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Lancaster Farming says...
Lehigh Valley Farms has called for
an end to milk price fixing by the
Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board.
It should come as no surprise that
Lehigh Valley Farms, one of the
area’s larger cooperatives, also is
one of the state’s largest milk
dealers.
Any such move would free up
competition in the dairy industry. ,
And Lehigh is banking its future on
some innovative ideas, including
expansion of markets and successful -
promotion of its own brand name
advertising.
, What Lehigh and its sister
business Atlantic Processing, Inc.
want is legislation to eliminate
PMMB's ability to set minimum
prices that dealers charge super
markets and stores charge con
sumers.
If nothing else, API President
Robert Barry rocked the Penn
sylvania milk marketing boat when
THE SACRED
MOUNTAIN
September 21,1980
Background Scripture;
Eidous 2:23 through
3:14; 19:1-19.
Devotional Reading:
Jeremiah 17:7-13.
To Abraham, God had
FOR WINTER
The other morning when
the thermometer dropped
into the forties, and you
could see your breath in the
cold air, it reminded me that
winter is approaching. This
usually means colder
weather and higher fuel
costs. What have you dene to
eaaßeDKm
What price milk marketing freedom?
made some extravagant
promises of what he would
do with and for Abraham’s
descendents. When
generations later God comes
to Moses leading the people
of Israel in the wilderness of
Sinai, he begins his talk of
the covenant, not with
promises, but with
declarations that he has
been true to the commitment
he had"made: “You have
seen what I did to the
Egyptians, and how I bore
you on eagles’ wings and
brought you to myself’
(19:4).
NOW THEREFORE...
Thus the convenant which
God offers to the people
through Moses begins with
reduce energy needs in your
home or heated buildings?
The Penn State Engineers
say there are dozens of
things that can be done to cut
down fuel costs; however,
most of us do not take the
time to eliminate the hot air
leaks. The place to start
might be storm doors and
windows, insulation,
caulking, and sealing. Many
homes and buildings were
constructed while fuel costs
were much lower. Now it is
important to invest in these
energy-saving practices to
he called for a system to let milk
prices seek their own level.
The only qualification Barry's
statement included was one which
would allow PMMB to be sure milk
dealers don’t sell below their costs.
There's plenty of meat for
discussion in the proposal.
In many dairymen’s minds, such a
move will throw API and associates
into the same group as the CNi folks
who want to get rid of federal milk
marketing orders for much the same
reason; less government control and
a free-floating milk price.
Two questions need to be an
swered: Is Lehigh trying to float the
crest of the popular consumerist fads
to free up milk markets? And, if
accepted, would Lehigh’s proposal
help only Lehigh Valley Farms or
would it be a benefit to all Penn
sylvania dairy farmers?
The ultimate reason for both
federal orders and PMMB’s price
the reminders of what God
has already done for Ids
people. Abraham had bad
only a promise from God,
but Moses and the Israelites
had seen that promise
vindicated in their own lives.
It is because of this that
God also now begins to
enlarge upon what he wants
in return: “Now therefore, if
you will obey my voice and
keep my covenant, you shall
be my own possession
among all peoples” (19:5).
Because God has followed
them with a special
providence, he also expects
from them a special
relationship: “...you shall be
to me a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation” (19:6).
reduce mounting fuel costs.'
We urge some attention to
these practices before
freezing weather arrives.
Yourcbeck book will benefit
from your efforts.
TO LIME GROUND
FOR WINTER GRAINS
Soil testing is a good
practice at any time of the
year but applying (he needed
lime before seeding winter
barley or wheat is a very
good practice. The small
grain will yield better and if
the area is to be seeded down
to a legume mixture, the
fixing power can be summed up in
two words: ‘stable market’.
The powers-that-be have held a
stable market up as the most
desirable of situations for dairy
farmers. A stable market, we are
reminded, means a steady flow of
good milk to consumers at a
reasonable cost.
It would be nice if the system
always worked, but it doesn't. The
fault is not the Milk Marketing
Board’s, but the system which it
must manage.
Lehigh estimates 60 percent of the
milk sold in Pennsylvania is tolled.
Tolling allows milk to be processed at
a negotiated fee.
' Individual farmers jug milk on their
own farms, legally getting around
minimum price rules and making
good profits in the bargain.
School milk pricing as well as store
pricing varies widely from one end of
the state to the other, often with little
apparent reason Lehigh says
It is a great responsibility,
but when Moses explains it
to the Israelites there is no
hesitation for them to make
the commitment God seeks:
“All that the Lord has
spoken we will do”(17:8).
Good has made his eloquent
offer and his people have
readily accepted. There will
be an expanded covenant
between God and his people
under Moses.
SET BOUNDS FOR THE
PEOPLE
But that was not to be the
end of it. This new covenant
between God and his people
needed a solemn occasion by
which this agreement would
be fully etched upon the
hearts and minds of the
lime will have time to
sweeten the soil. Some
farmers will apply the lime
on top of the grain next
spring. This is not a good
practice and legume failures
might be the result. Give the
lime a chance to work in the
topsoil for several months
before the alfalfa or clover
are seeded. Soil testing in the
fall is strongly recom
mended in preparing for
next season’s crops.
TO PLAN
HOME FIRE ESCAPES
Do you have a definite
ow£(N£ w i mm-
nn
BY CURT HABLER, EDITOR
people. And this is where
ritual entered in: by means
of ritual the covenant was
dramatized for the people’s
benefit.' There were three
main elements to this ritual:
prepare for the institution of
the covenant: “Go to the
people and consecrate them
today and tomorrow, and let
them wash their gar
ments...” (19:11). By these
acts the people would better
realize that they were being
set apart ior a special
relationship.
Secondly, God himself
would appear before the
people, coining in fire and
smoke and a thundering
voice from the mountain. It
was not enough for Moses tc
escape plan for your family
'"in case of fire during the
night? Home fires are
blamed for disabling or
killing thousands of people
each year. Most of these
might be avoided by haviqg
smoke detectors with a
rehearsed home fire escape
plan. To some folks this
might seem unnecessary,
but families with youngsters
should take this suggestion
seriously and give ft some
attention. Work out a home
Farm Calendar
Today, September 20
Western Pa. 4-H Goat Show;
Mercer4-H Park.
Chester-Delaware Grange
Old Time Day.
Pa. State Jersey Cattlp Sale;
12:30 p.m.; Guernsey
Pavilion, Lancaster.
Delaware Valley Old Time
Power and Equipment
Assn. Farm Equipment
Expo; Washington
Crossing Park,
Washington Crossing,
N.J.; continues through
tomorrow.
Seminar in Horse Anatomy;
Center of Adult
Stable markets mean the farmer
can be fairly sure of a milk pickup
every few days. It means the farmer
can offer the bank some market
security.
Stable markets also put a lid on
prices the farmer can expect at the
farm.
In grabbing for stable markets the
farmer must let go any hold on a
cherished free market economy. The „
farmer gives up the right to sell his 0))
product at open bid.
The farmer says Washington or
Harrisburg knows better what a
reasonable price is for milk than the
producer does.
In short, the farmer trades his
right to a free market for the security
of a guaranteed safe. The cost of our
stable markets is paid at the price of
individual freedom.
It’s a bargain most dairymen, until
now, have seemed willing to accept.
Are the times changing?
assure them that he hac
talked with God; the time
had come when the people
had to see it for themselves.
And finally, “you shall set
bounds for the people rounc
about, saying, “Take heed
that you do not go up into the
mountain or touch the!)')}
border of it; whoever
touches the mountain shall
be put to death” (19:12),
There has to be some sacred
place or experience in our
midst, a place where we do
not defile with easy
familiarity. There needs to
be an experience of the
awesome “otherness” of
God that both sobers and
deepens our covenant
relationship.
fire escape plan for
room in the house; this
especially
youngsters
bedrooms. Make
windows and door can
quickly opened. Show
youngsters how to break
glass in windows or doors
with a chair ,leg. Some
families' might have fire
ropes or ladders for escape
to a deck, roof, or the
(Turn to Page A 34)
Education, University of
Maryland Campus; 7:30
p.m.
Sunday, September 21
Farrier Forging Contest;
New Boiton Center,
Kennett Square.
Monday, September 22
Pa. All American Dairy
Show; continues through
Friday; Farm Show
Complex, Harrisburg.
Bloomsburg Fair; continues
through September 27;
Bloomsburg.
York County Dump Meeting
and Prayer Vigil; 6 p.m.;
(Turn to Page A 39)
needed
and
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