Ord Questions Pa. Dept, of Ag
Concern was expressed this
week by an agricultural
organization leader about the
present program trends of the
Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture, and its “people
oriented” programs which do not
include farmers.
Charles R. Ord, administrative
secretary of the Pennsylvania
Farmers’ Association (PFA)
made these observations in his
annual report at the farm group’s
21st convention being held at the
Penn Harris Motor Inn.
“We are concerned with the
direction the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture is
taking,” Ord told the voting
delegate session this morning.
“No longer do we hear
discussions about agricultural
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HALLER ELECTRIC, INC.
problems; research needed to fill
future needs; and plans to meet
agricultural responsibilities five,
seven or ten years hence.
“Instead we are told the
Department is tuned to ‘people
oriented’ programs, which is not
bad if the people oriented
programs include farmers but
they do not. The farmer is not
among them,” Ord stated.
Taking issue with some of the
recent spending of department
funds to institute rural hospital
care, the farm leader stated that
PFA was not against welfare,
hospitalization and health
programs for rural ereas.
He did question the need for
duplication of effort by two
government departments:
“Should PFA be for duplication
Friday, November 19th 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
PINE VIEW ACRES
Between New Danville and Conestoga On the New Danville Pike
DENVER, PA.
WEST WILLOW
FARMERS ASSOCIATION
v
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Pine View Acres —Owned and Operated by
JOHN AND LARRY HESS
of welfare department efforts by
the Department of Agriculture?
Will the Agriculture Department
be able to buy more facilities,
more patient care, produce more
jobs and job opportunities with
your tax dollar than the
designated department
legislatively assigned this
responsibility?”
Ord continued, “Ask your city
cousin what he knows about
agriculture and nine out of ten
will answer NOT MUCH, except
that farmers have it made with
all those subsidy checks rolling
in!” the PFA executive head
asserted. “The addition of
non’farm welfare program to the
Agriculture Department budget
will eventually be added to the
enormous burden of subsidies
AGRI-INC.
Designers and Builders
of systems,
EPHRATA, PA.
already charged to us but not
received by farmers.
“To date we see little evidence
that problems such as meat in
spection are being given priority
consideration. Over the past
three years Pennsylvania has
reduced its local slaughter
operations and route delivery
systems, many of which were
farmer owned and operated,
from more than 1,100 to less than
600,” Ord said.
“Adding to the confusion
created by the new direction
coming from the department, is
its open disdain for the College of
Agriculture of Pennsylvania
State University
“Our experience indicates that
while we don’t always agree with
& JUGGING OPERATION
MILLER DAIRY EQUIPMENT
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 13,1971
ODERN DAIRY
PP&L
QUARRYVILLE, PA.
Trends
educators or some of their ideas
as how best to solve an
operational problem, we do find
they have a useful and in fact
necessary function to perform.
We fear the new direction does
not recognize the importance of
PSU’s College of Agriculture as it
relates to the Department’s
responsibility to the agricultural
community,” concluded Ord.
Farm News Brief
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11 pounds of hay per day for 58
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