UUS_mss129.xml Guide to the Utah Cooperative Association1936-1983 Utah Cooperative Association Finding aid/Register created by Emily Gurr-Thompson Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008 2nd

Name changed from Utah Farmers Cooperative Association to Utah Cooperative Association Papers in second edition. Series IV added to the collection.

 Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-3000 Phone: 435 797-8248 Fax: 435 797-2880 Email: scweb@usu.edu
©2010 Encoded in oXygen XML editor by Emily Gurr-Thompson,2010. Finding aid encoded in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition). 2009 Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines. Overview of the Collection UUS_COLL MSS 129 Utah Cooperative Association 1936-1983 Utah Cooperative Association Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Manuscript Collection
Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-3000 Phone: 435 797-8248 Fax: 435 797-2880 Email: scweb@usu.edu
40 boxes 19.25 linear ft Records from the board of directors meetings, data from local outlet stores, and details on the U.C.A. merger with CENEX and the Intermountain Farmers Association. Material in English

Processed in September of 2010

This collection was donated to USU Special Collections and Archives by W.B. Robins in 1986 with additional materials donated by Hal Robins in 2001.

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Utah Cooperative Association must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Initial Citation: Utah Cooperative Association USU_Coll Mss 129, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_Coll Mss 129, USUSCA.

 Biographical Note

The Utah Cooperative Association (UCA) was a wholesale cooperative owned and controlled by local cooperatives throughout the state of Utah. A cooperative is a business owned and controlled by the people who use its agricultural services. The local co-ops organized with the assistance of the State Self-Help Board August 17, 1936 with six employees and six local co-ops. By 1941, UCA became independent of the Self-Help Board and began operating as a wholesale supply co-op for farmers. By 1945 UCA had become financially strong enough to enable the organization to purchase its own warehouse and bulk plant. Their affiliation with the Cooperative League of the United States of America in the same year increased their buying power. By the early 1950s UCA had expanded its operation through the purchase of an oil refinery in the Uintah Basin and by becoming sole owner of the PAX trademark for agricultural chemicals through its acquisition of Kelly-Western Seed Company. UCA ceased to exist when it merged with the Farmer's Union Central Exchange (CENEX) in 1976. CENEX employed W.B. Robins as Western Area Development Manager at the time of the merger. CENEX is now one of the largest retail/wholesale propane networks in the nation.

Wilmer Burke Robins was born on August 21, 1917, in Scipio, Utah, the son of Clark H. Robins and Mary Marcella Johnson. W.B. as he was called moved as a young man to Salt Lake City, where he began his thirty-five year career in the development of the cooperative movement (1940-1976). At age 23 he became General Manager of the Utah Cooperative Association and served on numerous state and national councils, committees, and advisory groups. Robins is given credit for organizing the PAX Co., a subsidiary of the Utah Cooperative Association, which distributes lawn-care products. As a member of the Utah State University Board of Trustees and later chairman of the Institutional Council, Robins was a key member in the University’s policy making body. In the late 1970’s Robins established the Utah Cooperative Association Educational Trust Fund. The purpose of the fund was to establish an endowment at USU for study and research within a Cooperatives Management Program. Utah State University awarded Robins an honorary degree in Agribusiness 1983. Robins passed away November 28, 2001.

This collection contains papers pertaining to the Utah Cooperative Association as well as the personal papers of Robins, dating from 1936 to 1978. The collection reflects Robins time as manager for the UCA and later as Western Area Development Manager for CENEX. Materials donated by Robins include correspondence, minutes, reports, studies, correspondence, financial records of UCA, publications, and conference proceedings. All photographs have been removed to P0385.

Materials in this collection have been divided into four separate series. The first series contains Corporate Files that include UCA's history, news articles, corporate papers and business documents covering approximately the years 1936-81. The second series contains information regarding the Corporate Mergers, reflecting from a historical perspective the expansion of the company into different areas. The third series are the UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-ops and the fourth series contains the additional materials donated in 2001.

Utah Cooperative Photographs (P0385)

Gary B. Hansen PapersCOLL MSS 319

Joseph A. Geddes PapersCOLL MSS 75

The Co-op Service RecordsCOLL MSS 343

All photographs and slides have been removed to PO385.

 Retail Trade Utah Farmers Cooperative Association. Intermountain Farmers Association. Ashley Farmers Union. Bear River Valley Cooperative. Bunker Feed Company. Cache Valley Dairy Association. Castle Valley Cooperative. Davis Farm Cooperative. Ence (St. George, Utah). Ephraim Cooperative (Ephraim, Utah). Grouse Creek Cooperative. Hansen's Farm Supply (Gunnison, Colo.) Jackson Farm Supply. Kamas Valley Feed Cooperative. Larsens Farm Supply (Wellington, Utah) Moroni Feed Cooperative. Mount-A-Lake Association (Geneva, Utah) Mount Pleasant Cooperative. Oasis Seed Cooperative. Panguitch Cooperative. Sevier Valley Cooperative. Southern Utah Dairy. Trenton Feed Cooperative. Utah Cooperative Association. I Corporate Files undated Boxes 1 through 14 are included in Series I 1 Materials relating to UCA History undated 10 folders are included in box 1 1 1 UCA History undated 1 2 Board Members, Biographies, Political Appointments undated 1 3 W. B. Robins, Personal Correspondence undated 1 4 UCA, Press Release, News Articles, Advertising undated 1 5 UCA, Geddes Lectures, Miscellaneous Photo's and Drawings undated 1 6 McCarthy Hearings on Un-American Activities, UCA Involvement undated 1 7 Utah Power and Light Controversy undated 1 8 Tenure Controversy undated 1 9 Political Activities undated 1 10 Farmers for Rampton, 1972 Election 1972 2 Materials relating to UCA History undated 5 folders are included in box 2 2 1 Farmers for Rampton, Correspondence 1968 2 2 Farmers for Rampton, Correspondence 1968 2 3 Farmers for Rampton Contributors List 1968 2 4 Farmers for Rampton, Possible Contributors 1968 2 5 Farmers for Rampton, Advertising 1968 3 Materials relating to UCA corporate and business documents 1936-1981 8 folders are included in box 3 3 1 UCA Corporate Bylaws and Amendments undated 3 2 UCA Corporate Bylaws 1948-1949 3 3 Foundation Documents and Corporate Bylaw 1947 3 4 Board of Directors Memoranda undated 3 5 Board of Directors Memoranda undated 3 6 Board of Directors Memoranda undated 3 7 Board of Directors Memoranda undated 3 8 Refined Fuels Information undated 4 Materials relating to UCA corporate and business documents 1936-1981 9 folders are included in box 4 4 1 Refined Fuels Information undated 4 2 Refined Fuels Information undated 4 3 Oil Suppliers Correspondence undated 4 4 Mint Production 1969 4 5 Mint Production 1969 4 6 Mint Production 1970-1972 4 7 Mint Production 1973-1974 4 8 Mint Production 1975-1979 4 9 UCA and Wholly Owned Subsidiaries undated 5 Materials relating to UCA corporate and business documents 1936-1981 7 folders are included in box 5 5 1 Executive Committee Reports undated 5 2 Operation Committee Reports undated 5 3 Financial Records 1975-1979 5 4 Financial Records 1974 5 5 Financial Records 1970-1973 5 6 Financial Records, 1968-1979 5 7 Financial Records 1960-1977 6 Board of Directors Meetings, Reports and Minutes 1969-1981 7 Board of Directors Meetings, Reports and Minutes 1960-1968 8 Board of Directors Meetings, Reports and Minutes 1953-1959 9 Board of Directors Meetings, Reports and Minutes 1949-1953 10 Board of Directors Meetings, Reports and Minutes 1936-1949 11 Corporate Audit Reports 1940-1959 12 Corporate Audit Reports 1960-1976 13 UCA General Information and Correspondence 1950-1975 14 : UCA General Information and Correspondence and Annual Report to Members 1947-1979 II CENEX Merger undated Boxes 16 through 24 are included in Series II 16 CENEX Merger undated 12 folders are included in box 16 16 1 UCA Financial Records undated 16 2 Financial Records, Refined Fuel Sales 1964-1970 16 3 Financial Records, Refined Fuel Sales 1970-1976 16 4 UCA Files after 30 April 1976 Audit undated 16 5 Report on Unclaimed Property held by UCA 1980 16 6 Co-op Sales by Customer 1970-1971 16 7 Co-op Sales by Customer 1971 16 8 Co-op Sales by Customer 1971-1972 16 9 Co-op Sales by Customer 1972-1973 16 10 Co-op Sales by Customer 1973-1974 16 11 Co-op Sales by Customer 1974-1975 16 12 Co-op Sales by Customer 1975-1976 17 CENEX Merger undated 8 folders are included in box 17 17 1 Statement of Misplaced Stockholders, Assets and Transactions, Walker Bank 1980 17 2 Statement of Misplaced Stockholders, Assets and Transactions, Walker Bank 1979 17 3 CENEX Correspondence undated 17 4 Statement of Misplaced Stockholders, Assets and Transactions, Walker Bank 1978 17 5 Statement of Misplaced Stockholders, Assets and Transactions, Walker Bank 1977 17 6 Document Exchange at the Closing of CENEX Purchase, pt. 1 undated 17 7 Document Exchange at the Closing of CENEX Purchase, pt. 2 undated 17 8 Document Exchange at the Closing of CENEX Purchase, pt. 3 undated 18 CENEX Merger undated 9 folders are included in box 18 18 1 Agricultural Development Council undated 18 2 Agricultural Development Council undated 18 3 Agricultural Development Council undated 18 4 UFA Annual Reports and Directories undated 18 5 UFA Annual Reports and Directories undated 18 6 Bob Bess File undated 18 7 Budgets, Marketing, and P.R undated 18 8 BYU Energy Workshop undated 18 9 John Carr File undated 19 CENEX Files undated 8 folders are included in box 19 19 1 CENEX Personnel (Misc., St. Paul), Correspondence 1977-1978 19 2 CENEX Personnel (Misc., St. Paul), Correspondence 1977-1979 19 3 CENEX Personnel (Misc., St. Paul), Correspondence 1977-1979 19 4 CENEX Personnel (Misc., St. Paul), Correspondence 1977-1979 19 5 Co-op Managers Correspondence undated 19 6 Ed Felton File, Eureka, Nevada undated 19 7 Ed Felton File, Eureka, Nevada undated 19 8 Farmers Union undated 20 CENEX Files undated 12 folders are included in box 20 20 1 HMO Advising Council undated 20 2 Don Holbrook File undated 20 3 Miscellaneous undated 20 4 Miscellaneous undated 20 5 Employee's Benefits undated 20 6 Pension Matters undated 20 7 Plant Variety Board undated 20 8 Plant Variety Board, from Plant Variety Protection Office to W.B. Robins undated 20 9 Preview Magazine undated 20 10 PAX Co undated 20 11 Senator Jake Garn File undated 20 12 Public Relations, Tom Winn undated 21 CENEX Files undated 17 folders are included in box 21 21 1 P.R. Materials undated 21 2 Requisitions Pending undated 21 3 W.B. Robins Incoming Correspondence undated 21 4 Richard Siderius File undated 21 5 Richard Siderius File undated 21 6 Scholarships 1977-1978 21 7 UCA Shareholders Financial Data undated 21 8 Bob Trottier File undated 21 9 Tanner, Brunson, Pickett, and Co., Accountants undated 21 10 UCA Board and Executive Committee undated 21 11 Young Peoples Conference undated 21 12 Utah Institutional Council undated 21 13 Utah Institutional Council undated 21 14 Utah Institutional Council undated 21 15 USU Foundation Annual Members Meeting 1978 21 16 USU Thesis by Swarna Raghuur undated 21 17 Clark Wall Folder undated 22 IFA Merger undated 16 folders are included in box 22 22 1 Coordination of Farm Supply Operations of the Utah Poultry and Farmers Co-op and UCA undated 22 2 Merger Feasibility Report undated 22 3 IFA Merger undated 22 4 Merger Correspondence 1960-1961 22 5 Merger Correspondence 1962-1963 22 6 Merger Correspondence 1964-1965 22 7 Merger Correspondence undated 22 8 Merger Correspondence 1968 22 9 IFA during the Merger, Pete Marick undated 22 10 Report on Merger 1964 22 11 Feasibility Report 1968 22 12 Feasibility of Merger Documents undated 22 13 Feasibility Study of Merger 1968 22 14 IFA Discussion and Merger undated 22 15 IFA, General undated 22 16 IFA, Legal undated 23 Uintah Oil Refining Company, Board Minutes and Reports 1945-1964 24 Uintah Oil Refining Company, Board Minutes and Reports 1965-1976 III UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated Boxes 25 through 35 are included in Series III 25 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 9 folders are included in box 25 25 1 Anderson 1963-1967 25 2 Anderson 1968-1975 25 3 Anderson, Blue Prints for Factory, Advertising, Newspaper Articles undated 25 4 Ashley Farmers Union undated 25 5 Ashley Farmers Union undated 25 6 Ashley Farmers Union undated 25 7 Bear River Valley Co-op undated 25 8 Bear River Valley Co-op undated 25 9 Bear River Valley Co-op undated 26 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 8 folders are included in box 26 26 1 Bunker-Grobest, Correspondence 1974-1976 26 2 Bunker-Grobest 1971-1974 26 3 Bunker Feed Company Profile and Consolidation Feasibility Report 1964 - 1971 April 21 26 4 Bunker Feed, Contracts, Press Releases, Undated Notes, News Clippings, Magazines undated 26 5 Bunker Feed, Financial Data 1971-1976 26 6 Bunker Feed 1970 26 7 Center Farm Service undated 26 8 C.L. Young Inc undated 28 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 9 folders are included in box 28 28 1 Cache Valley Dairy Association undated 28 2 Castle Valley Co-op undated 28 3 Castle Valley Co-op undated 28 4 Castle Valley Co-op undated 28 5 Co-op Service undated 28 6 Co-op Service undated 28 7 Co-op Service undated 28 8 Co-op Service undated 28 9 Davis Farm Co-op undated 29 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 8 folders are included in box 29 29 1 Dallas Green undated 29 2 Ence, St. George undated 29 3 Enterprise undated 29 4 Enterprise undated 29 5 Enterprise undated 29 6 Enterprise undated 29 7 Ephraim Co-op undated 29 8 Ephraim Co-op undated 30 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 10 folders are included in box 30 30 1 Farmland Ind. 1975 July - 1976 December 30 2 Farmland Ind. 1975 January-June 30 3 Farmland Ind. 1974 30 4 Grouse Creek Co-op undated 30 5 Hansen's Farm Supply, Gunnison undated 30 6 Hansen's Farm Supply, Gunnison undated 30 7 Honeyville Feed and Elevator undated 30 8 Jackson Farm Supply undated 30 9 Jenkins, Nephi undated 30 10 Kamas Valley Feed Co-op undated 31 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 7 folders are included in box 31 31 1 Larsen's Farm Supply, Wellington undated 31 2 Moroni Feed Co-op undated 31 3 Mount-A-Lake Association, Geneva undated 31 4 Mount Pleasant Co-op undated 31 5 Nevada Accounts and Other Independents undated 31 6 Nevada Accounts and Other Independents undated 31 7 Nevada Accounts and Other Independents undated 32 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 12 folders are included in box 32 32 1 Oasis Seed Co-op undated 32 2 Overson's Feed and Seed undated 32 3 Panguitch Co-op undated 32 4 Ralph Pace undated 32 5 Rich Co-op undated 32 6 Rich Co-op undated 32 7 Rich Co-op undated 32 8 Sevier Valley Co-op undated 32 9 Southern Utah Dairy undated 32 10 Trenton Feed Co-op undated 32 11 Trenton Feed Co-op undated 32 12 Trenton Feed Co-op undated 33 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 5 folders are included in box 33 33 1 Uintah Farmers Union undated 33 2 Uintah Farmers Union undated 33 3 Uintah Farmers Union undated 33 4 Uintah Farmers Union undated 33 5 West Millard Co-op undated 34 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 20 folders are included in box 34 34 1 Meeting Minutes 1949 34 2 Meeting Minutes 1950 34 3 Meeting Minutes 1951 34 4 Meeting Minutes 1952 34 5 Meeting Minutes 1953 34 6 Meeting Minutes 1954 34 7 Meeting Minutes 1955 34 8 Meeting Minutes 1956 34 9 Meeting Minutes 1957 34 10 Meeting Minutes 1958 34 11 Meeting Minutes 1959 34 12 Meeting Minutes 1960 34 13 Meeting Minutes 1962 34 14 Meeting Minutes 1963 34 15 Meeting Minutes 1964 34 16 Meeting Minutes 1965 34 17 Meeting Minutes 1966 34 18 Meeting Minutes 1967 34 19 Meeting Minutes 1968 34 20 Meeting Minutes 1969 35 UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated 8 folders are included in box 35 35 1 Meeting Minutes 1970 35 2 Meeting Minutes 1971 35 3 Meeting Minutes 1971 35 4 Meeting Minutes 1972 35 5 Meeting Minutes 1973 35 6 Meeting Minutes 1974 35 7 Meeting Minutes 1975 35 8 Meeting Minutes 1976 Series IV UCA Distributors, Suppliers, and Local Co-op's undated Boxes 36 through 40 are included in Series IV 36 Miscellaneous Materials relating to CENEX merger and Utah Cooperative Education Trust Fund undated 8 folders are included in box 36 36 1 Agricultural Development Council undated 36 2 CENEX merger, Papers and Correspondence undated 36 3 "Correspondence and Data on the liquidation of Utah Cooperative Association for members" undated 36 4 "Correspondence and Data on the liquidation of Utah Cooperative Association for members" undated 36 5 Correspondence, W.B. Robins, Miscellaneous undated 36 6 Correspondence, W.B. Robins, Miscellaneous undated 36 7 Cooperator Newspapers undated 36 8 Honorary Diploma and Photograph, Utah State University June 4, 1983 37 Miscellaneous Materials relating to CENEX merger and Utah Cooperative Education Trust Fund, (cont'd) undated 6 folders are included in box 37 37 1 "Memorandum of Law: A Student Publication, Utah State University 1974 November 12 37 2 Newspaper Clippings undated 37 3 Universal Cooperatives, Inc. Executive Committee Meeting Budget and Finance Committee Meeting, Board of Directors Meeting; Minutes 1976 April 29-30 37 4 Utah Coop Association Educational Trust, Drafts undated 37 5 Utah Coop Association Educational Trust Fund Account undated 37 6 W.B. Robins and Utah Cooperative Association, Accession notes undated 38 Cooperative Books undated 5 folders are included in box 38 38 1 Cooperation: Working Together for Human Freedoms, Proceedings of the 21st Biennial Congress of The Cooperative League of the U.S.A., Minneapolis, Minnesota 1958 September 9-11 38 2 Factors Affecting Loyalty in Consumer Cooperative, Thesis by John Geddes Wark 1977 38 3 Problems of Small Business Related to the National Emergency: Hearings before Subcommittee No. 1 of the Select Committee of Small Business House of Representatives Eighty-Second Congress, First Session, H.Res. 33, Part 3 1951 38 4 Proceedings of the 18th Biennial Congress of the Cooperative League of the U.S.A.,: Cooperatives Meeting the Needs of the Present World Minutes of the Congress Reports and Addresses, Chicago, Illinois 1952 November 6-8 38 5 Rural Development: Hearings before the Subcommittee on Rural Development of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry United States Senate Ninety-Second Congress First Session on S. 2223 Part 4 1971 39 Cooperative Books (cont'd) undated 12 folders are included in box 39 39 1 To Gather Together CENEX: The First Fifty Years by Leo N. Rickertsen,[St. Paul] : Farmers Union Central Exchange 1980 39 2 W.B. Robins on KSL Radio, UCA Sold to CENEX, cassette tape 1976 April 1 39 3 California Consumer Cooperatives Annual Reports and Publications undated 39 4 CENEX Annual Reports and Publications undated 39 5 Consumers Cooperative Association Reports and Publications, Kansas City undated 39 6 Cooperative Community in the North Brigham City Utah by Leonard J. Arrington, Reprinted from Utah Historical Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 3 Summer, 1965 1965 39 7 Farmer Cooperative Service, Publications, U.S. Department of Agriculture undated 39 8 Farmers Union Central Exchange, Annual Reports undated 39 9 Farmland Industries, Inc. Annual Reports and Publications undated 39 10 FELCO Annual Reports undated 39 11 Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Annual Report undated 39 12 Landmark Annual Report undated 40 Cooperative Magazines and Reports (cont'd) undated 5 folders are included in box 40 40 1 Midland Cooperative Annual Reports undated 40 2 Miscellaneous Cooperative Annual Reports undated 40 3 Miscellaneous Cooperative Reports and Articles undated 40 4 Pacific Supply Cooperative, Annual Reports, Statements and Speech undated 40 5 Southern Farmers Association undated