The driving force in the association was its President Hiram Bond who with his brother Elmer Monroe Bond, a New York produce dealer, owned a plum nursery, vineyard and winery in Santa Clara, California.
In 1901, the Association built a large dried fruit warehouse near Santa Clara's railroad station.
That year there was an unusually successful plum crop too large to be processed or stored in the association's warehouses.
Farmers who were faced with rotting fruit sold outside of their agreement at less than the association approved price.
A group of dissident members managed to obtain a majority and had the organization disbanded.