VOL 24 Ho.
Shelhamer leaves ag office
, By DIETER KRIEG
HARRISBURG Kent Shelhamer is out of the ; .
Secretary-of Agriculture Office, and his replacement, •
Penrose" Hallowed, is in. The change took place Tuesday,
when Richard Thornburgh took over the reigns of state
government. Hallowell is Thornburgh’s choice as
agriculture secetary and he has been given the keys to the
Department the fact that he hasn’t yet been confirmed by
the State Senate.
Shelhamer formally took office in February of 1977,
accepting the top agriculture job with humble en
thusiasm. None of that seems to "have diminished since
then. A man who prides himself on his career as a farmer,
as well as a politician, Shelhamer said he wanted to make
the Department more responsive to the needs of Penn
sylvania’s fanners. He believes he has done that. Many
fanners would agree. At Monday’s Pennsylvania Far
mers Union Convention, for example, the news of his .
departure prompted remarks that he will be missed. “He
was the best secretasry of agriculture the state has had
for long time,” said one Centre'Countian. Others in the
group nodded in agreement.
Praise for Shelhamer has come from other groups and
well. While be admits that he isn’t liked by
Slaughter steers hit new high
LITFFZ Slhughter-steectprices in •lancaster®36hty -
continued their record high this week, following the trend
established last. Week when prices set a new record high in
the county.
The high of the week set a new record again Jor Lan
caster County slaughter steer prices. At the Vintage Sales
Stables on Tuesday, prices climbed to $57.60.
This week’s Monday Lancaster Market, compared to
last Wednesday’s prices, found slaughter steers firm to 50
cents higher with the most advance being on tire good to
low choice. High choice and prime, yield 3-4, weighing
lOPft to 1325 pounds, brought 63.25 to 65.25, Choice, mainly
-yield 2,1075 to 1325 pounds, brought 64.00 to 65.50, with a
couple going for 65.75 to 66.35; Choice 2-4, 1000 to 1350
pounds brought 61 JO to 63.75.
On Tuesday, at the Vintage Auction, slaughter steers
were $2.00 to $3.00 higher than the week previous, with
most late sales $3.00 higher. High choice and prime 3-4,
weighing 1075 to 1425 pounds brought 64.50-66.85, with
eight head bringing 67.00 to 67.60, Choice, mainly yield 2,
weighing 1100 to 1350 pounds, went for 65.00-66.25, with a
few bringing 66.25-66.75; Choice, yield 24, 10000 to 1325
pounds, brought 62.25-65.00.
Cooperatives facing the ax
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - House Agriculture Committee
Chairman Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash) has predicted that
legislation will be introduced this year to limit the scope of
farmer cooperatives in the U.S.
Foley said the legislation will result from recom
mendations of the National Commission To Review An
titrust Laws and Procedures. The recommendations,
which will be sent to the President on January 22, will call
for modifications to the Capper-Volstead Act affecting
cooperative mergers and cooperative marketing agencies
in common.
Speaking at the 50th annual meeting of the National
Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Foley expressed con
cern that House members of the commission were from
the Judiciary Committee, and had little or no experience
in agricultural matters.
He assured his audience that cooperatives will not be
decimated by ill-considered legislation, and suggested
that the Agriculture Committee might toy to gain some
jurisdiction over the legislation when it’s introduced in the
House., '
Foley added, however, that urban members of Congress
won’t be easy to approach on the issue. “The story of the
value of cooperatives win have to be told at the grassroots,
level throughout the country,” he said.
Turning to Other issues facing the Agriculture'Com
mittee, Foley said there is apprehension In the country
that food prices will rise about 10 per cent again this year.
Serving The Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania Areas - Also Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January2o,l979
everyone, he is modestly pleased with the kind of
% relationship he has had with farmers and farm
organization leaders. He is a member of the Pennsylvania
Farmers Association, the Pennsylvania State Grange,
and the Pennsylvania Farmers Union and he met
regularly with leaders of each of those groups. He hopes
his successor will continue that tradition.
During a recent interview with Lancaster Farming,
Shelhamer made it plain that he appreciated-the two
years he had to serve as secretary of agriculture. He
came into office with a practical, grass-roots, nuts-and
bolts philosophy and he believes he earned respect with
that attitude. What follows is the first installment of a 2-
part story on Kent Shelhamer and his two years as Penn
sylvania Secretary of Agriculture.
Acknowledging that he has made some people unhappy
with his decisions, he is proud of his positions nonetheless.
In feet, he’s as proud of his “stubbomess” as he is of his
farm background. He made the flatter a prerequisite for
high-level employment in bis office. ’‘There is no job for a
fanner that’s too tough to tackle,” he said in an interview
two years ago. He was determined to be a secretary of
agriculture who worked on behalf of farmers.
(Turn to Page-15) ' ; , S
. The Lancaster County summuy for the week ending,
, Friday nbti(shat slaughter
With high choice and prime 34, weighing 1673 to 1425
pounds bringing 63.75 to 66.00; and a few bringing 66.00 to
66.85, about 15 head going for 67.00 to 67.60. -
For a more complete market report, see the market and
livestock reports beginning on page 2 of Lancaster Far
ming.
Compared to Monday; Wednesday's auction prices at
the Lancaster Stockyards were mostly steady, with in
stances of being 50 cents higher on choice and prime.
High choice and prime, yield grades 34, weighing 11000
to 1375 pounds brought 63.75 to 65.85, with a few head going
for 66.00 to 66.60; and choice, yield 2to 4,1000 to 14000
pounds, went for 61.50 t 064.75.
Thursday, at the New Holland Sales Stables auction,
compared to the Thursday before, slaughter steers were
mostly steady, with instances of 50 cents lower on good to
low choice. High choice and prime, 34, weighing 1125 to
1425 pounds, brought 63.75 to 66.10, with a few head going
for 66.25-66.85; choice, mainly 2, weighing 1075 to 1425
pounds brought 65.00-66.25, with a few head bringing 66.25-
66.75.
He stated that any proposal for an agricultural relief
measure requiring large outlays of federal money, or
raising food prices, will cause great public concern.
The Agriculture Committee chairman said that other
issues expected to be examined by his committee this
year include: bargaining legislation, federal grain in
spection, federal crop insurance, export sales reporting
requirements, sugar production base, and the general
agricultural situation.
Cooperative Monitoring System
The role of cooperatives in-fighting inflation was
covered by James C. Webster, director, Office of
Governmental and Public Affairs, U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
“In terms of fighting inflation in the farm economy,” he
said “you have always been on the front line and you’re
still there. Cooperatives have been and continue to be
examples of efficiency in the food system.”
Webster added that despite this proved record, co-ops
are charged by some with having too many, privileges and
too much power. He noted that Secretary of Agriculture
Bergland believes that the protection fanners have under
the Capper-Volstead Act imposes a stem responsibility
not to betray the trust that legislation imposed.
As a result, said Webster, Secretary Bergland has
established a monitoring system to carry out his authority
under the Capper-Volstead Act. He said the system will
- . (Turn to Page 15)
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