Volume-Belt: cattle feeder by JAMES WAY Simply better Designed with fast, quiet, dependable—and low cost—feeding in mind. Volume-Belt cattle feeder is simple ... has no cables, no chain, no traveling electrical motors or parts. Belts out big-capacity feeding on a weather-protected belt. For single lot, multi-lot or in-barn set-ups. See us for systems and service that help make the good life better. AGRI-EQUIP. RD4, Farmersville, Ephrata, PA 717-354-4271 I. G. SALES Rt. 113, Box 200 Silverdale, PA 215-257-5135 I. HIRAM BUCHMAN, INC. Rte. 519- N. off Rte. 46 P.O. Box 185 Belvidere, NJ 07823 ERB & HENRY EQUIP., INC. 22-26 Henry Avenue New Berlmvilte, PA 215-367-2169 Everyone remembers the litmus paper used in high school chemistry classes to determine if a compound was acid or alkaline. Well, I think a good litmus test for marketing conditions is the Minnesota-Wisconsin Price Series. Even with its shortcomings it’s the best I /I, • DEPENDABLE MOTORS ROVENDALE SUPPLY Honey Brook, PA RD 2, Watsontown, PA 17777 215-273-3131 717-538-5521 215-273-3737 HENRY S. LAPP SOLLENBERGER SILOS RDI, Cams, Gap, PA 17527 RFD 2, Chambersburg, PA 717-442-8134 717-264-9588 HARRY L. TROOP Rt 1 Cochranville, PA 19330 215-593-6731 Litmus Test y il m -w DETWILER SILO REPAIR Rt. 2, Newville, PA 717-776-7533 The Milk Check TOU JURCHAK County Agent economic indicator that we have. It won’t give you a uniform or blend price. But neither is it loaded with a lot of extras that can be misleading. And with 60 percent of your milk being sold at the Class II price which is basically the M-W in Order 2 it’s a much better indicator than J. A. SWOPE Box 121, RDI Myerstown, PA 717-933-4758 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 30,1980—D3 ever before. Besides, it’s still the basis for determining your class prices when converted to 3.5 percent butterfat and it called the Basic Formula Price in all federal milk marketing orders. However, even with the M- W we can be misled because it is influenced by the pnce support program. U.S. Department of Agriculture purchases of butter, powder and cheese are made to increase the M-W price so producers all over the countryjrill benefit from the support program. Keeping this in mind you can use the M-W price like the litmus paper in the chemistry class. Looking back over the last four months since the new support price of $12.07 was announced on April 1, the M- W price never really moved from $11.68 in April until it increased a measly five cents in July to $11.73 still far below die support pnce of $1207 in spite of USDA purchases. Wait and Watch However, that five cents increase small as it was looked so good that a lot of people interpreted it as the beginning of the end of milk marketing problems. There were a lot of reasons centering mainly around the heat wave in the western states. We even got some encouragement when butter COZINESS ELEGANCE ECONOMY EFFICIENCY THE FINEST AVAILABLE • Wood & Coal • Automatic • Ceramic Tile Control • Green or Brown •90 Hr. Burn Time • Very Attractive BOWMANS STOVE 8801 RD 3. Napierville Road Tues Wed Sat 9.5 Ephrata, PA 17522 Thurs., Fri 9-9 Follow the signs from the Ctosed Monday Light at Hinkletown on Rt 322 717-733-4973 Financing Available prices reached the support level for the first time since April (even though they didn’tstaytbere). The best news of all was the decision by USDA to do nothing to delay the scheduled increase in the support price due October 1 even though we were still 49 cents below the current support level in July. Even government pur chases of butter dropped by more than two third in late July. All of these were helpful signs that changes may be on the way. But when my litmus paper test showed only a five cent increase in the M-W this month, I decided I better wait and watch. f 25* kvEAB \A