PFA’ers
(Continued from Pan II
consumer protection bills.
Yost explained that the
majority of PFA members
were in favor of the con*
sumer legislation if it “did
not go overboard.”
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One topic which brought
much discussion was the
issue of food stamps. “A lot
of farmers feel that there is a
definite need for change in
the food stamp program,”
Yost stated.
The most concern centered
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around having the food
stamp program switched to
the HEW Department as
currently about two-thirds of
the agricultural budget is
spent on the food stamps
planning and processing.
The legislative chairman
noted that Congressman
Edwin Eshleman had voiced
his agreement with the idea
that perhaps food stamps
were located in the wrong
area of government.
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Local PFA members
agreed that a tightening of
eligibility is long overdue for
the food stamp program.
One major factor noted was
the limiting of food stamps to
striking workers.
' Also of a national concern
is land use planning and Yost
explained that Congressman
Eshleman expressed a 100
percent agreement that
control of the planning
should been a local level for
more effective control of
farm land.
Turning to local matters,
PFA members had ad
dressed themselves on a
number of issues one of the
most important being HB 217
concerning payments for
municipal sewage and water
hook-ups. Local members
were in agreement that
exemptions should be made
for those individuals who do
not use the municipal
systems but have footage on
their properties. “Unless
individuals hook on to the
systems, we feel they should
be exempt from paying fox
the footage even if it runs
along their property,” Yost
noted.
“It is unfair for someone to
pay for such a system when
he is not using it himself.”
HB 219 was also aired as it
deals with protecting prime
agricultural land in Class 1,
2, and 3. The local PFA’ers
would like to see the bill
passed as farming land could
not be sold indescriminately
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HARRISBURG -.Penn
sylvania Agriculture
Secretary Raymond J.
Kerstetter told participants
at a Pennsylvania Food Day
Panorama this week at
Camp Hill that the Com
monwealth is rebounding as
a food supplier in the East
because of high energy costs.
In the 1960’5, Kerstetter
unless by consent of farm
and agricultural leaders.
Mention was also made of
HB 314 which deals with Pa.
personal income taxes
especially in selling a farm
or property. Members would
like to see the payment of
taxes set up for the year in
which a settlement is made.
Also noted was SB 178
which would call for the
election of the attorney
general in the state. The
officer is now appointed
which members feel is
lacking in good judgement.
Turning to the local
elections ahead, Yost urged
members to learn about the
candidates and know how
they stand on issues im
portant to the farming
community.
>ril 10.1976
IS
noted, the number of farms
in Pennsylvania declined by
25 percent. With this decline,
he said, “our small food
processors were wiped out
because they coiled not
supply large supermarket
food chains and wholesalers
with the big volume and
variety they sought.”
However, Kerstetter
observed, “the pendulum is
swinging back. Tran
sportation costs are so high
that large buyers in the east
are looking to our farmers.”
The secretary spoke to a
gathering of about 200 people
who were attending
workshops and exhibits on
Pennsylvania agriculture,
ranging from the production
to the retail phase.
Kerstetter explained that
his Department was holding
a Pennsylvania Food Day
Panorama-“because we feel
this Commonwealth has a
unique relationship with
agriculture.'We are a rural
state and fanning has been a
major enterprise here since
William Penn began carving
up his holdings.”
For that reason, the
Secretary said, it was en
couraging to see food buyers
looking to Pennsylvania
again. He added that the
Department is seeking to aid
this revival with its direct
market program.
“We are working to locate
all food buying dubs and to
match them with farm
outlets,” said Kerstetter.
“We print farmer-to
consumer directories, listing
farmers’ markets, roadside
stands and ‘pick-your-own’
farms in various areas of tire
state. In short, we are trying
to improve the business of
moving and distributing
food."
15