—Lancaster Farming. Saturday. Dec 27. 1975
22
Challenges for 1976
(Continued from fi(i I|
will be lost over the next few
years because they already
own it. “But there are
temptations 1 know that,”
he affirmed.
“Agriculture in this part of
the country is still on a very
high level to me,” Smith,
who has won numerous
awards for this work, con
tinued. “The farming en
terprise is a very important
segment of our economy and
in Lancaster County it
furnishes a great attraction
for tourism,” he observed.
Lest this interpretation of
tourism be misunderstood,
Smith explained that he
believes the tourist industry
within the County has
reached the point where it
should be controlled. This
would be helpful to Lan
caster County agriculture,
he pointed out, “.so that we
don’t take away the rural
countryside which is still the
great attraction. “It’s
changing, they’re covering it
up, and then it won’t be as
attractive to tourists,” he
noted.
Other challenges facing
farmers in the coming year
include the dean Streams
Law, pesticide regulations
and similar environmental
legislation. While much of
this won’t actually become
mandatory until 1977, plans
are now being prepared by
many if not most farmers.
The pesticide-use regulation,
Smith noted, will not require
fanners to be certified until
Oct. 1977, rather than Oct.
1976 as had been proposed
earlier.
CCC loan activities
summarized
WASHINGTON - The
U.S. Department of
Agriculture reported today
that as of Oct. 31, the total
investment of Commodity
Credit Corporation in
commodity loan and in
ventories amounted to
$1,077,005,000. The amount
includes loans outstanding of
$636,980,000 and inventories
of $440,025,000. This com
pares to $707,657,000 as of
Oct. 31, 1974, which included
loans outstanding of
$532,947,000 and inventories
of $174,710,000.
Commodity loan and
purchase transactions on
1975 crops through Oct. 31,
1975, totaled $783,234,720.
The total was comprised of
loans made of $553,061,683
and purchases of
$230,173,037. This compares
with $532,185,024 on 1974
crops as of Oct. 31, 1974.
New loans made for
storage facilities and drying
equipment during the first
four months of fiscal year
1976 amounted to $26,144,137
as compared with $10,396,589
for the same period a year
earlier. Loans outstanding
under this program as of
Oct 31,1975, compared with
Oct. 31, 1974, amounted to
$184,846,566 and $240,473,625
respectively. »
Commodities acquired,
including purchases, by CCC
during the first four months
of the 1976 fiscal year had an
acquisition cost value of
$101,863,020. For the same
four-month period a year
earlier, purchases and
acquisitions amounted to
$162,772,771
The economic outlook for
1976 is strong. Smith and
others in similar positions
predict that favorable prices
are likely to be seen for hogs
and milk especially, at least
for the first half of our
Bicentennial year.
Swine producers in Lan
caster County were
unquestionably on top during
1975 as they saw their best
year in history. “Hogs are
scarce, and they even went
up as high as 65 cents per
pound,” Smith recollected.
Prices are expected to
remain high, even though
they’ve dropped ap
proximately 10 to 15 cents
since the all-time high was
reached earlier in the year.
The supply is catching up to
demand, however, and the
outlook on prices beyond the
first half of 1976 may not be
as favorable.
Smith described the dairy
situation of recent months as
having been “very good"
and added that it is “one of
the brighter looking en
terprises on the farm today.
“The accompanying chart
shows the way prices have
gone for the past three
years.”
Cow numbers are
stabilizing; production per
cow is gradually increasing,
Smith noted. The demand for
breeding stock is very strong
in this part of the state,
especially Lancaster
County, he added, “overall,
the outlook is quite
favorable.”
Any clouds which might be
appearing on major
segments of the area’s ag
Movement of agricultural
commodities out of CCC’s
inventories through Oct.' of
Fiscal 1976 totaled
$81,210,928, acquisition cost
value basis. The out
movements for the first four
months of fiscal year 1975
totaled $101,481,816, on the
same basis.
The Corporation’s total net
realized loss from operations
amounted to $110,315,000 for
the four-month period ended
Oct. 31,1975, as compared to
$150,440,000 for the same
period in fiscal year 1975.
Beef
Out) meets
The New Holland 4-H Baby
Beef Club held its 1976
reorganization meeting
recently at the home of
Linda High. County Agent
Max Smith got the meeting
started and each member
gave their name and a report
on their steer, Mr. Smith
gave out the record books
and then the officers for 1976
were elected, and they are as
follows: Jeff Martin,
President; Linda High, Vice-
President; Kathy Martin,
Secretary; Vickie Bare,
treasurer; Tim Groff, Song
Leader; Donna and Gerald
Eberly, Game Leaders; and
Audrey Hoover, Reporter.
The 1976 Adult leaders for
the club are the same as last
year and are follows:
Harvey High, Auctioneer
Robert Martin, Lester
Weaver, John Groff, Mark
Yoder Our new President
economy are likely to be -
over the cattleman’s
business. The same
problems which this Industry
encountered during 1975 are
likely to remain next year
because of “too much cheap
beef and some exports.’’ The
total number of unfinished
cattle on hand is believed to
be responsible for the not-so
bullish outlook. Prices are
likely to decline, in fact, says
Smith.
According to Smith and ag
extension economists at
Penn State, the picture for
the beef operator could
change if he is encouraged
by the lowered feed prices.
In the past many cattlemen
have not bothered to finish
their cattle because of high
feed prices • thus gluttoning
the market with low-grade
beef. High quality beef has
remained relatively scarce.
A Penn State survey
revealed that cow slaughter
in the July-Sept. period for
1975 was up 60 percent from
a year ago.
Prices of feeder cattle are
expected to remain low. If
lower feed prices encourage
cattlemen to put more
animals into feedlots as
expected, then a more
favorable outlook may be
over the horizon during the
second half of 1976.
Egg prices are expected to
decline somewhat during
1976, compared to price
levels attained this year, but
Smith expressed confidence
that the Lancaster County
poultry outlook would
remain good for both eggs
and broilers. He forecasts a
lowering of poultry meat,
consumption if red meat
prices decline - as they might
because of lower feed prices.
Penn' State extension
economists predict that
more eggs, broilers and
turkeys are in prospect for
the upcoming year.
Teed grain prices are
significantly below those of a
year ago, and this has helped
the majority of Lancaster
County fanners since they
are primarily involved in
livestock,’ poultry and dairy
production.
Lancaster County is in an
especially favorable
marketing situation, Smith
pointed out, because of its
closeness to * eastern
metropolitan areas. A
brochure printed last year
states that the markets of
nearly one-third of the
nation’s population are
within an overnight haul of
Lancaster County farms.
Smith believes that the
total dollar value of farm
products sold from Lan
caster County farms will be
up for 1975. hi 1974 the gross
farm income for the County
amounted to $326-million -
first in the U.S. for non
irrigated counties. Known
far and wide as the “Garden
Spot of the Nation,” Lan
caster County has ap
proximately 6,000 farms in
production and more cows
than any other county in the
Commonwealth. Its more
than 70,000 head makes it the
third most populous dairy
county in the entire United
States.
Jeff Martin then took over
the meeting.
The next meeting of the
New Holland 4H Baby Beef
Club will be held January 19,
at Victor Weaver’s Poultry
Plant.
Audrey Hoover,
Club Reporter
S par cut '
sl ° 1
1975 y
1974
1973 yT
WWW* ««•••••«
7 m.—w* rfZ.
6
Jan. June Dec.
Month
Average blend pnce received by Pennsylvania farmers for milk
U.S. Milk Production
[onth 1974 1975 Change
mil.
lbs.
Jan.- 9287
Feb. 8765
Mar. 9988
Apr. 10122
May 10841
June 10563
July 10139
Aug. 9690
Sept. 9140
Oct. 9125
Nov. 8669
Dec. 9087
Total 115416
Using production figures
from 1973, here’s a quick
run-down of Lancaster
County’s agricultural might:
Dairy products - 70,700
cows, product value of
160,703,000; first in Penn
sylvania, second in the U.S.
Poultry (all) - more than 2-
million, product value of
more' than $7O-million; first
in the state, seventh in the
nation,
nation.
Cattle and calves (beef
and dairy) - 227,700 head,
product value of $95,647,000;
first in Pa., 27th in the U.S.
Hogs - 135,000 head,
product value of $7.4 million;
first in the state, 64th among
3,000 U.S. counties.
Sheep - 8,800 head, value of'
product: $298,300; third in
the state.
In crop production, the
County ranks first in the
state for all but oats,
potatoes, vegetables and
mil. %
lbs.
9301 + .2
8775 + 1
10023 + 4
10121 0
10789 - .5
10460 -1.0
9998 -1.4
9690 -0.8
9101 -0.4
fruits. The total value of all
crops harvested in 1973 from
329,950 acres totalled to
$74,736,360. The value of all
farm products in 1973 was
$3ll-million.
Demand' for food products
will continue to grow, Smith
assures, and this in itself
may be one of the greatest
challenges to agriculture.
With that in mind, the ex
tension official cites a
greater need than ever
before for “doing the right
thing at the right time with
the best knowledge that you
have.”
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HUSKEE-BILTi
Pa. Milk Production
1974 1975 Change
mil %
lbs.
568 +1.6
531 +3.7
599 +2.4
605 +0.7
656 + .5
623 -1 1
586 -2.2
579 -0.5
566 -0.5
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