into Madison, preventing marketing of milk; Swanton personally unable to market milk for eleven days. Governor Schmedeman summoned National Guard when some violence and property destruction occurred. During strike, Swanton separated milk and made butter. Meeting held at College of Agriculture auditorium for MMPC members only. "Overwhelming voice" to oppose strike. Immediately after meeting, MMPC demanded that sheriff provide protection for milk trucks. One Madison newspaper critical of College of Agriculture for favoritism towards one particular organization.

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE FACULTY ESPECIALLY HELPFUL TO MADISON MILK PRODUCERS COOPERATIVE
Scope and Content Note: Professors Broker and Schaars at College of Agriculture and staff of the State Department of Agriculture among those especially helpful to MMPC.

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH WISCONSIN COOPERATIVE MILK POOL
Scope and Content Note: College of Agriculture faculty critical of Milk Pool's leadership, but not necessarily its program. Milk Pool later became an "effective" farmer organization.
Note: At this point, the time markings on the tape start again at 00:00.

COMMENTS ON JOHN SCHUMAN, WATERTOWN, ADVOCATE OF SAPIROISM
Scope and Content Note: Schuman strong advocate of national, centralized dairy marketing system in the 1920's; MMPC never accepted that position.

COMMENTS ON PROFESSOR MACKLIN, OPPONENT OF SAPIROISM
Scope and Content Note: Very dependable and constructive leader in the field of marketing.

MILK PRICES FALL IN THE TWENTIES
Scope and Content Note: Immediately after World War I, milk prices rose to $3.00 a hundred, but began to fall in 1922. Farmers weren't sure it was a case of "the good times gone or the hard times come."

WISCONSIN COOPERATIVE MILK POOL AND MADISON MILK PRODUCERS DIFFER OVER MILK PRICING SYSTEM
Scope and Content Note: Singler and Milk Pool favored single price system, which MMPC opposed. Fluid milk had to be of higher quality then milk used to manufacture other products, and should therefore receive higher price. Farmers who marketed milk for cheese could feed whey to hogs.