, Periodicals Division /i WSO9 Pantos Library ' VOL. 16 NO. 12 Proposed Pennsylvania Brand Egg Program Discussed Here “Shall We Market Pennsyl vania Brand Eggs 9” was the. subject Thuisday night of the first of a series of three meet ings at the Farm and Home Center. Earl Hess, president of Hess Bros., Ephrata, started the dis cussion by noting that “we're finally beginning to recognize the need for strong unity.” .Stating that today it’s almost impossible to buy even a foun tain pen that is not branded, he said that the egg industry “can’t afford not to brand eggs.” Federal Red Tort Cherry 'Marketing Order Issued A Federal marketing order for red tart cherries grown in Michigan. New York, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland iyas issued recently by the U S. Department of Agricultuie. The s Cfder>was. slated to become ef fe'ctiye: Jamlary:23ty '’ t T ''»>• keying .Service. Mid" that results of a referendum, held in De cember .indicated that 71 per cent of the growers voting, ac counting for 75-per cent of the production voted, and proces sors who fioze or canned 64 per cent of the led tart cherries, favored the ordei. C&MS said the order author izes hmiting the total quantity of red tart chenies which may he marketed in a particulai year, and provides for assigning cherries in excess of the limit to a reserve pool. The reserve would be used to supplement supplies duung short-ciop years The ordei is based on evidence presented to USDA m a public hearing in June It will be ad ministered locally by a 12-mem ber board composed of six growers and six processors whkh will lecommend market ing 'limits to USDA. The board members will be selected by the Secretary of Aguculture from nominations submitted by the red tart cherry industry. Crops, Soils Day Slated The annual Crops and Soils I>ay sponsored by the Lancaster County Agricultural Extension Service, will be held fiom 8.30 a.m. till 3 p.m Tuesday, Feb ruary 23 at the Farm and Home Center. Arnold G Lueck, associate Lancaster County agricultural agent, said the educational pro gram -will - emphasize- current recommendations and practices relating to the 1971 growing sea sen. Extension agronomists from Penn- State,'will provide infor mation on field corn, hay, sil ages, weed control, fertility practices, a, report on no till corn„ and soil and water conser vation, ' In addition, agri-business firms and their representatives .will have displays and exhibits 'for farmers. In order to remain competi tive, poultrymen are going to have to brand their product, he said, citing a Cornell University study which indicated that 28 per cent of products in super markets are now under private label, up considerably in recent years The study also showed that private label usually re sults in greater profit and more sales. “We must let the consumer feel that there is only one egg, the Pennsylvania egg,” he 'stated. Despite pressure on egg pro- ducers to take lower prices, he said he doesn’t think this has to be the ease “We have mar kets, it’s a matter of how we develop those markets ” Hess said he thinks the big advantage of a Pennsylvania Brand program for the produc er would be to secure a guaran teed price for the product fhe biggest advantages of such- a -program, however, he said, would be-to equipment dealers, -bender suppiiers s fand~ others.- Producers should insist' that the, equipment and supply fu-ms i support the progiam, Hess said Mitchell’s Remarks Mel Mitchell, sales manager Victor F. Weaver Inc, New Holland, emphasized that mar keting practices are changing Today is the age of consume! - ism The consumer is boss The retailer is no longer boss, Mitchell explained. He noted the present proce duie involves marketing under the private brand in which a store may buy from 10 or 15 1 producers and sell the eggs un- ( der its own brand name “As : long as we’re going to put our 1 eggs in someone eise’s carton ] Feeder Cattle Series Set Two educational meetings op feeder cattle have been schedul ed at the Farm and Home Cen ter, Lancaster At 7 30 p m Tuesday, Feb ruary 16, Louis Mooie, Penn Slate Extension economist, will speak on “The Cattle Feeding Outlook” and “Cattle Futures” He will be followed by Lester Burdette, Penn State Livestock Extension, on “Efficient Cattle Feeding.” At 7:30 p m Tuesday, Feb ruary 23 Fied A Hughes, Penn State Farm Management Exten sion,' will speak on “Economics ! of Types’of Silos and Silage for Cattle Feeders ” Lester Burdette will speak on “Propei Equip ment for cattle Feeder ” Max Smith, Lancaster County agricultural agent, urged live-a slock farmers to take the oppor- ; tumty to get more information ' on, livestock production " Our speakers will present many prac tical suggestions that should be : a help to you,” Smith said. V- v • - nt * . t - Vttu v ,m Lancaster Farming. Saturday. February 13, 1971 and sell the commodity, there is no salvation ” Mitchell says, however, that it won t be easy to get another brand of egg into the store to compete with the store’s own brand It will be necessary to by-pass the store buyer and go to top management The buyer is only oriented to buy according to price and often is not awaie of modern merchan dising techniques or consumei preferences, he explained The success of the brand pio gram will depend on getting the stole to use better displays and better advei Using techni ques It wall be necessary to Urges Biand Program emphasize positive aspects of the food value of the egg. such as the egg’s high protein value, rather than letting negative publicity on such issues as clio lestrol dominate the public’s information about the egg, he noted But these extra things, bet ter adveitising and display aie not possible as long as the egg mdusti y continues to sell ' a commodity ” There simply isn’t enough money for the extras under the commodity approach The \ alue of the brand egg pro gram is that it provides a highei price which can allow extra money to accomplish these ex tras, Mitchell said He also said the responsibili ty for such a progiam lies with the marketers and not the pro ducers He said he’s convinced the brand egg program is “here to stay and we can do the job ” Birth Comments - The third speakei'on the Brand Egg program was Kermit Birth, Penn State poultry marketing specialist Birth emphasized that the success of the brand egg program will hinge on supplying eggs of uniform qua lity 52 weeks ( a year “If we don’t have something inside-the package so that the consumer will be willing to buy week al ter week, we Have nothing ” Noting that the mortality of new products is very high, and v a £ Continued on Page 6) Earl Hess Mel Mitchell, on the left, Victor F. Weaver* Inc., sales manager, chats with Kermit Birth, Penn State poultry marketing specialist, after the two men spoke to local poultrymen Thursday night on the brand egg-program. Harrisburg Meeting Set To ReviewU.S. Egg Act The new Pennsylvania Secre tary of Agucultuie James A McHale, has called a public meeting for 11 am. Thiusday. March 11 to gne Pen ns \ Ivama egg producers, packeis. and pio cessois a fusthand oppoitumty to learn how the new Federal Egg Products Inspection Act will apply to them At the meeting in Room 309, Agnculture Building, Hairis burg, repiesentatnes of the U S Department of Agncultuie will be on hand to discuss re quirements of the Act and how they will be activated The men will also be available foi questions Donald 0 Cunhion, acting director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Markets urged egg produceis. packers and pioces soi s to attend the meeting ‘ You will get the facts in time to make whatever adjustments may be necessary in your opeiations We believe you will find the meeting well worth your time and trouble ” Piovisions of the new Fedeial Egg Products Inspection Act dealing with egg products be come effective June 30 of this year Provisions dealing with shell eggs take effect June 30, 1972 Swine Meeting Slated A meeting on swine manage ment and the swine industry outlook will be held at the Faim and Home Center at 7 30 pm. Monday. Speakers and their subjects are as follows Louis Moore, Penn State extension economist, ‘"Hog Outlook and Swine Fu- hires”; Dwight Younkm, Penn State livestock specialist, '‘Man- aging the Swine Herd.” $2.00 Per Year Farm Calendar Saturday, February 13 State Grange regional Institute Gieensbuig 'Sunday, FeOnrary 15 Swine Management Meeting* Farm and Home Center' Tuesdaj, February 16 130 pm Celeiy Growers Meeting, Jaj Kodecker Cel ei\ Farm, East Petersburg. 7 30 p m—Cattle Feeder’s Meet ing, Farm-and Home Center, 7 30 p m —Ephrata Young Farm, ers Monthly Meeting on An* nnal Health, Vocational Agriculture Department, Ephrata Area High School. 730 pm —Farm and Home Foundation board of direo* tors, Faim and Home Cem Gaulen Spot Young Farmers, Farm Records meeting, Vo cational Agriculture Depart ment, Garden Spot Higi School Wednesday, February 17/ 930 a.m —3 p m —Southeastern Pennsylvania Plant and Pesl) Seminal, Holiday Inn. King ot Piussia, Febiuary 17 and 18 7 30 p m —Adult Horse Science meeting, Metropolitan Edi* son Auditoi mm, Reading. 8 pm—4-H Club Skating Party* Rock> Springs Park Thursday, February 18 10 am —Chestei County Dairy Da.v, Sadsbury ville Fme Hall, Sadsburyville , , 10 am —8 pm —Turkey meet ing sponsored by the Penn sylvania Poultry Federation and NEPPCO Turkey Divi sion, Tread wav ' Inn, Leb anon Chestei County Livestock Day,! 10 a ni, swine, Zmn s Diner, Thouidale, 730 pm.„ ibeef 4-H svyine. Central Chester County Vo-Tecb School. , - (Continued on Page f-i