— Lancaster Farming. Saturday, June .25, .1077
20
ASCS
By LAUREL SCHAEFFE
Berks County Reporter
LEESPORT, Pa. - The
Beef Referendum and
ASCS’s present request for
new acreage reports were
the topic of a meeting held
June 15, at the Berks County
Agricultural Center.
Richard A. Pennay,
agricultural program
specialist, Pennsylvania
ASCS office, explained to
nearly 40 interested farmers
the purpose behind the
referendum and how it would
work.
Anyone owning cattle
during the past 12 months,
including dairymen, are
eligible to vote if they
registered before June 17.
Voting will be between July 5
and 15 at local ASCS offices
throughout the country. To
have the beef referendum
passed, two-thirds of those
producers who vote, must
vote yes, and at least 50 per
cent of the registered voters
must vote.
Pennay explained that the
purposes of the referendum
was for the promotion of
beef, consumer education,
and research. “The USDA is
disinterested in the
referendum,” he explained,
“it is a producer referen
dum.” ASCS is only a vehicle
to answer questions and get
the votes, he added.
The referendum would
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programs explained to Berks Coimtia
allow a beef board of not
more than 68 producers
appointed by the Secretary
of Agriculture from
nominations submitted by
eligible producer
organizations. These
members would not draw a
salary but would get expense
money, Pennay explained.
The program would be
funded by taking three
tenths of on? per cent of the
price of all cattle sold for the
first three years. Af
terwards, the board could
decide to increase the
amount to a maximum of
five-tenths of one per cent.
Veal calves would work
the same way, Pennay
continued. Dispersal sales
would also be eligible, but
not for more than the
slaughter value of the
animals, the speaker ex
plained. It is up to the beef
board to decide how to
determine the slaughter
value, if they are to include
them in the program. “The
board can change the rules
so that dispersal sales would
not have to pay, he added.
There would be no
deduction for beef used for
home consumption, Pennay
told the interested fanners,
and the contribution is
voluntary, but the deduction
would be automatically
taken off. A producer could
apply to have the money
CALL FOR MORE DETAILS.....
Richard A. Pennay, agricultural program
specialist from the ASCS office, explains the beef
check-off program to Berks Countians.
returned if he has proof of
sale, said the speaker.
Pennay also told the
listeners, that if the
secretary of the Board or 10
per cent of the producers
who voted feel there is
dissatisfaction with the
program, a new referendum
could be called.
Pennay also explained
why farmers are being asked
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to give crop reports. “We
want to update our farm
history data,” he explained.
“The problem is deter
mining what the price of the
crops will be.”
The agricultural program
specialist told the farmers
that presently there is a
carry-over of more than one
billion bushels of wheat,
enough to supply the United
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States for two years. Re also
told them that this year the
expected harvest is for two
billion bushels.
Wheat seems to be the
worst grain problem this
year, he stated, but feed
grains are at a threshold
level. “Presently we are at a
point of having 32 million
tons in stock, and with
favorable weather it can go
to 60 million tons by the time
1978’s crop is ready,” said
Pennay. “We could be in
trouble with feed grains by
next year,” he concluded.
“Irrigation is. a big con
tributing factor to our in
creased production,” he
continued to explain, “other
countries are also increasing
production, especially
Argentina and Brazil.”
“This is why the ASCS
wants to decrease the
physical acreage of some
crops The target price
system is part of our
marketing system, a way to
give you a fair price for your
product.” explained Pennay.
“You have to have your
share of the national dollar
so you can run your farm,”
he added.
“Do you know that one
year in Pennsylvania,
500,000 acres were out of
production?” he asked.
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The program is v
and a few chang
taken place from
program of the 19
70’s. The new law is
be fair to the tenant
landlords, Pennay
However, all of thi
haven’t been workei
“Register your acr
Barley and Wheat
30, 1977 and you
sorgham, and
acreage by Septemb
insisted. “Then 5
decide later if you
participate in the pr
he explained. If y
report any acreai
farm can’t have any
credit, he added.
The new nation
support rate for 19
were estimated by p
be close to: $1.94 f
$3.43-soybeans;
sorghum; $1.47-barl
$1.13-oats.
James Haldemat
County agent and
Bohn', ASCS, als<
during the program
storage and loan ra
ROYER
SEP
Winfield.
Phone V
D.ESI
KMfirio)
Phone 71