1968: Started from breeding

Chapter 259 The First Branch of Blue Water Farm is Officially Established!

Around nine o'clock in the morning.

The auditorium of Huanglou Commune was packed to capacity. Even the aisles, which originally had no chairs, were now filled with commune members holding small stools.

Because it was so crowded inside, many people preferred to squeeze by the window, all wanting to confirm the news as soon as possible.

Finally, Su Wenchen looked at the club members, who were all craning their necks to look inside, like giraffes.

Finally, they simply had the windows and doors opened.

on the rostrum.

Su Wenchen, along with Hou Guozhong and several other farm cadres, sat on the left-center side of the stage.

The director of the Fengxian County Revolutionary Committee sat with several cadres on the right side of the center of the stage.

Soon, both sides exchanged their signed documents.

Then Shi Yingduan, the director of the Fengxian Revolutionary Committee, handed over a large stack of records in front of him, which contained various lists of people, land, materials, etc.

At the same time, a loud voice pierced through the auditorium.

"Director Su, on behalf of the Fengxian Revolutionary Committee, I warmly congratulate you on the official establishment of the First Branch of Lanshui Farm!"

"Finally, I'm entrusting these 8,000-plus members and 70,000 mu of saline-alkali land to you!"

Su Wenchen immediately accepted the thick stack of ledgers with both hands.

He replied directly and loudly.

"Thank you for the support from the county and Director Shi! Our farm will definitely shoulder this responsibility."

"On behalf of our farm and all its members, I also make a promise: the first branch of Blue Water Farm is officially established."

"From now on, putting everything else aside, the days when we couldn't even leave the house in winter to save food rations will never happen again."

"All farm workers who participate in labor and contribute to the construction of the farm will be allocated a basic ration of 300 jin of grain per person per year!"

The voice just fell.

Those seated below, whether cadres from various production teams or those from two nearby communes who came to observe the ceremony, immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Some commune members who were peering out of the windows and doorways joined in the applause after hearing this.

Only those who arrived a little later, and couldn't even squeeze through the windows or doorways, anxiously asked the people in front.

"How's it going? How's it going! Are we farm workers now?"

"Hurry up and tell me!"

In particular, one of the older men shouted directly at the people by the windows.

"Hurry up and tell us what they said! If you can't explain it clearly, step aside and let those who can relay it hear it!"

Clearly, those waiting at the door couldn't hear what was being announced inside, and they were all scratching their heads in frustration.

After all, many of the commune members who came today had heard that becoming farm workers would mean receiving a fixed amount of food like city dwellers.

After a moment, as the applause subsided, one of the members emerged from his excitement and spoke to the person who had just spoken.

"Third Uncle, it was the leader inside who said it himself: from now on, all farm workers will receive 300 jin of basic grain every year!"

"Just like the workers in the city!"

"We no longer have to be unable to move around much in winter like before."

As soon as he finished speaking, several commune members in a corner of the courtyard were already wiping their eyes—clearly, the ration was more tempting to them than wages, given that they were in a state of constant hunger.

This means that regardless of whether it's a year of disaster or famine, whether it's flood or drought, they will have enough to survive.

Especially for communes that have been in a state of perpetual hunger rather than poverty, food is their primary concern.

After Su Wenchen finished speaking, the applause lasted for a long time, both inside and outside the house, before it gradually subsided.

Director Shi of the County Revolutionary Committee stood up first and said to Su Wenchen with a smile.

"Director Su, it seems that the members of Huanglou Commune are quite satisfied with joining your farm, which puts our county at ease."

He then pulled the chair back a bit and walked out.

"You can take this stage yourselves."

"Haha, now that the handover process is complete, we won't steal your thunder from you anymore."

Su Wenchen immediately reached out to stop him.

"Director Shi, what kind of person are you to talk to down there?"

The other party waved their hand.

“Now you are the hosts, and we are just guests who came to join in the fun. What kind of behavior is this on the stage?”

After he finished speaking, he waved to the cadres who had come with him.

"Let's go, let's move downstairs."

Then they even helped Su Wenchen move the chair to the middle.

"Director Su, the rest of the time will be in your farm's hands."

It was clear that Director Shi of Feng County understood that although the two were at the same level in terms of rank, the resources they could mobilize were definitely not on the same level.

The fact that he could easily obtain ten tractors and millions of kilograms of grain from their region was something he couldn't compare to.

Not to mention that their main farm also has Moonflower Rabbits, a breed that has achieved record-breaking foreign exchange earnings for a single product.

Therefore, he clearly understood that cultivating good relations would actually bring many benefits to Fengxian County.

After all, if the farm develops well, they can learn from it.

Moreover, the meat rabbits raised are mainly supplied to various factories in the region, but by maintaining good relationships, the county can also get a share.

Perhaps we can do what the commune in Lan City did and directly help their farms with product processing.

While it's impossible to build a tannery on the scale of processing Yuehua rabbits, setting up a rabbit meat canning factory or something similar is certainly possible!
After all, their county is too impoverished now. There's only one farm tool factory in the entire county. To be honest, even if he wanted to help the communes below manage those saline-alkali lands, he didn't have that many resources on hand.

Unlike the other party, he could not obtain three million catties of food rations with just one trip to the region.

If he were to ask for three million catties of grain as aid, he would probably be kicked out by his superiors and scolded for being so obsessed with food that he'd lost his mind.

As for Su Wenchen, there was nothing he could do after seeing that the other party had already moved all the chairs off the table.

He sat down and said.

"Since Director Shi is so kind, I cannot let him down."

"Since everyone from the commune has arrived, and Director Shi from the county is also here, I'll talk about the general allocation of the commune's original staff to our farm."

"And what about how the commune members should work and how much they should be paid after they become farm workers?"

"I believe that these are the two things that most people here are most concerned about."

As soon as he said that, applause erupted from the audience.

Especially the commune cadres in the second row, who took out their notebooks and strained their ears, afraid of missing a single word.

Because this concerns my future.

The production team cadres and former commune members all pricked up their ears and stared intently at Su Wenchen.

Clearly, Su Wenchen was right. What the commune cadres were most concerned about was their job positions after being incorporated into the farm system.

For them, the issue of compensation is not a major concern.

With a promising future ahead, why worry about not having a salary?

Moreover, most of the members of those production teams were ordinary people, and these people were not most concerned about things like promotion.

For them, salary is the most important thing.

After the applause subsided, Su Wenchen finished organizing the speech he had written over the past few days.

"Comrades, fellow villagers, first of all, on behalf of Lanshui Farm, I would like to express my highest respect to Director Shi Yingduan and the Fengxian Revolutionary Committee for their strong support!"

"Regarding the two issues that everyone is most concerned about, I will explain them in three points below."

"First, regarding the departmental setup plan for the first branch of Blue Water Farm."

"Second, regarding the job arrangements for former commune cadres after they are incorporated into the farm system."

"Third, regarding the labor distribution system for employees of the First Branch Farm."

"First of all, the branch is mainly divided into three departments, among which the production management department, or production department, is personally in charge of me."

It has three departments: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Machinery.

"Among them, the Agricultural Section is mainly responsible for the farm's crop planting planning, technical guidance and yield statistics, and Comrade Cao Jiwen serves as the section chief."

Upon hearing this, Cao Jiwen's eyes immediately welled up with tears.

At that moment, he truly felt the thought that a scholar would die for one who understands him.

Because some time ago, Su Wenchen not only helped him find Deputy Director Li in the province to help him, but also restored his reputation.

He was even put in charge of the agricultural department, one of the most important departments in the production department.

He spent his whole life researching alkali-tolerant plants, but he always had to find others to promote his experiments.

I never imagined that at over fifty years old, I would finally be able to personally take the stage and put my skills to the test.

So after Su Wenchen finished his introduction, Cao Jiwen stood up and spoke earnestly.

"Thank you for the trust of the leaders and colleagues. I will definitely lead the agricultural department to take root in this land and vow to turn this saline-alkali land into fertile fields."

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

As Cao Jiwen finished speaking, enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.

Although many people don't recognize it, for most members, having this saying is a good thing.

After all, for many members of the community, their ancestors have lived here for generations, and they certainly hope that this land will not become barren again.

The cadres of the communes below were not particularly surprised.

Because they all knew in their hearts that the farm would definitely prioritize sending its own people to these key departments.

Seeing this, Su Wenchen continued speaking.

"The next section is the Animal Husbandry Section. Its main responsibilities are to manage the various farms in this branch, including feed preparation and disease prevention. Comrade Hou Guozhong will serve as the section chief."

"In addition, the staff of the original commune veterinary station were also merged into the animal husbandry department."

After Su Wenchen finished speaking, Hou Guozhong immediately stood up and said.

"Thank you for the organization's trust. I will definitely lead the animal husbandry team to strive to ensure that everyone can eat meat rabbits bred by ourselves next year."

After Hou Guozhong finished speaking, Su Wenchen gestured for the applause to subside. "The final department, the Machinery Maintenance Section, is responsible for coordinating the scheduling and maintenance of vehicles, agricultural machinery, and other types of equipment at the branch farm. Zhao Weiguo will concurrently serve as the head of the Machinery Maintenance Section."

"In addition, the original mule and horse teams in the commune have all been incorporated into the machinery department."

As soon as he said that, the audience burst into laughter.

"Haha, you've made something of yourself. I never thought a mule could be considered a machine."

Hearing the laughter around them, several members of the mule and horse team below the stage immediately spoke with pride.

"What are you laughing at? We mules are also a means of transportation, okay? They can pull things too."

"Exactly, I think they're just envious of us. Besides, these ten tractors don't have drivers right now, so they'll definitely send our maintenance department first."

Upon hearing this, many people's smiles immediately faded from mockery.

Because after thinking about it, they realized it might actually be possible.

Drive a tractor!

This is already one of the jobs that the members most desire.

So before long, they looked at the former mule and horse team members with envy.

Zhao Weiguo, on the other hand, stood up and scratched his head.

"Boss, I'm good at repairing cars, but I'm helpless when it comes to repairing mules!"

Su Wenchen waved his hand dismissively.

"I sent you to the maintenance department, not to repair mules. If you're sick, why don't you go see a veterinarian in the animal husbandry department?"

To be honest, he had hesitated about Zhao Weiguo becoming the head of the aircraft maintenance department.

The reason they ultimately let him go was because they had no one else available.

So for now, we have no choice but to let him take over.

Being a good leader is actually very difficult, but most people can be an average leader, provided that you meet the approval of those above you.

This is why it's important to follow the right people.

Just like why Su Wenchen, even knowing that Zhao Weiguo's abilities were mediocre, still let him take the lead.

There's no one available!

As for why Su Wenchen filled all the positions in the main production department with his own people.

Compared to those from the commune who didn't even know the details of the situation, Su Wenchen definitely trusted the people he brought from Lan City more.

Of course, if someone in the commune proves to be very capable and catches Su Wenchen's eye, he will definitely readjust his approach.

He's just assembling the car roughly now, as long as it can run.

Then, over a long period of time, we can select the capable people and gradually replace the incompetent ones.

He gave them the opportunity, but if they were truly hopeless, he wouldn't force them to change.

After announcing the production department personnel, Su Wenchen continued reading.

"For now, we'll set up these three departments in the production department. We can adjust them if needed later."

"Second, the original finance office, production office, commune grain depot, and water conservancy team of Huanglou Commune will be merged to form a comprehensive service department."

"Yang Zhenye, the former secretary of Huanglou Commune, was appointed as the director of the Comprehensive Service Department."

"The department has the following subordinate sections: Planning and Finance Section, Agricultural Materials Supply and Marketing Section, and Infrastructure and Water Conservancy Section."

"The Planning and Finance Section is responsible for preparing production plans for the three industries of the sub-farms, calculating production costs, compiling employee labor points, and distributing employee benefits. Yang Wanlou, the former director of the Finance Office of Huanglou Commune, serves as the section chief!"

"The Agricultural Materials Supply and Marketing Section, which merged the personnel of the former commune grain depot, is mainly responsible for the purchase of agricultural materials such as fertilizers and seeds, and is also temporarily responsible for the unified purchase and sale of agricultural products produced in the farm. Yang Youshan, the former deputy director of Huanglou Commune, serves as the section chief."

"The Infrastructure and Water Conservancy Section was formed by merging the original commune production office and members of the water conservancy team. It was mainly responsible for planning water conservancy projects, road construction, and employee housing construction in the branch farms. Li Sumin, the former director of the production office, served as the section chief."

"Since you are all veterans of the commune, we won't give you time to get to know each other."

Upon hearing this, a brief burst of laughter erupted from the audience.

The people who had been registered by Su Wenchen immediately relaxed.

After all, he had already secured a position in the service department. Although it couldn't compare to the production department for the time being, it was still a very important position according to Su Wenchen's introduction.

Yang Zhenye was quite satisfied with getting the position of director of the service department, as it was second only to the main production department.

Su Wenchen didn't wait long before continuing with the announcement.

"Finally, a farm logistics service department will be established, which will include the education and culture department, the security department, and the logistics department."

"The head of the department was Lü Youchun, the former head of the commune."

"The Education and Culture Section mainly managed the former commune schools, literacy classes, and cultural propaganda teams, and was headed by the former director of the commune's political work office."

"The Security Section was formed by merging the former brigade militia company and the commune armed forces department. It was responsible for maintaining the security and management of the farm and cooperating with the local public security department to handle disputes. The former director of the commune armed forces department served as the head of the Security Section."

"The Logistics Section is mainly responsible for the training and management of barefoot doctors under the farm's canteen and health clinic, and is headed by the former director of the commune's logistics office."

"That's all for now regarding the departments and key personnel appointments at this branch. If you have any opinions, please feel free to raise them."

Su Wenchen's arrangements for the commune were not arbitrary; he basically merged all the original commune departments into new farm departments.

He simply merged several into one and cut many unnecessary departments.

Finally, it was integrated into three major departments and nine sections.

Many of the people sitting below scratched their heads in dismay upon hearing Su Wenchen's arrangements.

Those who were named by Su Wenchen were naturally relieved, while those who were not named were a little anxious.

Since the main position is gone, what about the deputy position? Why hasn't anyone been assigned one?
But looking around, almost all the commune cadres wanted others to be the first to take the lead so they could reap the benefits without lifting a finger.

Su Wenchen looked around and knew that someone was anxious.

"Since no one has spoken, let's leave the personnel matters as they are for now. However, this is only a trial phase. The farm headquarters will make appropriate adjustments based on your performance. In addition, the appointment of deputy positions will also depend on your usual performance."

Hearing this, many people finally breathed a sigh of relief.

So, it turns out that the subsequent deputy position arrangement depends on performance. Although I wasn't directly assigned one, having hope is better than having no hope and just being a gofer forever.

That means I have to work hard to perform well.

Seeing the looks on his face, Su Wenchen nodded in satisfaction. He had done it on purpose, since everything was arranged in advance, and it would be difficult to make adjustments later.

This is also why he only assigned one leader to each department – ​​to get the vehicle running first, and then promote people to management positions based on their performance!
As for whether having only one head of the department would be too tiring, Su Wenchen could only say that if you don't want to do it, there are plenty of people who will. If you don't want to put in the effort, then give up your position.

At least during the initial development phase of the branch farm, Su Wenchen couldn't allow a department leader to continue idly basking in the sun every day, just like in the commune.

Those who can't keep up will be eliminated. If you really want to bask in the sun, then just transfer to the cowshed!
Then I can lead the cow to bask in the sun every day!

Occupying a position without doing anything and only thinking about enjoying yourself will definitely not work with him.

"Since no one has any objections, then that's settled. Next, I'll talk about the work arrangements and wages for each of our members."

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent instantly.

The largest group of members immediately perked up their ears and looked intently at Su Wenchen.

After all, most members didn't really pay much attention to the previous appointments of cadres.

Whether this person becomes an official or that person becomes an official, it has very little to do with those of them who farm and work, since it's not their turn to become officials anyway.

Since most of the commune members were illiterate, becoming a cadre was too far-fetched for them; what mattered most was how much work they did and how much money they earned.

Seeing everyone's expectant looks, Su Wenchen slowly shared his plans for the next few days.

"The first issue is the work attendance problem, which is of most concern to everyone. From now on, we will continue with the original unified work attendance plan."

"We have added a group contracting system and a work point-based work scheme."

"Members of all production teams can voluntarily form farm production groups, contract a certain amount of land in the team, and earn labor points."

"The labor points earned by the members can be exchanged for coarse grains such as corn and sweet potatoes at any time on the farm. If they do not want to exchange for food, they can wait until the end of the year, when they will be converted into cash according to the farm's profits for that year."

These words immediately caused a stir among the crowd.

Many people don't understand what group contracting and work point fluctuations are, but they do understand that work points can be exchanged for coarse grains at any time, and can even be exchanged for money at the end of the year.

But I don't understand things like contracting and floating work points.

So someone immediately asked.

"Boss, what exactly is this 'group contracting' and 'work point floating' work scheme?"

Su Wenchen smiled and explained in the more colloquial language used by the club members.

"It's very simple. In the future, our agricultural department will plan how many acres of pasture and wheat will be planted this year, and the water conservancy department will also plan in advance how many drainage ditches will be completed this year."

"At that time, these planting and ditch digging tasks will be assigned to your respective production teams in the form of a certain number of work points. For example, if you are assigned to plant 1,000 mu of wheat, your production team will receive 10,000 work points for completing the task."

“In the past, you could only work together as a whole production team and share the 10,000 work points. If some people worked but didn’t put in the effort, there was nothing that could be done about it.”

"If you feel you can do more and faster now, then you can form a production team, whether it's a family unit or with your neighbors. You can form a farm production team and contract out a portion of the tasks individually."

"That means if your family can cultivate 100 mu (6.7 hectares) on their own, then you can earn 1,000 work points on your own."

"The same goes for digging drainage ditches. After the site has determined the route of the ditch, it will also allocate the work points in a total way."

"Once your production team finishes digging the section of the irrigation canal you've contracted, and it passes inspection, you'll receive a portion of the work points."

"In short, at Blue Water Farm, the more work you do, the more work points you earn."

"Whether you want to exchange it for grain or wait until the end of the year to exchange it for money is up to you."

Su Wenchen's plan was actually the later household contract responsibility system.

However, Su Wenchen felt that directly assigning the contract to an individual at this point was still a bit sensitive.

Therefore, Su Wenchen directly changed the contracting to individual households to contracting to farm production teams. Although it is estimated that most of the contracts will actually be contracted to families, this gives the policy a lot of flexibility.

After all, the production team is still a small group.

Furthermore, in the long run, if this method is continued, the income will definitely be lower than that of a fixed salary when the branch offices have not yet developed.

However, if Su Wenchen's plan continues to develop and this area truly becomes the livestock supply center for the entire East China region, then the income will definitely be much higher than that of a fixed salary.

In this way, work points are essentially equivalent to dividends, allowing employees to share in the benefits of the farm's development.

The more work they do, the more work points they earn, the higher the profits in the factory, and the higher the cash these employees ultimately receive.

This will also motivate members to work harder, creating a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement.

After Su Wenchen finished explaining, the club members below immediately started discussing among themselves.

Many people have started to calculate whether it is more cost-effective to form a production team to participate in contracting or to work together as a production team as before.

(End of this chapter)