Horse breeder industry from the Capitol building in Harrisburg. Taxes and the operation of the purse funds of the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Association are behind the cause of the mounting turbulence. State tax laws in Penn sylvania grant agriculture operations exemptions from the sales tax levy on production inputs, like fertilizer^equipment, feeds. But, a fine-line legal in terpretation of that sales tax law has barred operations like the Hanover horse breeding stables from the benefit of that exemption. Hanover, and other similar breeding farms, are angry over what they feel is an unjust and discriminatory sales tax interpretation. While they tolerated the for some time, now [lthey’ve begun to fight “We’re agriculture, we belong to-> farmer associations,” emphasizes John Simpson. “Our business is with horses, pasture, grass, feed We are an animal breeding and marketing organization ” Because Pennsylvania laws consistently refuse to recognize them as an ag production business, Hanover pays a six per cent sales tax on everything hay, straw, oats, semen, machinery, fuels, even materials to fix the barns State-related disagreem ents, however, don’t stop at the tax bureau There’s also the problem of low purses (money winnings) in a (Continued from Page 15) racing category known as the “sire stakes.” “Sire stakes” are race categories open only to the offspring of sires standing in service in the state operating a track. Pennsylvania sire stakes, for example, are open only to competing horses bred by sires stan ding in stud right here in the state. Each state divides up differently the funds it receives from “breakage,” a small amount of the money not paid back to bettors who win in pari-mutuel wagering. Some of the funds are used for various state projects, while other monies are plowed back into racing purses. Racing in Pennsylvania is managed under the jurisdiction of the Penn sylvania Harness Racing Commission. In 1977, over 13 million dollars of the pari mutuel breakage funds were dispursed from the Com mission to various state departments The Philadelphia School District got over 4.5 million, the Department of Commerce claimed almost two million for assorted projects and the state’s General Fund received a share of over 6.5 million, earmarked toward projects like water, sewer and access road facilities in boroughs and townships with populations of less than 12,000. Therefore, most of the Pennsylvania funds go mto various types of government funding - very little goes Uses for Roundup herbicide expanded ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Mon santo Company has received Environmental Protection Agency registration ac ceptance expanding the use of Roundup herbicide. The new uses include: -Spot treatment in corn, back to the racing com petitors, notes Simpson. In states like New York and New Jersey, though, a large portion of that breakage is turned back into purse money to be paid to race winners, especially in the sire stakes categories. So, Pennsylvania horse breeders are losing growing amounts of business m service fees, and in breeding stock sales. Customers are instead turning to neigh boring states who offer more potential winnings to home sired offspring. At Hanover, the problem is turning into a genuine economic concern for John Simpson Like all economic battles, the war will un timately be waged on the battleground of the check book. In an attempt to outflank the enem> of tax disparity and low purse returns, whispers of moving float through the ranks at Hanover Shoe Farms. “Never before have we sent so many mares out of state to be serviced,” pon ders Simpson. “There are altogether 87 mares standing m four other states and Canada, making their off- soybeans, wheat, oats, barley, grain sorghum, and cotton. Either hand-held or boom equipment may be used. -Applications after last harvesting of asparagus up spring eligible for higher stakes competition than right here at home,” “Now, you know what that means?” he queries. “That means less horses stabled here, with less hay, less straw, less "grain, less locally-purchased inputs to be bought.” Hanover currently em ploys 85 men. A cutback in the present horse population of 1391 head means less work, lost jobs, less taxes paid, less money all-around to be spread throughout the entire local business com munity. “With the fmest eroun of lorses in the world here at danover,” says Simpson, we idp stimulate the export trade for the state. It not only helps the national balance of trade, but it helps boost the Pennsylvania economy.” No one at Hanover even wants to think about leavmg Adams County and Penn sylvania with it’s rich soil and an environment that’s nurtured the harness racing greats. But if the tax battle is lost, for John Simpson and others, it may be the only path of retreat Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 2,1979—17 until one week prior to emergence. -For sugarcane, Roundup may be applied prior to planting, to remove last stubble or ratoon cane, and as a spot treatment in growing cane to control weeds or diseased cane. -For all labeled tank mixtures used on minimum tillage corn and soybeans, one quart of Roundup may be used when annual weeds are less than six mches tall. The minimum rate previously labeled was 1.5 quarts regardless of weed size. Roundup is a foliar applied, non-selective herbicide sprayed when weeds have reached a vigorous stage of growth. When applied directly to foliage, it translocates throughout the plant, destrovmg above and below- ground plant tissues, in cluding the reproductive root system of perennial weeds. Application rates and tuning will vary according to the weed species being treated. Many emerged nuisance weeds such as Ber mudagrass, Bindweed, and Rhizome Johnsongrass can be controlled with one ap plication of Roundup where several herbicides and frequent treatments may have been needed before. Since Roundup will not control seeds or unemerged weeds, the use of a label approved seedling weed control herbicide or other seedling control measures are recommended by Monsanto to help prevent the re-establishment of annual and perennial weeds from seed.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers