Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Erb
A Farming Couple Discuss the Econom
by: Melissa Piper
Like many other young
farmers, Gerald Erb of Mt.
Joy Rl, has been concerned
with the state of the economy
and what effect it will have
on the farmers as well as the
average consumer. Although
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he has his own convictions,
Erb never voiced his opinion
until last week when he in
vited this reporter to his
dairy farm where he and his
wife Judy expressed how
they as a young farming
couple view the problem of
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the economy and its effect on
their lives.
Gerald Erb, purchased his
first dairy animals at the age
of 14 with money he had
earned selling asparagus
door to door for his family.
Following his graduation
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For Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Erb, Mt. requires attention if their dairy
Joy RDI, adding up the bills hasn’t operation is to continue efficiently,
been an easy job but one that
from high school, Erb bought
a farm that belonged to his
parents and went into the
dairy business hoping it
would be successful enough
to support his wife and later
his children also.
Since that time, Erb has
seen many changes in the
economy and discussed the
problems in a definite
manner.
“I feel, man’s greed is the
cause of world wide in
flation. Man has only himself
to fear. Love thy neighbor as
thyself has been one of our
failures as a Christian
nation.”
One specific incident that
bothered Erb was the Ad
ministration’s act of ex
porting grain m 1973.
“In 1973 the American
dollar fell to an all time low
on the world market so the
administration exported
grain at a world record in
order to improve the balance
of payment and inflate the
dollar,” he commented.
“In return, the poor of this
country paid the bill of
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Feb. 15,1975
payment by higher food
costs.”
Erb went on to explain
what inflation means to the
farmer.
“Inflation for the farmer is
fuel that has doubled, in
terest rates going from W 2
percent to 10% percent,
utilities and seed that has
doubled, fertilizer that has
tripled and baler twine that
has gone from $7.-$34. in just
one season.”
“When profits that would
normally be put back in as
operating capital cannot be
had, the farmer must cut
costs and when you cut costs,
production is cut, bringing
higher prices to the con
sumer.”
The Erbs feel that most
consumers just don’t really
understand the economic
turmoil present and future of
agriculture.
“Most consumers blame
the farmer’s for the high cost
of food but do not realize that
the middlemen often drive
up costs as well as the
consumer wants.”
Mrs. Erb stated her point
of view concerning con
sumer demands by ex
plaining where some of the
cost problems ly hidden.
“Before consumers
complain about the cost of
food, they should take a look
at what they are buying.”
“Many people prefer to
spend most of their time out
of the kitchen and thus buy
specially pepared food that
takes short time periods to
fix.”
“These special foods, like
frozen dinners do cost more,
not for the food but the
convenience.”
The Erbs feel it would be
more logical for consumers
to buy directly from the
farmer and avoid the cost of
the middlemen and
wholesalers.
“Consumers would find
costs less if they bought
directly from the farmer,
such as butchered beef and
vegetables ”
“If more consumers
bought in this manner, the
supermarkets and the
wholesalers would have to
keep their prices com
petitive.”
Although the idea seems
like a good and intelligent
step against high food prices,
the Erbs agreed that most
consumers still want con-
veniences
What can be done to
change their attitudes? The
Erbs feel that people will
soon have to begin
reevaluatmg the important
things in life.
“Food will soon have to
come before two cars and
luxuries.”
“Most farm families can’t
afford luxuries urban
dwellers seem to have, yet
they have gotten along
before and will continue to.”
Running their dairy
operation as efficiently as
possible for profit returns,
has been the goal of the
Erb’s although it has not
always been as helpful as it
could be.
Like many other dairy
farmers, Erb was caught up
m the dilemna of assessment
when the Le-Hi co-op, where
he was selling his milk,
collapsed, leaving him with a
deficit in profits.
And although he is now
guaranteed $7.80 per hun
dredweight for his Order 4
milk products, Erb still
makes just enough with his
dairy herd.
“I couldn’t live on just my
milk check,” Erb admitted,
and has recently begun other
enterprises to supplement
the dairy operation.
Selling butchered beef,
grain and firewood has
helped although Erb still
believes given the right
conditions and help he could
make money from just the
dairy enterprise.
Why then has Gerald Erb
and many other young
farmers continued their
work on the land 9 Erb
described it in this manner.
“I like farming, it has been
a way of life in my family for
many generations.”
“It makes you feel
something to know that your
family has been tied to the
land making it work to
support you and your
family.”
“Maybe I’m not making
financial gains on paper by
dairy farming, but I have
something that few others
could ever appreciate ”
Erb added that hv feels a
need to produce as much on
Ins land as he can so that
others might benefit from it.
‘We should be willing,”
Erb explained “to put our
talents to work rather than
under a bushel ”
15