PFA Tells Newsmen Of Farmers’ Plight “Farmers are the first to suffer from Inflation,” a farm leader told a news conference in Pittsburg last Friday. “A new or additional wave of inflation will make it virtually impossible for many farmers to continue their farming operations.” Charles R. Ord, ad ministrative secretary of the Pennsylvania Farmers’ Association (PFA), made this prediction based on the increased costs farmers are forced to pay for production items they use in growing food and fiber. PFA is a general farm organization with more than 19,000 family members and hais 52 county associations in the Commonwealth. It is also affiliated with the American Farm Bureau Federation. “Most farm costs are due and payable three to six months before the farmer receives payment for his products,” Ord said. “If loans are available to finanace this non-income period, currect interest rates are prohibitive considering the level of price the con sumers and politicans are willing to allow the farmer to receive. “Policies that promulgate uncontrolled inflation can and will eventually destory the value of our dollar,” the farm leads said. SOUTH BRANCH STOCKYARDS, INC. Moorefield, West Virginia 1975 FEEDER CATTLE & CALF SALES Friday, April 4 - 7:30 P.M. Friday, April 18 - 7:30 P.M. This might be the year to buy’em! Sales sponsored by. South Branch Stockyards, Inc. and West Virginia Dept, of Agriculture G. H. WOLGEMUTH & SONS 20th ANNIVERSARY ALL DAY SALE SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1975 9:30 A.M. Located: 4 miiesJWest of Manheim, Lancaster Co., PA. Take Hosier Rd. to Valley Rd.'Just North of Rt. 283 and 10 Min. from Lebanon- Lancaster Turnpike exchange. (Look for sale signs). TRACTORS - BALERS COMBINES - HARVESTERS Tractors of various size and model including Far malls, John Deere, Fords, Massey Ferguson, Oliver, Case and others, some with loaders and equipt. Lawn and Garden tractors. Balers and combines of various make, corn planters and pickers, drills, spreaders, wagons, including new running gears, mowers, rakes, conditioners, loaders, plows, and all ground working equipt. and the usual run of hardware, farm and dairy equipt. Anything for a large or small operation. COUSIN WITH DRY GOODS FARMERS & DEALERS Good clean equipment is in short supply, bring in your equipt. early if possible. Open to receive goods from 8 to 6 till sale day. NO GOODS received Sat. morning April 5 except by appointment. CLOSED SUNDAYS. - LUNCH AVAILABLE TERMS CASH YOU ARE INVITED —BUYER —SELLER — VISITOR. FOR INFORMATION CALL OR WRITE: C. H. WOLGEMUTH, Sole Manager Phone (717) 665-5664, Manheim, PA According to Ord, inflation has had many adverse ef fects on the next incomes of farmers; - Purchasing new equip ment at Inflated prices. - Paying the progressive federal income tax. - Increasing values of land have made it difficult for heirs to keep the farm going because of outdated federal estate and gist taxes. - Paying federal income tax on capital gains when farmers sell land, farm machinery and breeding livestock, when in many cases there may be no in crease in real wealth, but the tax must be paid because of inflated prices. - Threatening government price controls on farm products at either the raw or processed form creates chaos in the planning for farmers, or disaster in the marketplace when price and wage controls are imposed. Earlier in his statement Ord pointed out that food was not the leader as far as price increases were concerned in 1974. According to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress, the cost of government (taxes) jumped 25 percent in 1974; tran sportation, 14.3 percent; housing, 13.5 percent and food increased 11.9 percent. “I might add that 11.9 percent is one-tenth of one percent less than the overall inflation rate of 12 percent for 1974," Ord said. Turning his attention to imports and exports of farm products, Ord said, “Trade is a two-way street. The American farmers know and understand this principle. Farmers also know that their government, urged on by the consumerism drive for cheap food, is allowing food stuffs to be imported that would never pass quality and sanitary in spection regulations im posed on similar products produced in the United States. “Furthermore, many European countries sub sidize agriculture to give their farmers an unfair price edge in the U.S. market. “Our farmers are forced to pay higher prices for the production items because of government-fed inflation, and then the government hits them over the head with inferior and unhealthy subsidized dairy imports. “There are regulations on the books that deal fairly with this situation, but presently the regulatory agencies don’t seem to have the stomach to enforce the laws. “We have reemphasized our call for countervailing duties on subsidized, im ported dairy products, or any other agricultural commodity which is given an unfair competitive edge in our markets by government subsidies.” The farm leader blasted the Ford Administration and members of Congress who have called for “unlimited food production.” Making such a statement was described as having “the same disgraceful odor to it as the statement by some U.S. observers at the world food conference in Rome when they said the U.S. should commit one billion dollars of food stuffs to the world relief program. Both have odor of pure politics. Neither call is designed to help America out of its inflationary problem, lighten the load on the PENNSYLVANIA STALE HOLSTEIN SALES Thursday, April 17 213 Calves Born May 74 thru Jan. 75 ***A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE QUALITY AND VOLUME*** PRODUCTION - DAMS DAUGHTERS OF THESE GREAT SIRES SELL 12 Over 25 000 60 - 20.000 to 25.000 85 - 18.000 to 20.000 103 - 16.000 to 18.000 CLASSIFICATION - DAMS 12 - Excellent 109 - Very Good 93 - Good Plus High Quality In Volume SPECIAL RING-SIDE PHONE 717-234-7335 PENNSYLVANIA HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION <V*'4 * kVifc-fcAHaJn X. a I*X-XJUJU*<I ArX.afc. X- * «-*. Recipients of special awards during Chapter Star Green Hand (standing the Cedar Crest FFA Banquet held on from left) Richard Krall - Dekalb March 20included: (sittingfrom left) Award for Seniors and Dennis Glenn Bollinger - Chapter Star Brubaker - Chapter Star Farmer Agribusinessman; John Krall - Award. taxpayer, or help the American farmer find a market for his products. “The only thing womy with the so-called ‘full production’ approach is that it insures the ultimate destruction of the American agricultural industry - an industry that has proven to be the most productive in the history of mankind,” Ord stated. Three dairymen appeared at the news conference and explained that they were suffering from low milk prices and high input costs. Rex Smith, a dairyman from Washington County, said that because of high cost his “plans for expansion of the dairy operation have been delayed now for almost a full year. As with many other dairymen, our faith in the dairy industry at the present time is gradually weakening under these soaring costs.” Smith told the newsmen that fertilizer costs have increased 18 percent in one year (1973-74); liquid nitrogen, 44 percent; baler twine, 103 percent; new equipment, 22 to 25 percent; and equipment replacements parts, 32 to 37 FARM SHOW BUILDING, HARRISBURG, PA THURSDAY & FRIDAY, APRIL 17 & 18,1975 Depth Of Pedigree 839 BENNER PIKE, STATE COLLEGE, PA 16891 PHONE: 814-234-0364 percent Elder Vogal, a Beaver County dairyman, echoed some of the same type of skyrocketing costs figures, but pointed out that in January, 1974, he received $8.69 per hundredweight for his milk, but the price dropped to $8.02 per hun dredweight in January, 1975. “My sons 'want to be fanners, but with the prices like they are today, there is no way a young man can get started. At present, we are trying to keep one of our sons at home, but there isn’t much income for him. There is very little to offer by way of incentive to keep young people on our farms. “If some relief isn’t available in the very near future,” Vogel said, “many farmers, like myself, who Public Dairy Sale, Tuesday, April 1, 1975, 1 p.m. Located 2 mi. North of Klinesville and 4 mi. South of Kempton. Consists of: Dairy herd, including 28 Grade and 2 Purebred Holstein cows, 11 of which are first calf or springer heifers, 3 second calf and others of various ages. Milking equipment, including John Wood 400 gal. milk tank with 2 h.p. compressor; Surge rotary vacuum compressor; 3 Surge 40 lb. milking units; 21 milk cans. Sale for Lawson and Lillie Henninger. Conducted by Ralph W. Zettlemoyer Auction Co. Friday, April 18 109 Bred Heifers Due May thru September 40 - ROUND OAK RAG APPLE ELEVATION 24 - HARRISBURG GAY IDEAL 13 - CITATION R MAPLE 11 - PACLAMAR TRIUNE COMPLETE 8 PACLAMAR BOOTMAKER 6 MD-GAYWIND MERRY KING 6 WHIRLHILL KINGPIN A TWO DAY SALE WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE Popular U.S. Breeding Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 29,1975 35 - PENSTATE IVANHOE STAR 16 - PACLAMAR ASTRONAUT 11 PACLAMAR DOUBLE TRIUNE 9 - HILLTOP APOLLO IVANHOE 7 - TIDY BURKE TRANSMITTER 6 - VIGO CHARMCROSS 6 - WHITTIER FARM APOLLO ROCKET Real Foundation Breeding Stock tt *■* * i v -v w v * are already deep in debt, are going to be faced with the question ‘ls it worth struggling any longer? ’ Once you give up the land, whether to idleness or whatever, it’s a long road back.” Edwin Nehrig, an Indiana County dairyman, stated that production costs in the preceding 12 to 14 months have “spiraled upward at an alarming rate on his farm. “I agree with Rex and Elder,” he said. “It’s getting to the place where it’s not worth the time and effort to produce milk.” TIME-SAVER The average time saved by a dishwasher is estimated to be one and a half hours a day—or over 20 full days a year Friday, April 18 49 Young Cows 9 Outstanding Bulls 61
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers