—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 30,1971
4
’7l Outlook:
What will 1971 be like for the Pennsyl
vania farm economy?
Prices will piobably be lower than in
1970 in the early part of the year in most
major livestock and poultry products be
cause of increased supplies, and costs will
be higher. The dairy outlook continues good,
although individual producers face prob
lems. The crop situation is firm because of
a relatively low supply situation, caused
nationally (but Pennsylvania was an excep
tion) by the corn blight.
In the latter part of 1971, the situation
could begin to improve for most local farm
ers as farmers nationally move to reduce
the supply of their products in the face of
lower prices and higher costs. At the same
time, the consumer demand could begin to
pick up in response to improvement in the
national economy.
These are among the findings of an
assessment of the “1971 Farm Business
Outlook” by the Pennsylvania State Univer
sity agricultural economics Extension staff,
including H L. Moore, A. K. Birth and W.
F. Johnstone.
The Extension men begin the report by
stating, “The economy of the United States
is undergoing a discomforting adjustment.
It appears that the recession bottomed out
shortly after midyear and there is some
evidence of recovery. 1971 will be an unusu
al year, since recovery will not be as rapid
as in past business cycles. Recovery wall
take longer because we have had only
limited success in solving the serious prob
lems of inflation.”
The report also sees some sectors of
the economy continuing to lag. Unemploy
ment may show some further increase and
business investments in new buildings and
equipment will drag. Business profits are
expected to increase slowly and further de
fense cuts are likely.
“ New housing, however, should give the
economy a boost, but high interest rates and
increasing taxes will continue to hamper in
dustry, the report states.
Consumers “may continue to be appre
hensive,” but many have increased savings
and paid off debts over the past year. Con
sumers are expected to begin to spend more
freely, particularly in the area of services.
Overall, the Penn State farm econo
mists’ forecast is one of cautious optimism,
with the expectation that the year will start
Fire isn’t a pleasant subject, but it is
always a possibility, warns James K. Rath
mell Jr., Penn State floriculture and nurs
, ery agent.
If fertilizers and pesticides, including
all the various chemicals such as insecti
cides, fungicides and herbicides, were to
be invohed in a fire, certain things might
happen, Rathmell warns.
While Ratnmell was making his re
marks for florists, w r e think his advice
should also be considered by all farmers.
Knowledge of what happens during a fire
may help farmers take preventive steps to
keep losses down if a fire should occur. *
According to Rathmell, here are some
of the hazards from pesticides that might
be involved in a fire;
A. Highly flammable or explosive.
1. Oils spray materials in oil. Con
tainers may rupture or explode if overheat
ed.
2. Aerosol containers
just like a hand grenade!
3. Solvents Some pesticides are car
ried in highly flammable and explosive sol
vents.
An example is xylene is used as a base for
«ome soiLfumigants.
4. Dusts or powders cdn literally exi- 3. Identify, pesticide storage, on water
•"'pfode, ; if ignited. “ '' l proof signs located over each entrance."AH'
' f ’’ 5; Ammonium nitrate fertilizer never sides of the building should be marked,
'store this 1 with pesticides. When this fertihz- 4.> Use a locked cabinet or storage area,
'■er burns, it releases'lar£e' amounts ot oxy- away from your workroom area,
gfep. This in turn will cause the fire to i 5 Tell your local fire department what
With even more intensity. f-ty 2 K 4 i- ,plate'rials you have stored. Your Jocal fire
6. Calcium hypchlorite Common iise. ■■ chiet. cr- Jiis' representative may give you
4°r this.is in a swimming pool as a sanitizer. Some professional advise on the stor-
It is a very reactive and powerful oxidizer. age of your pesticides.
Pesticides and Fire
will explode,
Cautious Optimism
out slow for most sectors of farming and
gradually pick up through the year. The
optimism is based largely on the assump
tion that the national economy will imprpve
gradually; if economy does something else,
then the forecast would have to be revised
accordingly.
In making their own plans for the next
year or more, farmers should recall that the
economists generally have been wrong
about the farm economy for the past two
years. Failure to make the proper projec
tions in recent years-have stemmed largely,
it appears, from a failure to correctly anti
cipate the direction of the national econo
my
In 1969, farmers were projected to have
a so-so year, based on the expectation that
the national economy would be a normal
one. But inflation became rampant, con
sumers had lots of money to spend and they
spent a large share of it for top quality food
items, including beef, pork, poultry and
eggs. Farm prices were unusually good.
In the face of good prices, many key
segments of farm production were expand
ed. This was notably true of eggs and pork.
Despite increased production, most econo
mists projected a good demand and con
tinued high farm prices in 1970.
But just when the larger output of farm
products began to hit the market in the lat
ter half of 1970, the federal government be
gan to push the pamc button on inflation.
The anti-inflation drive began to work, un
employment rose sharply, the boom slowed
down.
The result was that beginning late last
year, farmers were hit from both sides by
increased production and decreased de
mand for their products.
In recent months, farmers have been
moving to cut back production, particularly
eggs and pork, while the national economy
has been moving slowly toward revitaliza
tion.
If these trends continue, if farmers
nationally continue to show restraint on
production and if the national economy con
tinues to improve the demand for farm
products, 1971 should turn out to be another
good year for Pennsylvania farmers.
This is particularly true because the
corn blight damage last year was minimal
in Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania farmers
are getting off to a better start in 1971 than
farmers in most other areas.
B. Toxic fumes or smoke dangerous to
people. ' ,
1. Organophosphates and carbamates
can be highly toxic. Parathion is a phos-
phate
2 Chlorinated hydrocarbons
toxic,
3 Solvent fumes. — toxic.
4. Plastic flower pots depends on
plastic material used, but can produce toxic
tumes.
C. Toxic fumes or smoke dangerous to
plants.
1. Herbicides the smoke may kill or
injure plants some distance from the fire.
D. Water run-off from fire hoses.
1. Can be highly toxic, if it carries a
heavy concentration of pesticides or other
chemicals.
2. May be toxic to people, plants, and
animals. Some of the materials can be ab
sorbed directly into the skin.
3. May run off into the ponds, streams,
lakes, etc. and cause serious pollution prob
lems.
What to Do? RathmelLadvises:
1. Use separate building, it possible, for
storing pesticides.
2. Store herbicides in a separate area
from the other pesticides.
To Provide Free Choice count against a heavy load ofj
... , , dung locks. In addition to
Water, loose salt and min- we ' suggest' the use of,
eials aie very important o 'he Qod shavi or ch sawdust
maximum gams or production t or shredded
o. every farm ammaL Producws J odder Wlth greater
corn acre
aie uiged to provide these items many farms stalks thafc
at all times to then flocks or - into the sllo could be
held Loose salt is recommend- shredde(J for beddlng .
ed over block salt because or
greater consumption followed by
gi eater intake of water Minerals To Transfer Silage
will help with the digestive pro- , ■
cesses and increase breeding ef- Some producers have made
ficiency Some of these smallersilage in bunker or above-ground
items in management will help storages until part of the silage
obtain more efficient f ed f lom their upright silos,
and gains if this material is to be moved
into the upnght silo for auto;
To Recognize Bedding Problemmatic feeding, it is suggested
that it be done before warni
The shortage of straw isweather arrives The months of
reaching more farms each win-February and March would be
ter and the purchase price makes a desirable time. When moved
it a questionable practice How-in warm weather there is greater
ever, most animals do need somedanger of heating, especially if
bedding in older to be reason-the silage is on the dry side. It
ably clean and especially in the should be moved as rapidly a$
dairy industry Fattening cattle possible and will make good
w ill survive with limited bed-feed if the air was sealed out of:
ding but some-buyers may dis-it in the temporary storage. ,
RUMBLINGS
IN THE VINEYARD!
Lesson for January 31; 1971
Background Serlpftir*: Matthew 1f.23
through 20*16.
At the beginning of the twen
tieth century, most Christians
were Europeans, Russians, or
North Americans. By the beginn
ing of the next century, however,
it is predicted that Christianity
will have shifted its base in a
southerly direc
tion and will be'
well on its way to
becoming pre
dominantly a re
ligion of non
whites. Africa,
Asia, and Latin
America will most
„ .itt. likely be its new
Rev. Althouse ,
focus.
highly
The “others" who will come in
By the end of this century, ac
cording to a report of the Africa
Department of the National Coun
cil of Churches, the number of
African, for example, will be
about 351 million or 46 per cent
of the continent’s population. In
1900, by comparison, thera were
about 4 million African Christ
ians, or 3 per cent of the total
population of Africa. “For sheer
size and rapidity of growth,” says
a National Council spokesman,
“this must be one of the most
spectacular stories in history.
This tremendous growth of Afri
can Christianity may “well give
Christianity a permanent non-
Western base.” It may not be too
far-fetched, say some observers,
to envision a day when mission
aries Trofn Africa and Latin.
America might be sent to evan
gelize in the very Western coun
tries that first brought the gospel
to them.
-Many of us will have two dif.
ferent reactions to this news. Oa~
the one hand there will be i a feel
ing of gratification. Afters
these years of struggling' and
NOW IS
THE TIME...
By Max Smith
Lancaster County Agent
worrying over our overseas mis*;
sions efforts, it seems they are to,
hear fruit perhaps beyond our,'
greatest dreams. How wonderful,
to know that the Gospel has made
such great progress in what we|
once called “the dark continent.'*
"Our Vineyard” >
Yet, mixed with the elation ofj
-this “success story” there majjj
be feelings of disquiet Supposq
Christianity should become “pre
dominantly a religion of non;
whites?” Suppose the next cett
tury should give Christianity “«
permanent non-Western base?”
We have long believed that ths
nonwhite had a place in Chris*
tianity. We have-prepared that
place and everything has beea
fine so long as they have stayed
within it. Until now they have al
ways seemed to know their place;
we are the “Daddy’s” and they
are the “children.” T
Today, however, they are not
staying in their place. According
to the article, they are beginning
to move up into our place, and
that shakes us up. I
For too long we have regarded
the Church as “our vineyard.?
We broke the soil, planted the
seeds, tended the vines—
the fruit is ours to dispense as we
please! But we are quite wrong
and have always ben wrong about
the vineyard: it is not ours, it
never has been, it never will beL
The Church belongs to God, n*
matter who erected its
paid its debts, or held its offices^
... "What belongs to me” |
It has never belonged to thp
Western world. Anglo-Saxons got
the Good News from Italians and
Greeks, and these got itfronji
Jews. It began, not in the West,
but in the Near East and among
its first converts were black Copr
tics and brown Egyptians. 1
Many of us have come to look
upon the Church as many re
garded the Kingdom in Jesusf
time. They thought it belonged 5
to them and when Jesus told oi.
“outsiders” coming in, they wen i.
upset. Thus, in the parable, thi
owner of the vineyard says to thi i
malcontented: -Friend,-1 am d<] -
itg you no. wrong ~. .-Am I no:
allowed to do, what I choose witl t
what belongs to me?”
It is that same question whic! t
God poses to those who murine r
in his vineyard today.
(>£s*d ton pyH!nts A
Division of ChristtQn Eduction, Notional
S® o " 6 * l ®f ■Jh® CHurchts if Christ jin Mho
U 5.A. Rtleased | by Comqiunfly , Pf*»