Farm mergers - a novel idea with big potential By JERRY WEBB NEWARK, Del. - multimillion dollar cor porations can merge and find some mutual advantage m that arrangement, why can’t farmers do the same thing? read in the business press, quite often about mergers, but whoever heard of farm mergers? That’s because it seldom ever happens.” Oh sure, some farmers buy ou| other fanners as they retire, or perhaps father and son or two brothers decide to join their operations for mutual benefit, but the standard business merger seems' We Specialize In Aerial ■fPoles In Stock... 25*. 30’. I 35’&45’ almost unthinkable to the fiercely independent American farmer. At least that’s the way things used to be. Times are Progressive Farmer - changing, even in rural magazine tells about two America. Farmers are North Carolina farmers who seeking other kinds of. did just that. They took two business organization smaller units and legally besides the traditional one- merged them into what man family farm. More and quickly became a big time more, conversation these operation. Ronald Hawkins days centers on the larger- and ' Bill Toney were than-family / farm neighboring farmers who organizations that seem to traded work and shared be gaining strength. These equipment now and then and units are using a variety of finally realized that their business techniques to gain philosophies, goals and in the economic leverage they terests were quite similar, need to be profitable. So why' So they sat down and plotted 23 and Turnpike Bridge, Morgantown, Rt. TUESDAY. JULY 10,1979 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING Specializing in AGRICULTURAL WIRING •o Residential, Industrial nd Commercial Work. Free Estimates. C. MU HIGH CO. Box 175 RD2 Myerstown, PA 17067 Phone: 717-866-7544 KEYSTONE MILLS am JOHN B. KURTZ r I r , AT THE VERNON BEILER FARM 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. RAIN OR SHINE Let's Talk Poultry Feeding Programs can’t some of these larger than-family farm units be made up through mergers? A story in a recent issue of SkBt'%k a formal merger that would take advantage of the strengths of both farming units for the mutual good of the overall operation. Both of these men started fanning on a part-time basis in the early 1970’s without mhented land or equipment and without the advantage of working into existing farms. Both were expanding their farming operations and know-how gradually, but neither felt they were making progress rapidly enough. Before the merger, each was farming about 300 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat. Oxen team raised (Continued from Page 14) eat, pasture in Summer, with an occasional scoop of molasses feed. Under working conditions, Paul fuels them with extra rations. “They know the white bucket that delivers extra feed,” he laughs. “As soon as they see that bucket, they hurry fOl feeding.” Tracking down oxen lore and background information on their training has led the Hoover family to some in teresting facts. For instance, did you know that the term “oxen” applies to a pulling team of “any split-hoofed animal?” Therefore, you could hook up a pair of pigs, or goats, and label them “oxen.” Pioneers, .. heading West, add the TO AN But after throwing their equipment inventories together and purchasing a couple of additional items, they were able to expand to a total of 1400 acres. Not only did they gain the economic advantage of more equip ment without more in vestment, but they gained the moral support of each other. That allowed them to make some rather bold business decisions that might have otherwise been almost totally over whelming. Maybe it’s as simple as having someone there everyday whose judgment you trust a Hoovers, are reported to have occasionally caught and trained young buffalo as an oxen team to pull their prarie schooners. As a sideline to the team, Paul has been bitten by the antique equipment bug and is accumulating an in ventory of old wagons and similar pieces. One unique item is an old hillside sulky plow, in need of repairs. Hunting parts has sent him, unsuccessfully so far, scrambling to find a source of replacement pieces. He plans to eventually adapt each item for use by the team, expanding his current oxen equipment of wagons, a bobsled and an occasional hookup to the garden plow and mower. A June graduated from the -*]■ '*f t ' Lancaster Famiint f S«tnrday r July 7y197»rJ15 However you categorize that moral support, it allowed Hawkins and Toney to take some big steps. In addition to renting ahother 1000 acres of cropland, they bought a new 125 horsepower tractor and several other pieces of equipment. They purchased a 217-acre farm and are currently developing a 100-sow feeder pig operation. They also leased a 22,000 bushel grain storage complex and a local repair county’s vocational-techni cal school, Paul was a member of the wrestling team and studied diesel mechanics. He recently began work in that field with H.R. Treffinger, Etters Rl. Someday Paul ejects to return fulltime to the family’s custom slaughter and direct meat sales business, operated by his dad and mother, Donette. The family also feeds out steers and farms 250 acres of corn, small garin and hay. Paul, Bill and Buck have been invited to participate in tiie August 3 and 4 York 4-H Fair. They’ll be giving rides in a wagon behind the glossy, - black-and-white beauties, with Paul donating the proceeds to the county’s 4-H program. • : ‘ Pa. counselor, a listener, another expert to react to your ideas. (Turn to Page 37) ijo
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