I Washington’s farm ‘experts’ try to forecast prices WASHINGTON, D.C. - The experts are planning to do some pretty important forecasting in Washington, D.C., starting November 13. The forum will be the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) annual Food and Agricultural Outlook Con ference. Since agriculture plays such a vital role in the U.S. economy, the experts will look at more than just food prices and the general economy. They’ll also zero in on the outlook for individual agricultural commodities and food products. The Department of Agriculture has been sponsoring an agricultural outlook conference for the past 55 years, but both character and content of the Conference .have changed greatly over tune. The evolution of the annual conference mto the high profile, packed house it is today was a long and deliberate process. CLICK'S ROOFING & SPOUTING Handler & Installer Of BAKED ENAMEL TIN ROOFS Colors: Turquoise, Red, Olive Green, Rust, Brown, White and Plain. Sizes: 5 ft. up to 36 ft. All in one. Also cut to exact length. SAMUEL B. CLICK RD 1, Kmzer, Pa PH (717)442-4921 Call in Morning Before 6 30 ana Evenings after 6:00 P M No Sunday Calls s ffl DICK THORNBURGH : Ralph W. Hass - Nicholas B. Moahlmann 28th 48th 102nd 100th Senatorial District Senatorial District Legislative District Legislative District am ''4? Noah W. Wenger 99th Legislative District June N. Honaman 97th Legislative District The first conference took place in April 1923 when 20 men gathered behind locked doors m a USDA conference room. The locked doors were a caution against the effect their results would have on commodity markets. The men were attempting to decide whether the amount of acreage farmers claimed they were going to plant was in line with prospective demand in the upcoming year. The need for a conference was confirmed at that very first meeting. In at least one case, they spotted a possible trouble spot. It looked like a prospective increase in tobacco acreage was out of line with probable demand. That would mean an over supply of tobacco and resultant lower returns to tobacco farmers. Almost from the begin ning, pressure grew to provide more localized outlook information to VOTE REPUBLICAN THIS TUESDAY... Governor AN HONEST CHANCE FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT POLLS OPEN AT 7 A.M. BILL SCRANTON Lieutenant Governor ■ m Paid for bv the Lancaster County Republican Committee Robert L Resster, Treasurer Joseph S LaMonaca, Chairman supplement the national conference report. The early outlook researchers were aware that farmers were interested not only in the total national outlook, but also in how it applied to their individual localities and their individual farms. “We can pass the buck on down to the individual farmers and tell them they’ll have to figure that all out for themselves,” said one of these early outlookers.” “Or we can develop the outlook program to the point where we can answer those questions.” No one wanted to pass the buck. So shortly after they established the national conference, USDA outlook experts began seeking ways to increase the input from agricultural economists working throughout the country. A group of nationally known economists and statisticians from outside the USDA drew up the first conference report. The second year, the outlook conference continued as a department affair, with no outside experts sitting on the committee. But the Washington agriculture department staff brought m USDA economists from its field offices, who could bring their knowlege of local conditions to bear on the final revision of the national reports. These economists were also responsible for adapting the outlook in formation to fit local needs. This led, in turn, to a series of analytical reports by commodity and thence to ROBERT S. WALKER 16th Congressional District POLLS CLOSE AT 8 P.M. newsletters and other publications. The desire at USDA to develop its outlook program to the point where it would be truly beneficial to farmers led to formation in the 1920’s of year-round outlook ser vices. These services greatly changed the character of the national Agricultural Outlook Conference since an even flow of outlook material became available throughout the entire year instead of being bunched mto one annual effort. The scope of the annual conference was broadened further in the 1930’s when the participants decided to take a good look at the significance and impact of economic and other factors on rural living. Year by year this family living component of the conference has grown in importance as the target audience has been broadened to include families in urban as well as rural residential areas. In 1977, the conference’s name was changed to the Food and Agricultural Outlook Conference in recognition of the current outlook’s critical im plications for U.S. families’ diets, energy use, credit and housing needs, and other related subjects. And today’s conference includes sessions on our natural resources, the environment, and the weather outlook. But despite all these changes in scope and con tent, the conference’s basic goal has remained the same down through the years. Legislative District v x $* V" * '»» f . Marvin E. Millar, Jr. 96th Legislative District Earl H. Smith 13th Legislative District Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 4,1978—141 President Coolidge, keynoting the 1925 Agricultural Outlook Con ference report, summed up the purpose rather well: “Inasmuch as orderly production is a necessary preliminary to orderly marketing, the well informed farmer must keep himself posted, months in advance, concerning the probable production of various (commodities) during the coming season, as well as the probable requirements of the market.” In keeping with this basic conference goal, “OUTLOOK ’79” will be geared toward providing information needed by those who produce, process, and market our food and fiber products. The conference will include sessions on the outlook for major farm commodities, inputs, food prices, transportation and storage for agriculture, and inflation. There will also be a look at world developments affecting U.S. agriculture. Lancaster Co. Grange 71 meets OAKRYN - Lancaster County Pomona Grange 71 met October 20 at the Fulton Grange Hall, Oakryn, Master Jesse Wood con- ducted the meeting. Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Holloway, Jr. will be representing the Pomona for the “Shrine in 79” project for the National Grange when it DEALERS WANTED 7th Largest Seed Corn Company Inll.S. Choice Territories Available. 215-869-2344 MASSEY FERGUSON DEALING DAYS RED HOT SPECIALS MF 275 Diesel 8 Speed Tractor (67 H.P.) High Clearance MF 275 Diesel Multi Power Tractor (67 H.P.) 13,368.00 MF 285 Multi Power Tractor (82 H.P.) .. MF 520 10 Ft, Disc Harrow . MF 468 4 Row Corn Planter. MF 110 Spreader Spreader 2,425.00 2,050 j Personalized MF W 8 Financing PARTS and SERVICE AVAILABLE ]7JB LEBANON VALLEY IMPLEMENT CO. 700 E. Linden St., Richland, PA. Ph; (717) 866-7518 USDA experts feel both these topics and the con sumer-oriented sessions reveal important trends people will want to know about, both as consumers and as concerned citizens. In recent years, con ference attendance has swelled to over 1,000 people, representing groups in terested in or involved with U.S. food and fiber. The conference is open to the public (no more locked doors) and there is no charge to attend. For an early guide to times and topics, send for a free copy of the preliminary program. Copies of the Conference Proceedings containing all the papers presented will be available (while supplies last) soon after the close of the con ference. To receive either publication, send separate postcard requests to: Donnell Royster, USDA ESCS, Room 0054, South Building, Washington, D.C. 20250. comes to Lancaster, Pa. m 1979. Pomona youth committee will be making a pennant for the National Grange. Edward Zug was elected to the Executive committee for three years. Shirley Galebreath was elected to the Finance committee for one year, and Clifford Holloway, Jr. was elected to the finance committee for three years. Peggy and Sandy Galebreath won first prize in the regional talent contest. They went on to the State Grange competition. Mildred Tindall had an art entry at State Grange, and Elaine Knight represented the Pomona at the State Youth Day. The next meeting will be a dinner meeting on January 20, 1979, at 7:30 p.m. The place is to be announced. SELL List 11,700 . 14,272.35 11,300 13.750 1.750 16,200.00 2,100.00 2,450 2,875.00 1,450 1,675.00
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers