C4s—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April IS, 1980 Apple referendum vote to close Thursday HARRISBURG - A referendum is currently being voted on by apple growers in Pennsylvania. Growers with 500 or more apple trees of ali ages will be determining the fate of the Apple Marketing Program in the state—whether or not to keep AMB for an ad ditional five years. The referendum period started on April 11 and will continue until 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 24. A two thirds vote in favor is needed for the program to continue and for the referendum to pass. According to Alan Gallagher, marketing representative for the Pa. Apple Marketing Board, ballots were mailed out to the eligible apple growers. (The Pa. Depart ment of Agriculture maintains a list of the growers with 500 or more trees of all ages.) Paul Pitzer, president of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, Inc., said the association “enthusiastically endorses this program”. “We need advertising and promotion to move our apples in an orderly fashion,” he said. “Penn sylvania has been the leader in pushing Eastern Apple Promotion and now seven states—Maryland, Delawa Lancaster Pomona Grange installs new officers WHITE HORSE - The Lancaster County Pomona Grange 71 installed new officers at its recent regular meeting. Officers for the 1980-1981 term are: Master, Clifford Holloway Jr.; Overseer, Leßoy Welk; Lecturer, Doris Brown. Steward will be Harry Baker; Assistant Steward, J. Stanley Stauffer; Lady Assistant Steward, Debra Zug; Chaplain, Joseph Hess. Also serving are Treasurer, Charles Me* Spartan; Secretary, Elaine Knight; Gatekeeper, Jesse Wood; Ceres, Peggy Galbreath; Pomona, Margaret Edwards; Flora, Marian Holloway; Pianist, Mabel Kreider. The Executive Committee chairman is Chester Eby; Finance Committee, Shirley p ■Hygm-' TWO CAR GARAGE 24x24x8’, 9’ & 10’ Call or Write J.MILLER BUILDINGS, INC. P.O. BOX 171, RD3 Myerstown, PA 17067 717-866-2319 or 717-866-5469 re, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Penn sylvania— are cooperating. This must be continued and strengthened.” To fund the Apple Marketing Board and its promotional activities, there is a 5 cents per bushel check . off on apples sold for fresh market use, said Gallagher, and 2 cents per hun dredweight on apples sold for processing. The 1978 fruit tree survey showed 40 percent of the one to three year old apple trees were Red Delicious and 11 percent were Gold-' ;i Delicious, noted Piteer. “This means more apples for the fresh market during the 1980’s we will need advertising and promotion.” The two-thirds vote in favor of AMB should not be too difficult to realize if the feelings of seven Adams County apple growers hold true for the rest of their fellow fruit growers. These seven spoke out in favor of the referendum, and some had already returned then* ballots. Tom Oyler, Sr., Bigler ville, said he voted for the program. “With the production of apples sky rocketing, apple growers need all the help they can get. And, the Apple Galbreath and Henry Wenger. The new officers were installed by Lois Wood and Violet Featherman from Freemont Grange, and Sandra Galbreath from Fulton Grange. The regular session was preceded by a covered dish dinner. Maker Jesse Wood presided. Salisbury Grange will host the next meeting, April 26, at 8 p.m. at the White Horse Fire Hall. Program will be given by Dr. Thomas Regan, a local dentist. Adams Co. growers in Marketing Board is a source of help.” Don Hollabaugh, also of Biglerville, echoed Oyler’s sentiments. He said he voted for the referendum because apple growers need the legislation'to try to get the marketing situation straightened out. Melvin Worley, a nur seryman and apple grower near York Springs, said he too is in favor of keeping AMB. “We have to do something to market our apples—we can’t expect the West coast to do it for us.” Worley added the sale of nursery stock has been exceptionally good this year, which he said is an in- dication of the growers in , tentions to higher produc -1 tion. He said he felt last year’s apple sales were poor; and with more apples on the market, the apple industry shouldn’t slack up on promotion. Floyd Kuhn, another Adams County apple grower, said he believes in promotion and therefore is in favor of the referendum. He added it is hard to know whether the advertising and promotion done by AMB has helped his apple sales. But, he said, he does know he is satisfied with the local representative of the growers who acts in their behalf on seeing how the check-off money is spent. Kuhn added the check-off is quite low compared to other states. Another apple grower agreed with Xuhn on the small amount the apple growers are taxed. Mrs. Wayne Woemer said she felt the AMB was doing a good job in publicity and promotion with the small amount of money they were working with. She noted that Washington state growers pay more for their promotion, and that she would probably be willing to pay more on the check-off if it was needed. Kuhn said he too would not oppose a slight increase m the check-off rate. “But if they increase it too rapidly, it will make me mad,” he added. John Bream, an Adams County apple grower who also favors the referendum, said he would have to check FARMERS’ FERTILIZER WORKS, INC. 365 W. BAINBRIDGE ST., PREMIUM GRANULAR FERTILIZER & [AWN FOOD LIQUID NITROGEN - LIMESTONE - PESTICIDES HOME OFFICE: (717) 367-1211 WE SELL— YOU GET to see what the other states are paying for their promotion. He said he wouldn’t want it to be higher in Pennsylvania than anywhere else. One of the Adams County apple growers who’s been in the business of raising and marketing apples for many years, Robert JLott, Biglerville, said he thinks most people are in favor of the referendum. He said he will be .voting ‘yes’ on the question for the third time since its establishment. TWO FERTILIZER FACILITIES TO SERVE YOU BETTER! YOU GET MORE THAN PRODUCTS & SERVICE YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR WE TAKE PRIDE IN OUR REPUTATION Only Premium granular fertilizer with a guaranteed analysis for your crop and soil. A quality product and quality service that offers a nitrogen mix ture to give fast and slow release of nutrients, with secondary plant nutrients that are vital for plant growth. avor The apple growers won’t have long to wait to find out the results of their ballot cast. The result of the vote will be announced soon after CHURCHTOWN OFFICE: (215) 286-5337 AT FARMERS FERTILIZER I,J wmt mowing urm ELIZABETHTOWN, PA 17022 the ballots are counted on April 25. The votes will be tabulated by a Teller Committee made up of growers.SM
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