3t—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, May 19,1979
Pa. farm exports at $151.5 million
WASHINGTON, D.C. Pennsylvania’s agricultural
exports amounted to $151.5 million dollars during the
fiscal year ended Sept. 30,1978. That gave the Keystone
State an easy lead in the Northeast, and a significant
improvement over 1977 farm exports when sales were
valued at $136.3 million.
The figures were released recently by the United States
Department of Agriculture.
While Pennsylvania may well boast to be No. 1 in farm
exports in the Northeast, it ranks a modest 33rd place
among all 50 states. The top 10 are, in order, Illinois, lowa,
Texas, California, Minnesota, Indiana, Kansas,
Nebraska, Missouri, and Ohio. Illinois exported $2.1
billion worth of agricultural products during the past
fiscal year, and Ohio, in 10th place, sold $1.06 billion worth
of farm products to foreign buyers.
Pennsylvania’s leading export commodities are poultry
products, followed by fruits and preparations, and dairy
products. Livestock were included in the USDA report,
but were not broken down separately. They were included
Under “other commodities,” which had a combined value
of $10.5 million. Poultry products were pegged at $ll
million, fruits and preparations at $8.7 million, and dairy
products at $4.5 million. According to the USDA report,
the Keystone State ranked ninth in both poultry and dairy
products, and 10th in fruits and preparations.
In all reported areas of international agricultural
marketing, here’s how Pennsylvania fared, and bow it
compares to the respective leading states in the country:
Wheat and products: $19.1 million, compared to $741.1
million for Kansas.
Feed grains and products: $59 million, compared to
$1,103.8 million for Illinois.
Soybeans and products: $7.6 million, compared to
$1,223.8 million for Illinois.
Fruits, and preparations: $8.7 million, compared to
$543.2 million for California.
Hog producers to enter show
LANCASTER - Wayne G. barrow; and Folker and National Barrow Show is in stock which represent the
Gower, Windy Hill Farm, Parlett each entered a major purebred breeds of
Lehighton; James T. Chester White barrow. The National Barrow Show hogs in the United States.
Parlett, Airville; and Tony John C. Phillips, Show 15 311 all-breed event which By suomittmg these en-
L. Folker, Pork Chop Farm, superintendent, reported attracts hogs from tries, the - producer of
New Holland; have all en- that 1,175 entries were throughout the United States purebred breeding stock,
tered barrows in the 1979 submitted for this year’s and visitors from many have indicated their in-
National Barrow Show, set event which will again be foreign countries. In ad- tenhon to place their hogs in
for September 10 through 12, held at the Mower County dition to. championship competition in the 1979 show,
in Austin, Minnesota. Fairgrounds in Austin. Often barrows, ♦The N.B.S. also Rugby North Dakota
Gower entered both a referred to as the “World features judging of the the geographical center of
Hampshire and a Yorkshire Series of Swine Shows,” the nati . on s finest breeding North America
Lebanon Co. FFA officers named
Lebanon County FFA officers recently assumed Heilmger, Newmanstown R 2, president; and
office. Pictured above are, from left to right, in the Roland Maust, Lebanon R 4, chaplain. Seated are
back row, Brett Eberly, Newmanstown Rl, Marilyn Deaven, Fredericksburg Rl, reporter; and
treasurer; Mike Balsbaugh, Lebanon Rl, sentinel; Dan Seaman, Grantville Rl, parliamentarian.
Bob Kreider, Anville Rl, vice president; and Missing are Brenda Kaufold, Jonestown R 2,
Gerald Strickler, advisor. Standing in front are historian; and Bonita Kelly, Quentirv, second vice-
Dawn Shirk, Lebanon R 5, secretary; Susan president.
By DIETER KRIEG
Vegetables and preparatios: $2.6 million, compared to
$196.2 million for California
Dairy products: $4.5 million, compared to $31.7 million'
fdr Minnesota.
Meats and preparations: $6.9 million, compared to
$108.3 million for lowa.
Hides-and skins: $15.7 million, compared to sBl.6million
' for Wisconsin.
Poultry products: $ll million, compared t 0539.4 million
for Arkansas.
Lard and tallow: $5.6 million, compared to $72.7 million
for Texas.
Tobacco, unmanufactured: $0.3 million, compared to
$564.4mi11i0n for North Carolina.
Pennsylvania’s farm export program, while significant
in view of the domestic population fed and clothed by
Pennsylvania agriculture, is outdone by all states except
West Virginia, ($12.1 million), Wyoming (s4s'million),
Utah ($58.6 million), Nevada ($ll.l million), New Mexico
($102.6 million), and Hawaii ($19.1 million), in addition to
other states in the Northeast.
The Northeast combined (Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island,
New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) accounted for
. $534.2 million worth of farm products during the last fiscal
year. That figure is exceeded by 15 individual states. In
fact, USDA reports that the top 10 states account for 60 per .
cent of the U.S. farm exports total for 1978. As a matter of
comparison, the state of Louisiana shipped out almost as
much ($524.8 million) in farm products as did the entire
Northeast.
Significantly, the Northeast was one of only two
geographic regions in the country which suffered a
decline in farm exports. The Northeast’s export total for
1978 (|534.2 million) compares with $549.7 million for the
year before. The only other region to report a decline is
the Southeast, where Florida alone exceeded the totals of
the year before.
The Northeast’s drop in farm exports came primarily
from Maryland, Delaware, and Maine. Maryland, the 1977
farm export leader in the Northeast, dropped from $137.6
million to $122.1 million. Delaware fell from $56.9 million
t0_546.6 million. Maine lost $lO million for a 1978 mark of
$15.4 million. Rhode Island had its farm exports cut to less
than half of 1977 levels. Their total for 1978 was $0.3
million. Other states in the Northeast recorded slight
increases. Pennsylvania was the only state to jump
significantly in sales, (from $136.3 "million to $151.5
million) according to the USDA report.
New" York, with farm exports valued at $llB
million, is seventh in the nation with vegetables and
preparations ($21.4 million), fifth in dairy products ($9.7
million), and ninth in fruits and preparations ($12.7
million).
Maryland can boast being in the top 10 with two farm
commodities. The Free State ranks eighth in poultry
products exports ($12.4' million) and ninth in tobacco
($14.1 million).
Total U.S. farm exports were pegged at $27.3 billion
dollars last year, the USDA report concluded.
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