,o—Lancaster Farming. Saturda:
1
On Egg Busts and the Future
For about the past year and a half, egg
producers have been trying to weather the
storm.
There have been brief rises in the egg
market, but these have been moments of
temporary relief when the farmer had a
chance to make a few bucks or simply
minimize his losses But overall, these 18
months have spelled serious losses for
most egg producers
As we predicted and warned in the
spring of 1970, the industry was beginning
one of its longest and most disastrous
busts
At first, there was hope that voluntary
programs by the industry to cut production
would be successful But as many m
dustrymen predicted and their
predictions had the element of self
fulfillment the egg industry is not made
up of the type of people who voluntarily
police themselves
Now, a bill has been introduced in both
the House and Senate in Washington to
allow the industry to have a mandatory
fowl reduction program whenever the
industry gets in a depressed condition.
This bill has considerable support within
the poultry industry
But whatever happens along these lines,
it would appear that it would be several
weeks or even months before it could be
adopted and implemented to the degree to
allow relief for poultrymen
As we see it, more promising develop
ments are already occurring in the natural
course of events As usual, in an egg bust, it
simply goes on until the weakest producers
find they can no longer afford to subsidize
the consumer
In particular, we're referring to USDA
figures which show some of the sharpest
declines in many months in egg type chick
hatch
When life runs smoothly, changes are
gradual, and are usually accepted easily
Abrupt changes, on the other hand, are
often difficult to adjust to
The person who fails or refuses to face
the reality of passing years may find
himself with an abrupt change of role when
he reaches retirement age, points out
James Van Horn, Penn State University
Extension family life specialist
Much unhappiness and frustration might
be avoided if people could accept the idea
that the aging process can’t be altered with
toupees, hair dye, wrinkle creams, vitality
medicines, or vain wishes Observation of
nature will remind you that people really
do “fade as a leaf."
You can’t prevent fading, you can’t
Just a note to the guys. If she asks why
you’re not wearing your ring anymore, just
tell her it’s dangerous
Honest, we’re not kiddin’
When we first heard about it, we thought
LANCASTER FARMING
Lancaster County’s Own Farm Week!)
P. 0. Box 266 - Lititz, Pa. 17543
Office; 22 E. Main St., Lititz, Pa. 17543
Phone: Lancaster 394-3047 or Lititz 626-2191
Robert G. Campbell, Advertising Directoi
Zane Wilson, Managing Editor
Subscription price: $2 per year in Lancastei
County: $3 elsewhere
Established November 4,1955
Published every Saturday by Lancastei
Farming, Lititz, Pa.
Second Class Postage paid at Lititz, Pa
17543.
Member of Newspaper Farm Editors Assn.
Pa. Newspaper Publishers Association, and
National Newspaper Association
\ December 4. 1971
On Fading Away
Rings Are
Noteworthy among these figures were
the following: a 30 per cent drop in
California chick hatch, a 33 per cent drop
in Georgia chick hatch, and a 38 per cent
drop in Florida chick hatch for October.
Drops of this nature a year and a half ago
in these areas would have saved the
poultry industry hundreds of millions of
dollars The fact that they’re coming now
simply points out that a large share of the
hundreds of millions of dollars were lost :n
these areas and that the losses are now so
great that producers in California, Georgia
and Florida are forced to cut back. It’s a
brutal system for correcting an egg bust.
The question facing the industry is
whether it wants the alternative of a
government supervised slaughter
program
The only serious objection we can find to
the government approach is that it
penalizes all areas equally for the ex
treme excesses of areas such as
California, Georgia and Florida. The
argument within the industry has been
that once a bust occurs, it does no good to
access blame, because everyone suffers.
But under the present system, whenever
a region expands too fast to secure its
markets, eventually causing a bust, this
area suffers most during the bust. This is
true because the weakest seller deter
mines the market; when eggs are in over
supply, the seller without a secure market
is forced to take what he can get, causing
the market bust, but also ruining himself.
If the severe penalties for causing busts
are removed, and every producer has to
cut back equally to make room for those
who continue to expand, what’s to stop
uncontrolled expansion and continual low
egg prices in the future 7
stop having birthdays. But you can, by
thought and planning, make the transition
from work to retirement m a gracious,
smooth way, says Van Horn.
Interest, hobbies, friends—these are
things that do not end at any age Begin
now to cultivate these, so they will be
flourishing when you retire. Make financial
plans, and face the possibility of increasing
costs for health problems.
Finally, face the fact that there is a
definite time at which your work days will
be over. While it is true that for many
people work potential lasts longer than age
65, nine out of 10 companies have com
pulsory retirement then Rather than
worry about forced retirement, accept it.
And plan constructive use of the time
you will have after your work days are over.
Dangerous?
somebody was puttin’ us on, but
since been assured, and by some women
who don’t have anything to gam from their
assurances, that wedding rings really are
dangerous.
It seems that the rings are Subject to
getting caught When they get caught, at
the wrong time and place, the guy can lose
his finger
It seems that the rings are particularly
dangerous around moving equipment and
on jobs requiring strenuous physical ac
tivity. Which we think describes the far
mer’s work very well.
Figures we got show that the ring finger
is amputated two to three times more
frequently than any other finger. And it’s
all because of the ring, we’re told.
We still find it a little difficult to accept
this excuse We’ve heard so many others.
NOW IS
THE TIME..
By Max Smith
Lancaster County Agent
To Beware of Miracle Chemicals
Farmers are urged to be
cautious about buying products
which salesmen claim will make
crops grow faster, larger, and
resist disease or insects, just to
mention a few of the likely
claims. Everyone should be more
cautious when the salesman is a
complete stranger. To the best of
our knowledge there are no
miracle substances which can be
used in the production of
agricultural crops and animals.
If a farmer is approached by such
a salesman, it is essential to find
out if the product has ever been
researched by some reliable
research concern or station, and
be sure to get the name and
address of such a concern. Do not
accept testimonials from far
mers, who are usually from
another part of the country, as
substitutes for research data.
First, be careful when buying
from strangers, and secondly, be
careful about buying miracle
materials.
To Learn More About Pollution
The control of air and water
pollution is a very timely subject
and one in which everyone is
interested to some degree.
Farmers, and especially
livestock and poultry producers,
must become knowledgable
about all phases of pollution in
order to avoid serious trouble.
Many answers are yet to come,
but many regulations are on the
way. We urge all farmers to
accept every opportunity of
learning more about pollution
and what can be done to prevent
it.
To Check Feeding Programs
Some dairymen are ex-
THE GOOD NEWS
Lesson for December 5,1971
Badcaraunrf Scripture Luk* 1 1-4, Acts
I 1-5
The writers and editors of the
various books of our Bible made
very few personal references.
Often they do not even identify
who they are. Usually they do not
tell us what purpose motivated,
although sometimes this is quite
evident An excep
tion to the rule is
the writer of the
books of Luke and
Acts (whom we
will call Luke).
Fortunately for
those of us who
are curious about
such things, he
» . gives us at least a
Rev. Althouse gh m pse into his
own purpose
“Many have undertaken . "
For one thing, he tells us that
there have been “many” who
have attempted to tell the story
of Jesus and the early church He
was referring, not only to the
books we know as Matthew, Mark,
and John, but a number of other
“gospels” and books of “acts ” It
may come as a surprise to Christ
ians today to learn that there
were many writings to choose
from when the New Testament
was assembled. Those who de
cided what would be included in
the New Testament believe that
they were preserving for the
church the best, most author-
periencing a serious drop in milk
production this fall; this problem
can be Kept to a minimum and
corrected if feeding programs
are adjusted to current forage
rations. During the summer
months, when lush pasture is
available, many dairymen
reduce the protein content of the
grain and reduce the amount fed.
When the winter season ap
proaches and corn silage
becomes on of the main forage
crops, then protein levels must be
increased. Also, grain rations
must be increased to meet the
production needs of each cow.
The quality of the hay and silage
determines the protein content of
the grain ration. This may be
known by forage testing the
roughages, including a mineral
analysis. We urge all dairymen to
use forage testing in order to
determine the proper grain
ration. Also, a Special Circular
from our office, “Concentrated
Mixtures for Dairy Cattle” is
very helpful. Forage testing
should not cost a dairyman
money, it should pay him well.
To Protect Farm Machinery
The winter season is at hand
and most farm machinery should
be under roof until next spring.
Considering the great investment
m farm machinery, and the high
cost of repairs and replacement,
good management dictates that
machinery should be kept out of
the weather most of the time.
Working parts should be greased
and needed repairs checked
bfefore next spring. The storing of
farm machinery outside is poor
business at any time.
itative accounts—though not the
only ones.
Secondly, it is obvious that
Luke did not personally observe
all that he wrote about, but col
lected his information from dif
ferent sources This he did, not
simply so he could write a biog
raphy of Jesus, but so that he
might put together an account of
that which he believed was essen
tial to convey the “good news” of
Jesus Christ Often, Christians
forget that the gospels were not
intended to be biographies—the
gospel writers were not interested
in biographies—but evangelistic
tracts to challenge and win con
verts to Jesus Christ.
“He presented Himself
alive
Thus the gospels are unlike
biographies in that biographies
are concerned primarily with his
tory. But Luke is not writing
about a “great man” who lived
and died some time ago, but
about a living Lord whose story
has not ended but is continuing
in the life of the Church. Luke’s
book is a story that is open
ended, it is still going on, new
chapters are still being written.
Luke also had another purpose
in writing his account of the life
and ministry of Jesus and his
Church he wanted people to see
the reality of Christ in relation to
their own lives and situations
Luke does not tell us everything
Jesus did, but he tells us many of
the acts and words of Jesus that
had meaning, not only for the
people of his own day, but ours
as well.
Luke experienced the glory of
the “good news” of Jesus Christ,
but that experience was so com
pelling that he had to pass it on
However we do it, that is the chal
lenge that comes to each of us.
(Basod on outlines copyrighted by tho
Division of Christian Education/ National
Council of tho Churchos of Christ in tho U S.A.
Koloasod by Community frill Sorvico.)