104—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 27,1979
Shelhamer reviews his experience ill
Editor’s Note: This is the second of two installments on
Kent Shelhamer, former secretary of agriculture for the
state of Pennsylvania. Shelhamer, a 12-year veteran of
the State Legislature, returned to his Columbia County
farm last week when the Thornburgh Administration took
charge of Pennsylvania’s government.
Kent Shelhamer says farmers should become
more involved in politics. If they don’t, then others
will make decisions for them. He also notes that
not every politician is dishonest. “Just because a
man goes to church, that doesn’t make him holy.
The same is true in government," he says.
RyDIKIEKKRIEG
HARRISBURG Kent Shelhamer held open the door to
his roomy office in the Department of Agriculture, ex
tended a hand in my direction, and welcome me. I took a
chair in front of his desk. So did he. His own chair behind
the desk remained empty. Right or wrong, I took the
gesture as one which removed the intangible barrier often
associated with officials.
Kent Shelhamer was a secretary of agriculture who
didn’t mind doing such menial tasks as shoveling snow.
His philosophy was (and still is) that a person should be
willing to do what needs to be done, and what he expects
others to do. While he recognized that he had more im
portant things to do than to exercise with a shovel in hand,
he didn’t place himself above such small duties.
Kent Shelhamer, who served as Pennsylvania’s
secretary of agriculture for two years, firmly believes
that top people in any field are far more understanding,
unassuming and human than their counterparts. He also
believes that “the Good Lord prepares you for your
work.”
In his own case, he believes he was well prepared for the
top ag post Decause of his leadership in the House
Agriculture Committee, on which he served for a dozen
years. “During those 12 years I had on-the-job training for
my post as agriculture secretary,” he told Lancaster
Farming in a recent interview. Also, he became well
acquainted with the budget. His familiarity with gover
nment channels and key people enabled him to have ef
fective programs, he said.
Shelhamer places consiaeraoie importance in having a
good understanding with the State Legislature It’s
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necessary, he says, to have good tundmg. On the other
hand, he admits that his funding this past year was “very
low” despite his familiarity with that government body.
Appropriations for the Department of Agriculture need
the support of leaders in the House Agriculture Com
mittee, he pointed out.
Shelhamer’s Department was, of course, not alone in
facing budget cuts. Pennsylvania’s monetary crisis has
(Turn to Page 106)
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