already been under way since June 1 in the Dennis building, at an agreed rent of $10.00 per month. The P.E.l. Department of Agriculture played a positive role in the first stages of organizing O’Leary Farmers Co-op by placing a credit of $500.00 in the form of a loan for the association, and later, by offering to purchase the building and equipment of the P.E.I. Egg and Poultry Association, again as a loan to be paid when convenient.

During that first year of operation, poultry was killed on the farms and brought to the station on certain predetermined days where it was inspected and graded before being packed and put on the train the following morning.

The first annual meeting reported sales of $15,648.00, expenses totalling $372.43 and a net surplus of $132.00. At this meeting elec- tions were held for the first Board of Directors.

The Co-op - Circa 1945.

In 1941, the association’s second year of operation, the first bulk grain shipments arrived by freight cars. Fertilizer and spray material were sold and potatoes purchased. In that same year, the Bryan prop- erty was purchased and converted into office space and hatchery. The annual report for that second year indicated sales of approxi- mately $50,000. for the handling of 63,807 dozen eggs, 43,843 pounds of poultry, 6,819 bags of feed, as well as fertilizer and spray material.

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