ATTENDANCE
| Tom Denman | Stephenville |
| Ben Freeman | Ranger |
| Oscar Gray | Arlington |
| Will S Price | Kerns |
| Harry Cross | Greenville |
| Hugo Pape | Seguin |
| FR Brison | College Station |
| Ben H. Baisdon | Austin |
| Ed Whiteside | Mt. Pleasent |
| Keith Kidwell, TDA | Houston |
| Clarence Tisdale | |
| Robert Kensing | San Angelo |
| John Braden Jr | Cuero |
| Jim Anthony | Ft. Worth |
| Newell Atkinson | Wharton |
| Floyd Gage | Brownwood |
| John B. Harris | Hamilton |
| JB Storey | College Station |
2. MINUTES
Braden moved that minutes of last directors meeting be accepted. Price seconded. Carried.
3. SCHOLARSHIP
Braden moved and Denman seconded motion that$200 from the treasury be transferred to the J. F. Risborough Scholarship Fund. Motion carried.
4. MEMBERSHIP as of December 15, 1965
Regular members 368
Contributing members 26
Sustaining members 4__
Total dues paying membership 398
Honorary members 64
Life members 12
Courtesy members 192
Extension member's 271_
Total overall membership 937_
5. President Harris reported on Washington trip.
a) 1,250,000 pounds of U.S.No.1 new crop pecans will be purchased for school lunch programs. Fifty percent will be chipped halves or better and the rest large pieces or better.
b) Durham at Comanche and Woldert at Tyler got bids on these pecans and maybe others.
c) Harris is not sure how much this has helped the growers, but knows that it has helped the areas where the plants were located that received the bids.
d) Harris indicated that the USDA is Skeptical about handling pecans because they consider them as luxury items.
e) A blanket law has been passed including pecans that make possible nation- wide mark-off system. The first phase of the program would be public hearings followed by a grower, referendum in winch two-thirds of the growers would be required to vote for the mark-off program. A suggested amount would be 10 cents per 100-pound bag or pecans received by the shellers. It is estimated that $250, 000 to $300, 000 per year could be made in this manner. The money would be spent at the discretion of member appointed by each state organization at the rate or one member per 20,000,000 pounds of production.
f) The Southeastern states have indicated that they want quality controls only on pecans going into the export market.
g) Growers are not interested in a program which would inflict controls on the industry. It is felt that the growers would go along with quality controls on foreign exports, if the Secretary of Agriculture would accept this minimum- type control, then we might have some common grounds on which everyone could agree. Questionable as to whether the Secretary would accept such minimal controls.
h) The money received from the mark-off goes into the commodity and not into the government. The government is only a watch dog in the program.
i) It was learned in the Thanksgiving meeting in Dallas that although the shellers could be forced into taking the mark-off, the government has never been known to force them into a program. The five big shellers would have to support the program before it could be successful.
j) Gold Kist was reported to have favored the program and Mr. Henry of Louisiana was quoted to have felt that Funsten might favor the program. A January meeting with the shellers has been called to determine if they would favor this program involving their taking the mark-off at the shelling plant.
k) Harris doubted that such a referendum would receive sufficient grower support even though an individual grower could receive his mark-off back upon request.
l) Harris referred to an article on page 11 of the November 1965 issue of the Peanut Journal and Nut World regarding the walnut growers.
m) Someone indicated that the big drawback experienced by the shellers would be their reluctance to disclose the volume of pecans that they were handling. In a report of mark-off to the government would devulge such information.
n) Anthony indicated that Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and the Southeastern Pecan Growers Association representatives voted in favor of going ahead with the program. The marketing order is a means of indicating to the shellers that they will take the checkoff. Anthony stated that when pecan prices are good that we leave things alone, but when prices are down we get excited. He stated that USDA is becoming tired of our procedure of crying when hurting and doing nothing about it when we might be able to remedy the situation. They have felt that we will probably be up there every other year.
o) Baisdon has pointed out that the National Turkey Referendum in 1961 was defeated badly. He also pointed out that enabling legislation in Texas is the problem. Our law inhibits us from requiring purchasers of agricultural commodities to take a mark-off. Baisdon also indicated that Missouri had a problem selling apples. They conducted a merchandising program and demonstrated a number of promotion techniques. They helped growers get out promotion leaflets and published a Buyer's Guide. This did a great deal to help the growers sell the apples.
p) Harris stated that a law has been passed in Georgia making possible for them to take a state mark-off. However, they are reluctant to do so unless other states will do likewise.
q) Anthony pointed out that a constitutional amendment is required before we can require a mark-off on Texas pecans. Just to get this amendment drafted takes $12, 000 or maybe$14, 000. Fifty thousand dollars is required to get it on the ballot.
r) Anthony stated that in Alabama a law has been passed to legislate against fly-by-night roadside operators. This has reduced the amount of junk and worthless pecans on the Alabama market. Harris indicated that many of these junk pecans have been brought into Texas by trucks since we have no law to prevent them from doing so.
s) Gray recommended that we take the logical step. Anthony felt that the grower referendum should go to the individual growers so that they would have opportunity to express their opinion. Price moved that we approve the grower referendum concept in general and request a continuation of efforts to make a workable program between the growers and shellers. Denman seconded the motion and it was approved.
6. Anthony stated that we need additional promotion and publicity at our annual conferences. An individual should be selected who has done an unusual job of using pecan products and honored at the annual conference and in various trade journals. This would help us a great deal in publicity about to come. Anthony moved that the Awards Committee be charged with the responsibility of working out a program whereby an individual user of pecan products could be so honored. Braden seconded and it was carried.
7. Anthony moved and Braden seconded that Governor John Connally, Governor William Scranton and President Johnson receive a gift of Texas pecans. Motion was carried.
8. Denman suggested that a Southwestern Pecan Growers Association might have a real place. Whitesides states that Oklahoma and Kansas were very interested in working on a Southwestern basis.
9. Braden suggested that the Association should send letters to past members and various others who might be interested in membership in the Association. Such a move would help increase our membership.
Respectfully submitted,
J. B. Storey
Secretary-Treasurer
