Mary K. Bettendorf, Librarian AGRICULTURAL LIBRARY AgtcultureO. PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE Vol. 111. No. 46. Nov. 25 Set For Nation’s Corn Referendum Vote The U. S. Department of Agri culture has announced a referen dum among corn producers m the 1932-county commercial corn-pro during area will be held, Nov. 25. A simple majority of all pro ducers in the 1958 commercial aiea voting m the referendum will determine which of two alterna tive corn programs will be in ef fect in 1959 and subsequent years, as authorized by the Agricultural Act of 1958. Provisions of the alternative programs on which producers will vote are. Number One Under this new program, there would be no acre age allotments or designated com mercial corn-producing area All corn producers would be eligible for price support without any restrictions on acreages The level of price support would be 90 per cent of the aver age corn price received by farm cis during the three preceding years, but not less than 65 per cent of parity. - Number Two A continuation of the present program Under this program, acreage allotments and the commercial corn-produc ing area would continue in effect as in the past. Producers in the commercial area, to be eligible for price sup port, would be required to plant within acreage allotments set for their farms. Price support would be from 75 to 90 per cent of parity, with pros pective record corn supplies in dicating a level at or near the minimum. Because of heavy corn supplies, the allotment for 1959 would prob ably be about 33,000,000 acres, or approximately 15 per cent below the 38,818,381-acre allotment for the 1958 crop. Producers in the non-commer cial area ~would be eligible for support at 75 per cent of the com mercial rate. Polling places will be at can \enient locations within commer cial corn-producing counties. County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation (ASC) Offices will announce referendum details. Dealer Meetings Slated By Pa. State Scientists Recommendations on seeds, lime and fertilizer, and the like, for Pennsylvania fanners in 1959 will be explained to local dealers in these farm sup plies at eleven district meetings across the state by extension agionomists of Penn State Uni versity. Subjects for discussion will include new field crop varie ties, lawn management, new herbicides, proper use of lime and fertilizer, Dr. C. S Bryner, who will be m charge, said copies of he new edition of the Agronomy Guide for 1959 will be distributed. The schedule of meetings in cludes one November 12, at Lan caster County Farm Bureau, lor Lancaster, southern Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lebanon, Philadelphia and York Counties. Quarryville (Lancaster County) Pa., Friday, Sept. 26, 1958 LANCASTER UNION STOCKYARDS - WE’RE PACKED Monday as the market hit its biggest day since the mid- 1940’s with an estimated 7,000 cattle involved in sales. Monday’s arrivals totaled 3,517 cattle and calves, with a Gas Tax Refunds To State Farmers Setting New Mark HARRISBURG, Sept. The State Board of Finance and Rev enue said today it expects to es tablish a new record for prompt payment of gasoline tax refunds to Pennsylvania farmers. W. Ken Duffy, Secretary of the Board, said more than 35,000 farm ers are expected to file applica tions for reimbursement prior to the Sept. 30 deadline The refunds, he explained, cov er gasoline taxes paid on fuel used exclusively an the produc tion of agricultural products. "With the progress we are presently making, we will have actually paid between 25,000 and 30,000 farmers by the end Oc tober,” reported Duffy “If we accomplish this anti cipated goal, the entire program will be at least seven months or more ahead of any previous year.” Three-fourths of the farmers seeking refunds will receive checks within one month after the Sept. 30 cut-off date, accord ing to Duffy. He reported 43,500 farmers are presently carried on the re imbursement roster. Requests for approximately 100 applications are being received daily. Duffy pointed out that as of this' date, 17,000 claim forms have been returned to the Board and checks have been issued to 12,00(J eligible farmers. “We are virtually paying claims as fast as we receive the forms from the farmers,” stated Duffy. Last year, the board paid a total of $2,582,697 to some 25,600 farmers who returned applica tions to the Board. Break-Through at Mid-Week Tobacco Sales Booming With Buyers Going to 32-18 For Sorted Leaf The “break-through” in the tobacco market Lancaster county farmers had waited out for a full week came Wednes day, when buyers from American and General began of fering 32-18 for top-quality sorted-unsized tobacco. A top of 27 through remained on the market however, as farmers displayed continued resistance to disposing of their crops, when the extra pay apparently more than com pensated them for their added labor in sorting. A rock bottom of 26 through was noted throughout the area- Lornlard reported some buys at 27 through and American re ported taking some top-quality leaf at the 32-18 top. Gemmill Tobacco company, Bed Lion also was finding takers for its 32-18 offers Bayuk had reported receiving some choice, sorted tobacco at 32. A Bayuk spokesman reported “Sales are not too fast, we have no idea of the percentage of the crop sold so far.” Farmers around the county re ported the break-through had been felt and .“buying season” was a reality. Apparently Wednes day’s marketing accounted for the majority of sales. One of the county’s larger growers estimated more than 50 per cent of the county’s crop had been sold by 5 p.m. Wednesday. ‘ The 32-18 price made the dif ference,” he stated. “The differ ence in that and 27-through gave farmers enough for their crop and the sorting labor.” General indications are that a major share of the marketing will he concluded by weekend, leaving buyers attempting to reach agree ment with the remaining hold outs of the best quality and high er yielding crop the county has enjoyed for several years very large volume of hold-overs and weekend shipments building the total to a 12-year high. Many lots of the of ferings are typified by the groups of top-quality Hereford steers in the foreground. LF PHOTO State Crop Round-up Warm wet weather in most parts of Pennsylvania has provid ed lush aftermath growth in sor ghum and sudan-grass fields. The first frost or two may turn these lush pastures into death traps for livestock warns Dr. Samuel Guss, Etension Veterinarian. Frost damage changes harm less compounds in the leaves of these plants into dealy hydrocy anic acid, he says When the plants are frosted, but not com pletely killed they are most dang erous. Frost-blackened sorghum aftermath is particularly deadly; it may contain enough poison to Fill animals in a very short time. The poison acts by blockmg-out the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells. Severely af fected animals die of suffocation. Emergency veterinary treatment is possible in many cases, treat ment must be administered pi omptly After several frosts have com pletely yellowed Sudan grass stands they are safe again for pas ture. Sorghums may be deadly as $2 Per Yrar Pa. Farm Income Up Six Per Cent For Jan.-July HARRISBURG Pennsylvania farmers’ cash income from farm products sold advanced $23,368,* 000 or six per cent during the first six months of this year compared with the first half of 1957, the State Department of Agriculture reported today. During the first half of 1958, cash receipts from farm market ings totaled $447,203,0000. All the increase is from the sale of live stock and livestock products, in cluding milk, poultry and eggs. These sales totaled $354,103,000, up $30,035,000 or nine per cent from the same period last year. January-July crop receipts this year declined $6,667,000 or seven per cent to a total of $93,100,000. Prices received by farmers of the United States during the first eight months of this year have averaged six per cent above the tame months last year and the volume of sales has been about 4 per cent greater. In the first half of 1958, realiz ed farm net income nationally v'as at an annual rate of $l3 2 billion, up 22 per cent from the first half of 1957. Farm operating costs are run ning above a year ago. with prices paid by farmers higher than in the third quarter of 1957 for all production items except seed and motor supplies. However, the in c’ease in expenses is less than five per cent compared with ap proximately eight per cent in realized gross income long as they show any greenness. Dr. Guss says the best way to handle frosted sorghum aftermath is to put it in the silo. A few weeks of fermentation in the silo will remove he toxic material from either of these plants.
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