Latest farm census unveiled
WASHINGTON, D.C, - Agriculture in Penn
sylvania - particularly Lancaster County - is as
aggressive and progressive as ever, but some
noteworthy changes have taken place, ac
cording to the most recent {1974) Census of
Agriculture, Lancaster County, for example,
continues to be the number one iron-irrigated
agricultural county in the United States, hut It's
overall agricultural importance has dropped
from a previous I2lh position tolßlb.
Illustrating the Lancaster County ag scene m
more detail, the 1974 Census of Agriculture
reveals that the Garden Spot ranks 2sth in the
-number of hogs and pigs sold. ThaVrepresents
a dramatic jump from a 65th placeipthe 1969
Census- - *\r> ,
in > dairy product sales', Lancaster County
, * p|pvtoy||r stppd second in the natlomnow it’s
fim Bufdespite this set-bach, the Garden Spat
New crop insurance
program introduced
WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Secretary of Agriculture Bob
Bergland on Wednesday
proposed a comprehensive,
nationwide all-risk crop
insurance reform bill which
he said would provide better
protection for farmers than
present disaster programs
at no additional cost to the
government.
The proposed Farm
Production Protection Act
would consolidate four
present disaster assistance
programs into one com
prehensive, share-the-cost
program to insure crops
against natural disasters
Farm editors sample
Bergland’s opinions
By DIETER KRIEG
WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Secretary of Agriculture
Robert Bergland isn’t
“terriby worried” about the
milk surplus, doesn’t believe
that the Capper-Volstead Act
will be amended by
Congress, has hopes of of
fering farmers a more
meaningful crop insurance
program, and isn’t con
vinced that the American
Agriculture movement will
take a lasting hold,
hold.
Speaking Monday evening
to an assembly of farm
editors from all across the
country, Bergland touched
A/so Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware
VOL 23 No. 26
Lanemter County retains her position of pride
ByOIETERKWEG
and some other un
controllable risks. Coverage
would be provided the first
year for 18 major crops
which account for 89 per cent
of all cropland acreage, with
the potential for expansion
over 10 years to cover all
farm products, including
livestock.
“Our present system of
providing disaster
assistance to farmers must
be unproved,” Secretary
Bergland said. “The present
programs overlap, with
some producers eligible for
(Turn to Page 19)
on a variety of issues, telling
reporters that he’d field
questions on any program.
But before the question
and answer session began,
Bergland announced an all
county, all-crop insurance
program which is now
receiving consideration in
Congress. Details on that
announcement are printed in
the story beginning directly
above this one. His
statements on the Capper-
Volstead Act and Congress’
current investigation of
fanner cooperatives are in a
separate article, inside.
Secretary Bergland isn’t
(Turn to Page 36)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 29,1978
still has more cows within its borders than any
county outside of California.
Meanwhile, tobacco production in the garden
Spot dropped from fifth place to 20th, and
feeder pig sales jumped a notch to take a
commanding third place, nationally. Livestock
and poultry segments of agriculture each
moved up a notch in the national standings The
Garden Spot’s industry now ranks fourth in the
country, while livestock and poultry combined
rate eighth. The value of cattle and calves atone
gives the County a 39th place. While that may
not be impressively high on first glance, it is
significant when one realizes that there are
some 3000 counties in the United States and
out of alf of them, Lancaster County is the only
one east of Illinois that’s mentioned in the 1974
Census.
Numerous Other Pennsylvania counties were
mentioned as well, although no other Keystone
Slate twenty made, the national radons as often
as Lancaster County.
Blossoms adorn the orchards in Lancaster
Farming’s coverage area
In this issue
Farm Calendar 10
Editorial 10
Medicine & Mgmt. 27
Horticulture Day 35
Custom rates 42
This is a farmer 49
Classifieds , 50
Homestead Notes 82
Jr. Cooking Edition 85
Home on the Range 88
Lancaster Farming photo by Dieter Krieg
Ida’s Notebook 92
Joyce Bupp 97
Kendy’s Kollumn 98
Sheep shearing 100
Seed farm 117
Lancaster DHIA 122
Facts for dairymen 123
OIeyFFA 124
Cumberland DHIA 133
Chester DHIA 145
Chester County, for example, rates first in the
nation with its sales of horticultural and
greenhouse products. According to the 1974
Census, Chester County cashed In on more
than $46 million worth of plants. That’s up from
*a value of $26 million recorded In the previous
Ag Census, taken In 1969. Berks County ranks
21st on the national horticulture list, and
Lancaster County takesthe 79th position,
in U.S. apple production, Adams County
ranks a proud fifth, while its place in total
acreage dsveoted'to orchards is 45th, ac
cording to the 1974 Ag Census*
Just now becoming available to the public,
information for the 1974 Census erf Agriculture
was compiled nearly four years ago by the U.S.
Department of Commerce* The Bureau of the
Census is charged with specific dealings in the
matter.
More revealing statistics of-the voluminous
documentfoffow;
Fruit blossoming
nicely on schedule
By JOANNE SPAHR
LITITZ - From the looks of
things the fruit crop in
Lancaster Farming’s
coverage area is coming
along right on schedule with
a bright promise of a
bountiful season, barring
unforeseen problems.
Although about 10 days to
two weeks behind the ex
traordinarily early 76 and
77 seasons, this year’s crop
is developing at a normal
rate, and most orchardists
predict good crops for the
coming season.
Phillip Pitzer, Aspers Rl,
the president of the Adams
County Fruit Growers
Grading, labeling
concerns Foreman
By JOANNE SPAHR
WASHINGTON
Problems with meat grading
and proper labeling were
two concerns stressed by
Carol Tucker Foreman,
United States assistant
secretary of agriculture, at a
recent news conference with
farm editors, here.
“We have a problem out
there, folks, in meat
grading,” she told the group.
In California several years
ago 17 meat packmg comp
anies were indicated for
bribing meat graders, and
over the last several years,
administrative action has
been taken in Nebraska,
$6.00 Per Year
Association, is optimistic
about the May 7 Apple
Blossom Festival to be held
at the South Mountain
Fairgrounds near Bigler
ville.
“We should have plenty of
apple blossoms for
everybody to enjoy,” he
states, adding that as of this
weekend (April 29) the sweet
cherries and early plums are
in full bloom with some
peaches and tart cherries
starting to blossom. With
warn? weather, Pitzer
predicts that the peaches
and tart cherries should be
in good bloom by Monday.
(Turn to Page 20)
lowa, and South Dakota for
intentionally mislabeling
graded meat.
“If we want the public to
use meat grades,” noted
Mrs. Foreman, “if we want
buyers and producers to use
meat grades, then they've
got to know that the system
works effectively, or you
might as well have a meat
grading system done by the
industry instead of the
government.”
The assistant secretary of
agriculture pointed out,
however, that the problem is
being tackled m three ways.
First of all, additional
(Turn to Page 26)