Agway chief pleased € SYRACUSE, N.Y. - “Adequate supplies of most farm production needs coupled with lower prices this past year were a refreshing change from previous years of shortages and high prices for Nor theastern farmers.” This was the message by George Steele, chairman of the Agway Inc., board of directors,' to some 5,000 farmer-stockholders, em ployees, and guests of the cooperative at Agway’s 12th annual meeting recently in the Onondaga County War Memorial, here. Steele, a Pocopson, Pa., dairyman chairman of the board since 1971, said the year was« a good one for _ Agway, too. Increased use of fjthe cooperative by its 118,000 member-stockholders and other customers led to record sales during the fiscal year. Earnings were sufficient, he said, to return $3.7 million in patronage refunds to members on their purchases of goods and services during the year. He noted that the number of Agway members con tinued to climb, and this year topped the 118,000 mark. Total membership when the cooperative was formed 12 years ago with the merger of three regional farmer “cooperatives was 85,000. “This is a remarkable increase,” Steele ■ said, “especially in light of a decreasing number of farms in the Northeast during Agway’s 12 years of existence.” Young farmers will play an increasingly important part in the affairs of Agway, according to Steele. Each' year, the cooperative sponsors the attendance of young couples at the meeting of the American Institute of AFBF slates meeting PARK RIDGE,, 111 - Government farm programs, taxation, spen ding, inflation, international trade, and the adverse impact of federal regulatory agencies on food production are expected to be the major policy issues discussed at the 58th annual meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation in Honolulu January 9-11. With the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 ex piring with the 1977 crop year, more than usual at tention will be devoted to Farm Bureau recom mendations to the Ad- Cooperation, an educational group consisting of hundreds of farmer cooperatives in the nation. Steele also recognized 51 young farmer couples who attended the annual meeting as special guests of the organization. Agway members and others demonstrated their confidence in the cooperative during the year, according to Steele, by purchasing more than $lB million in securities. ministration and Congress for programs designed to promote a market-oriented agriculture. The convention is expected to be the largest ever for the organization with an an ticipated attendance of 15,000 farm people. Policies on both natiohal and in ternational issues will be adopted by the voting delegates' representing 49 state Farm Bureaus and Puerto Rico (Alaska has no Farm Bureau.) The Federation is the largest general farm organization in the nation with more than 2.5 million member families. Soviet graineries visited WASHINGTON, D.C. - A U.S. Department of Agriculture grain storage team, returning from an Oct. 4-23 trip to the Soviet Union, reported last week that a feeling of optimism among the Soviets regarding the grain crop this year. The USDA team reported that the grain procurement plan of 87.5 million tons should be surpassed and will probably come close to the record 90.5 million tons obtained by the State in 1973. The harvest of com and rice in the southern parts of European USSR is late and still continuing. The team also noted that the Fall sown cereals in areas visited in the Ukraine and North Caucasus are in good to excellent condition. Since soil moisture supplies are good, it appears that prospects are excellent for the crop to go through the Winter with minimal losses. The USDA grain storage team visited the Soviet Union under terms of the U.S.-USSR Agreement of Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture. For the most part it visited grain storage and processing facilities under jurisdiction of the USSR Ministry of Procurement. That Ministry ,is responsible for purchasing grain from the state and collective farms, for storage, processing, and distribution. The facilities visited in cluded elevators and flat storage warehouses at grain receiving points where WE HAVE THE FARM BOSS ANDUISASUHL. Because of a hotter spark, better carburetion and a flood-free design. IT'S MORE RELIABLE. Because it has longer-wearing moving parts that won't break down, Because it has the biggest power to weight ratio of any popular saw. ITS QUIETER. Because its large baffled muffler is more than just a tin box. IT COSTS LESS. Because a saw that'll last about twice as long will only cost about half as much. IT COMES WITH A BONUS. Over $3O worth of free accessories including a spare cutting chain really make the Farm Boss a Stihl. FREE DEMONSTRATION Chain Saw—Concrete & Metal Saw Rentals STOLTZFUS WOODWORK RO Gap, PA Box 183 1 Mile North Rt. 897 From Gap WES STAUFFER SMALL ENGINES NORMAN H. ZIMMERMAN RD 3 3 A Ml. S. of Murrell Myerstown R.D.2 Ephrata, PA Pleasant Valley Road Phone [7l7] 866-4695 717-733-9174 Formerly Dave's Engine 'A mile west Myerstown - West Main SI. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Nov. 6, 1976 farms deliver grain to the where wheat and other Government; the elevator fit grains are processed into the Black Sea port of flour and various types of Edessa; and several mills cereal. Bureau of rural affairs HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Raymond J. Kerstetter has announced that the Department’s Bureau of Rural Affairs has agreed to cosponsor the first state-wide Pennsylvania Transportation Conference ’76, to be held Nov. 22-23,1976 at the Holiday Inn-Town, in Harrisburg. Other sponsors of the conference include the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Penn sylvania Delegation of the National Council for the Transportation Disad vantaged, the Pennsylvania Taxi Cab and Para-transit Association and the Penn sylvania State Association of County Commissioners. .The Conference is aimed at identifying the many types of transportation problems and will attempt to coordinate solutions to get maximum results from transportation programs in the most cost-efficient manner. Many national and state leaders are scheduled to speak at the Conference, but its real value, said Ker stetter, is that, “This IT STARTS EASIER. IT'S MORE POWERFUL. represents the first time that the many modes and users of transportation will be together to work on solutions to common problems.” The Department’s Rural Transportation Division has been providing technical and managerial assistance for rural transportation providers since legal opinions made continued direct service provision impossible. PennDOT has agreed to publish the proceedings of the Conference so that those unable to attend will have a record of the transcripts. The Pennsylvania Transporatkm Conference .’76 will be financed by registration fees and cash grants from the National Council for the Tran sportation Disadvantaged and the Pennsylvania Bus and School Bus Association. Further information regarding the Conference can be obtained by con tacting the Bureau of Rural Affairs, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 2301 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg, Pa., 17120, or by calling (717) 783-8463. A & B SALES & SERVICE 2 Miles South of Route 23 Along 772 thru Monterey RDI Ronks, PA JOHN L. STAUFFER Goodvilie, PA PH: 215-445-6175 V< mile North of Goodville on Union Grove Road 33
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