Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1917
Abstract
Owing to the lack of specific information in regard to accounting in farmers' creameries, it has been necessary in the past for each secretary, using whatever knowledge of commercial accounting he possessed, to devise a system which in his opinion would best suit the specific requirements of the business, the essential forms being selected from the many which have been placed upon the market by publishing houses catering to the creamery trade. No uniform system was available which could be applied to the needs of practically all country creameries; hence, systems of accounting are practically as numerous as creameries. A few of these are complete double-entry systems, but in most particulars they consist mainly of detached forms, reports, and memoranda designed chiefly to aid the secretary in making up his annual report. The records of the business done by the patrons, including the receipts of milk or cream and of payments made, therefore, are generally satisfactory, as much attention has been paid to this part of the work. But aside from this feature, a large number of accounting systems now in. use are inefficient and incomplete; the preparation of an intelligible balance sheet or a statement portraying the results of operation is extremely difficult, if not often impossible, as there is no definite plan for collecting and classifying the items or bringing the totals together. Local conditions have influenced to a great extent the construction and use of creamery forms. Differences in methods of operation, it was believed, necessitated differences in the manner of keeping records and in the form of records, and no concerted effort was made to bring about uniformity. Such differences were found in the method of deliveries, the frequency of testing, the division of work between the secretary and treasurer, the method of marketing, the frequency of payment, and the form in which the raw material was received. While provision must be made for all these variations, no apparent reason appears why any of* them should make necessary any radical change in the accounting system.
Relational Format
article
Series Title
Bulletin (United States. Dept. of Agriculture) no. 559
Recommended Citation
Humphrey, John R.; Nahstoll, G. A.; and United States. Department of Agriculture, "Accounting records for country creameries" (1917). Federal Publications. 283.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/acct_fed/283