Cooperatives In Davis

Short History of Cooperatives
In Yolo County and California

George W. Pierce, Jr. was instrumental in organizing the Davisville Almond Growers Assn. as a marketing cooperative. He and J. E. LaRue continued their efforts to expand the local cooperatives in California by organizing 28 of the almond growers of Brentwood in Conta Costa County. Since the origin of the Davisville Almond Growers Assn. in 1897 the members had received higher prices. But realizing that local organizations were not enough, he and LaRue continued urging the formation of a statewide group and on November 30, 1901 was appointed a committee of on to work on a statewide organization.

In 1909, J. P. Dargitz of Acampo, who also took an active lead in promoting almond cooperation, made an appeal that proved to be effective in promoting a state organization. Members from the nine independent almond growing associations of Antelope, Orangevale, Fair Oaks, Davis, Capay, Sutter County, Live Oak, Oakley and San Joaquin County met in Sacramento March 18, 1910 to discuss the formation of a state organization. On May 7, 1910, the California Almond Growers Exchange was formed and the headquarters were established in Sacramento. Dargitz was elected manager of the Exchange and a five member board of directors was named. It included G. L. Lawrence of San Joaquin County, J. L. Harkinson of Conta Costa County, George W. Pierce, Jr. of Davis, B. F. Walton of Sutter County and R. Lauppe of Sacramento County.

George W. Pierce, Jr. served as President of the California Almond Growers Exchange 1913-23.

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