Voi. 18 No. 41
FARM TRENDS
A summary of market
and commodity news
for the past week
Dairymen Meet in Missouri
Clayton, Missouri, was the site this week for a public
hearing to review levels of Class 1 milk prices paid to far
mers in all federal milk marketing orders. Local dairy in
terests were represented at the meeting by Eastern and
Interstate milk cooperatives.
Among the proposals submitted at the hearing were those
which would;
- Provide for increases in Class I order prices, which
presently are below the levels of market prices prevailing in
most areas of the country.
- Establish monthly Class I prices based upon prices paid
for manufacturing grade milk in Minnesota and Wisconsin
during the immediately preceding month, rather than the
second preceding month as at present.
- Provide for a basic formula minimum, or floor, for the fall
and winter months based on anticipated market price levels.
The hearing also heard evidence concerning the possible
impact on market price levels of premium prices being paid
above order prices, in conjunction with any amendments
which might result from the hearing.
Dr. Edward E. Hand, economist for Interstate, told the
hearing. "The fluid milk industry is in a crisis stage in the
Northeast. Producer Class I and resulting blend prices are
too low to cover the cost of production and the outlook is
demoralizing. This situation has prevailed for about one year
and corrective action must be taken by increasing and
stablizing Class I prices throughout this production year and
through June, 1974.”
Hand went on to point out that the USDA’s July issue of
“Agriculture Prices” contained only two items that did not
increase in price. These were five h.p. gas engines and anti
freeze. Compared to last year, Pennsylvania prices for dairy
inputs registered awesome increases, according to Hand’s
figures.
For example, the October 15, 1972, price for 41 pet. cot
tonseed meal in the Commonwealth was $6.40-cwt. The July
15,1973, price was $12.00. Other price comparisons on the
Tom Zartman, right, won top honors in the
State Hay Show held Wednesday in Her
shey during Ag Progress Days. He is shown
by Dick Wanner
v Continued On Page 30)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 1. 1973
Record Crowds, Exhibitors , Heat . . .
A crowd of some 40,000 people
flocked to Hershey this week for
the 1973 Pennsylvania Ag
Progress Days held Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday. The
record number of visitors viewed
the record number of 120 com
mercial exhibitors in record
breaking temperatures that
hovered around the 100-degree
mark for the entire three days.
The three-day show climaxed
more than a year of planning.
Max Smith, Lancaster County
agricultural agent and field days
chairman said, “The show was
the most successful outdoor
agricultural event ever held in
Central 'Pennsylvania.” Smith
attributed that success to a lot of
hard work on the part of volun
teers, and excellent facilities at
the Milton Hershey School
Farms.
Field equipment demon
strations were perhaps the best
attended activities at the show.
Also on view were a family living
program, environmental im
provement projects, and
livestock and dairy demon
strations. A steady stream of
buses shuttled visitors from the
Ag Progress Days site to
Founders Hall at the Milton
Hershey School and to one of the
school’s dairy barns.
One of the most talked about
features of this year’s show was a
methane gas generator which
uses cow manure to produce fuel.
It was developed by Lebanon
County extension agents.
A specially-designed digester is
filled with an equal mixture of
being congratulated by Penn State’s Dr.
John Baylor, one of nation’s best-known
forage experts.
Ag Progress Days
Is “Biggest Ever”
cow manure and water. An
electric heating element is used
to heat the water to 90 degrees.
The gas produced is about 65
percent methane which can be
used for heating, lighting, or fuel
for farm machinery.
Although most U. S. resear
chers claim the economics of
converting agricultural wastes
into usable fuel at present is
marginal, many professionals
believe cheaper conversion
methods can be found.
. Warren Schmuck, Peach Bottom RD2, shown here with his
Brown Swiss cow which took breed champion honors at
Tuesday’s Southcentral District 4-H Show in Harrisburg.
4-H & FFA Dairy
Shows in Harrisburg
Area farm folk were kept busy
this week, especially if they tried
to take in Ag Progress Days at
Hershey along with the South
central District 4-H Dairy Show
on Tuesday and the Southeastern
Regional FFA District Dairy
Show on Wednesday. Both dairy
shows were held in the Farm
Show Arena in Harrisburg.
On Tuesday, two hundred and
fourteen animals were exhibited
by 176 4-H club members from
Farm Calendar
Monday, September a
Labor Day.
Tuesday, September 4
Lancaster County Farmers
Association meeting, Farm
and Home Center.
Wednesday, Septembers
7:30 pm. - Lancaster County
Conservation District
meeting, Farm and Home
Center.
8 p.m -- Red Rose 4-H Beef and
(Continued On Page 4)
$2.00 Per Yea.
“The potential for producing
methane from agricultural
wastes is enormous,” said Dr.
Donald A. Harter, Extension
resource development agent at
The Pennsylvania State
University.
He added that organic waste
from 100,000 cattle has the
potential of supplying the natural
gas needs of 30,000 people. In the
state, 700,000 milk cows alone
produce an estimated 1,75 million
(Continued On Page 8)
seven Southcentral Pennsylvania
counties including Adams,
Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin,
Lancaster, Lebanon and York.
Included in the animals exhibited
were 117 Holsteins, 14 Brown
Swiss, eight Milking Shorthorns,
16 Jerseys, 21 Ayrshire and 38
Guernseys. Lebanon County had
26 4-H animals on exhibit.
Winners, by breed, were:
Brown Swiss
Junior champion, Katherine
Feidt, Millersburg, Dauphin Co.;
junior reserve, Paul H. Myers,
111, Thomasville RDI, York Co.;
(Continued On Page 30)
In This Issue . . .
Markets 2-4
Sale Register 34
Farmers Almanac 6
Classified Ads 36-39
Editorials 10
Homestead Notes 22
Berks Co. FFA
Judging Contest 19
Delp Retires 31