VOL. 16 NO. 41
Blight Reported Relatively Stable
Nationally, But Spreads In the East
Generally dry weather has slow
ed the development and spread
of Southern Corn Leaf Blight
(SCLB) in the Western Corn
Belt, the National Federal-State
Information Center on Corn
Blight reported last week Only
slight increases in infection were
reported in Nebraska, Minne
sota, lowa, South Dakota, Mis
souri, Kansas, and Michigan
Some increase in seventy of
the disease was also reported in
Eastern Illinois, in Southwestern
and Northern Indiana, and
Northwestern Ohio. SCLB also
showed a slight increase in
spread in West Virginia and Vir
ginia.
Plant pathologists in Pennsyl
vania, Maryland, Delaware, and
New Jersey reported rapid
spread with severe infection oc
curring in susceptible varieties
of corn. Some increase in husk,
ear, and stalk infecion was re
ported in nearly all corn produc
ing states in the Midwest and
East.
- In states where corn harvest
has already begun, farmers re-
dififculty.;:
blends of ; resistant and suscep
tible corn. The resistant varie
ties are still fairly green and con
. tain a relatively high' percentage
of moisture. Susceptible varieties
are dry and stalks and ears tend
to break off, resulting in sub
stantial harvest loss in some
cases. Where ear and cob infec
tion is severe, the ears tend to
shatter, often resulting in severe
grain loss.
In some Eastern states, infect
ed fields are being harvested'for
silage earlier than normal be
cause of severe infection.
.The disease was reported for
the first time in Massachusetts,
increasing to 33 the total number
of States now reporting SCLB.
Following is a State-by-State
summary of the current blight
situation:
Illinois: Only slight increase in
husk and stalk infection, with
ear infection decreasing as crop
matures and husks dry out. Most
extensive damage overall has oc
curred in Eastern and East Cen
tral areas of the State.
Iowa: Disease development at
a virtual standstill, with only a
very slight increase in stalk and
husk infection. Very little dis
ease penetration through husks
to kernels.
Indiana: Stalk, husk, and ear
Osborne Named State Milk Marketer: Referendum Sought m February
Edison W. Osborne, Peach
Bottom dairy farmer, has been
named milk marketing specialist
for the Pennsylvania Department
cf Agriculture.
Osborne’s recent appointment
coincides with a proposed milk
referendum in February. The
referendum could result in a
statewide five-cent-per-100-pound
check-off for milk promotion pur
poses by next April.
Governor Milton Shapp Tuesday
signed legislation passed recently
by the legislature amending the
Agricultural Commodities Act of
1968. The 1968 Act made it pos
sible for check-off of funds for
promotion of commodities.
infection developing quite rapid
ly in Southwestern part of the
State Some increase in infection
in Eastern and Northern coun
ties.
Nebraska Very little develop
ment of SCLB during the past
week Some husk and ear in
fection in lowland fields near
the Missouri River Ear and
stalk infection still minor
Minnesota Overall level of in
fection still very low
Ohio Slight increase in infec
tion levels in Southern and
Southwestern Ohio, with some
severely infected pockets occur
ring in the Northwestern part of
the State
Missouri: Disease spreading
slightly, but has slowed during
the past week Husk infection
present, but spread to kernels
and cob has slowed
Wisconsin - Some severe infec
tion in lowland fields. Disease
generally confined to lower half
of plant leaves, but some infec
tion is occurring on husks with
penetration to kernels.
South Dakota - Slight increase
ire the level of infection, primar-.-
ily in irrigated areas. Some husk
and ear infection.
Michigan: No appreciable in
crease in blight. Minor stalk and
husk infection occurring in
Southern tier of counties. Some
corn in Central part of the State
has been cut for silage or aband
oned due to severe drought dam
age.
Kentucky. Blight has destroy
ed some fields of susceptible
corn in lowland and river bottom
areas. However, blight-suscep
tible varieties make up only a
small percentage of the total
crop.
West Virginia: Slight increase
in level of SCLB, with some in
fection of leaf sheath and outer
layers of the husk.
Virginia: Some blight spread
in Western part of the State.
Heaviest infection occurring in
Eastern counties, with some se
verely infected fields. Some corn
now being haorvested for grain.
New York: Blight reported in
16 counties, with infection light
and spotty. Slight spread occur
ring.
Pennsylvania: Disease spread
ing rapidly, with many fields in
Southeastern part of the State
completely dead Virtually all sus-
(Continued on Page 4)
Under the amendments now in
effect, the necessary vote to ap
prove a check-off has been low
ered from two-thirds to a simple
majority and cooperatives have
been given the authority for
“representative” voting or
“block” voting of their members.
The 20-member Market De
velopment Committee, chaired
by Jack Kooker, of the Berks
Comity Dairy Farmers Assn., has
already requested the Secretary
cf Agriculture, James McHale,
to hold a milk referendum to al
low farmers to vote for a five
cent check-off. If the check-off
is approved, the market commit
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 4,1971
Peach, Apple Market
Office Opened by USDA
A federal-state peach and ap
pie seasonal market news office
was opened in Martmsburg
W Va, on July 28 by the U S
Department of Agriculture’s Con
sumer and Marketing Service.
H B Buchanan, the veteran
market news reporter who heads
this office, will issue a daily
market report until the end of
April, 1972
The report includes peach and
apple shipping point prices for
the Appalachian District (Vir
ginia, eastern West Virginia,
western Maryland, and southern
Pennsylvania), as well as supply
and terminal market infot rela
tion
Growers, dealers, and others
who need the report can be*
placed on the mailing list by con
tacting H B Buchanan, Market
News Office, C&MS, P 0 Box
1112, Martmsburg, W Va 25401
Peach and apple mfoi relation is
also available by telephone
Buchanan’s two telephone num
bers are (304) 267-7375 and
(304) 267-8606.
In This Issue
Classified 25, 26, 27
Editorial Page 10
4-H News 15
4-H Chester Co. 14, 22
Market Reports 2,3, 4
Women’s News 19, 20
See special feature on page 6
on the new Quarryville health
center slated to open October 1.
Also, photos of tobacco harvest
on page 9 and feature on local
FFA member receiving the
American Farmer Degree on
page 18.
Page 1 includes story on plans
for a statewide milk referen
dum.
Farm Calendar
Monday, September 6
Labor Day.
Friday, September 10
7 p.m. Pennsylvania Egg
Marketing Association
meeting, Sheraton-Conesto
ga Inn, Lancaster.
Dairy Banquet Slated
The countywide dairy ban
quet has been scheduled No
vember 5 at the Farm and
Home Center. Banquet details
are being finalized.
tee would also, in cooperation
with the Secretary of Agricul
ture, determine how to spend
the money which is raised by the
check-off.
A hearing is expected October
28 at Harrisburg to officially de
termine if a milk referendum is
needed A similar hearing was
held in Albany last week on a
similarly proposed referendum in
New York
If a referendum is found to be
reeded, it is expected to be held
in mid-February. If approved
by farmers, it would probably go
into effect about the first of
April, Osborne explained
Osborne noted that many local
The new Pennsylvania Poultry Queten, Joy Eileen
Nickerle, Montgomery County, is shown being crowned last
Saturday evening at Hershey Park by outgoing Poultry Queen
Betsy Jane Ellsworth. Miss Nickerle, the daughter of an egg
producer, is a co-ed at King’s College, New York. Other con
testants were; Linda Kay Hess, Lancaster County, Susan Jane
Spicer, Sue Ann Weiss, Carol Schlosnagle, Bo Ann Myers, and
Joann Elder.
Pork Cookout King Contest Slated
The annual Lancaster County
Pork Cookout King contest has
been scheduled for 7:15 p.m
Thursday, September 23 at Tent
City, Ephrata Fair.
Entry deadline is September
18 through Robert Armstrong,
Drumore RDI 17518, or phone
(717) 548-2285.
The event is sponsored by the
Lancaster County Swine Pro
ducers Association Judges are
Mrs Doris Thomas, Lancaster
County Extension home econo
mist, and Robert Malick,
WGAL-TV.
dairy groups are already con
tributing five cents for milk
promotion
If the referendum is adopted,
this would make everybody con
tribute “instead of a few,” he
said.
Osborne said that about $750,-
000 per year is raised for pro
motion in Pennsylvania under
the present voluntary program
If a referendum is approved, the
total would reach about $3,400,-
000 a year, he said.
Osborne explained that study
of milk market conditions indi
cates that the five-cent rate
would be sufficient to have an
impact on milk marketing He
$2.00 Per Year
The rules are the same as last
year. The contestant must be
a male over 12 years old, a resi
dent of Pennsylvania, use a
Pennsylvania quality product,
show originality in selection of
products used, and prepare a
dish with appetite appeal.
Winners go on to the state
contest. The contestant must
furnish his own equipment
and pork, along with a typed
and printed recipe. Entries
must be ready for judging by
7 15 p m.
noted that the voluntary pro
grams in most of the neighboring
states also are approximately at
this rate
Osborne indicates that his new
position as milk marketing spe
cialist will involve working close
ly with dairy organizations
throughout the state in promot
ing the referendum. He will also
work closely with the Market
Development Committee
While Osborne presently is the
only state employe working ex
clusively with milk marketing,
he will work with and be assist
ed by others in the state market
development section under Don
ald Cunnion