A26—Lancaster Farming, Saturday Hovembcr 8,1980
Letters To
The Editor
Dear Editor:
I read your editorial of
October 25 “The Three
Percent Solution”, as an
indirect reply to Jerry
Webb’s last two Farm Talk
columns in which he sings
the familiar tune that fewer
farmers and bigger farms
means better farming.
Without specifying the
possible conditions that
would bring it about, you say
that a time will come when
three percent is not enough. I
agree, and find Mr. Webb’s
last two pieces as trite
paeans for the American
agricultural system that has
evolved over the last 35 to 40
years. We have no guarantee
that the same trends will
continue - and maybe they
shouldn’t.
The Farm Talk column of
October 25 bothered me so
much that I drafted a
rebuttal. His comments
about the greatness of
American agriculture raised
some questions. I did some
research and found some
answers - and they m turn
led to more questions.
Webb described the
“phantom” farming of the
HURRY!
Sale prices good
only through
SATURDAY.
NOV. 15, 1980
3a
jrJflTORtHi
krniHf
i motor o»^
11 GAUGE
TOP and BOTTOM WIRE
12Vz Gauge Center
39” high, 6” spacing
24706-
73 M
47” high, 6" spacing
24707-
*B3"
9GAUGE
TOP and BOTTOM WIRE
11 Gauge Center
39” high, 6” spacing
24678-282 ♦
*103"
47” high 6” spacing
24681-282
*117"
Delmarva peninsula,
marvelling at its produc
tivity and efficiency, but
prudently declining to pass
judgment on its long-run
value in our civilization.
Then one week later, in his
October 25 column, he
reversed himself and came
down firmly m support of
government paid research
into more mechanization,
more bigness, more ef
ficiency, and fewer people on
the land. Quote: “There’s no
question that America has
developed the best
agricultural system in the
world.”
This view betrays an agri
business bias, and sees
farmers as just another
factor or cost of production.
The more we can produce,
with the least labor, the
better, according to Mr.
Webb. Several things are
wrong, or at best one-sided
in that analysis.
First of all, “efficiency”
and “productivity” are
relative terms We have to
ask, against what input is
America’s farm output ef
ficient 9 In terms of man
hours of labor, our
Famous Brand
High Detergent
Motor Oil
SAVE up to 3.95 per case
19 97
■I Sw per case
Straight Weights
Reg 23 52/SAVE 16%
f1A97 10W30 Quart;
JL\3 Reg 24 93 /Si
019110W40 Quart;
A I Reg 25 92 1 Si
1
[ CENTRAL
I SFAffJM & FAMILY CENTER
production is indeed mar
vellous. agreed, only three
farmers can feed 100
Americans and have a
surplus left over.
To use another measure of
productivity - yields per
acre - our superiority is
unchallenged, but only in
corn. Several European
countries get double our
wheat and barley yields.
And still more produc
tivity questions crop up:
what if we ask about yields
per gallon of fuel, or yields
per ton of fertilizer, or yields
per dollar of capital in
vested? And, while we’re
asking, can our system that
produces so much per acre
sustain itself over many
generations’
It’s only been about 35
years that those three or four
fanners have been feeding
100 of the rest of us, a very
short span compared to the
millema over which we
humans have drawn our
sustenance from the soil.
Those questions must be
asked, even if the answers
might disturb those long
accustomed to uncritically
accepting whatever the
economists and engineers
tell them is progress.
Some answers, barely
scratching the surface of a
whole new way of looking at
American farming:
U.S. farm output in
creased by 90 percent from
1940 to 1975, during the same
period that so many people
left the farm labor force.
Wonderful, maybe. But...
during those same years
fertilizer use increased 900
percent. New question: are
we depletmg the fertility of
All items are subject to stock
on hand We reserve the
right to limit quantities Sale
ends on the above date
our topsoil and hiding the
loss by pouring on more
chemical fertilizers?
American com growers on
average use 80 gallons of fuel
per acre of com. How much
longer will OPEC allow us to
boast of that doubtful ef
ficiency? The no-till band
wagon rolls on with Jess fuel,
but at what expense in
neti ok uni-based herbicides
. pesticides'
One study of Indiana
farms found an average of
$500,000 invested per worker.
(Even General Motors has
only $40,000 invested per
worker.) Is this a desirable
capital-to-labor ratio? Is it
really efficient to farm with
money instead of with
people?
To say that America has
developed the best
agricultural system in the
world is chauvinistic prattle
- something we’d expect
from incumbent candidates
in an election year, but not
from an intelligent observer
of global trends in
agriculture.
The system, with all its
good and bad points,
developed as it did because
of conditions unique to
America- fertile (and for
merly cheap) land, cheap
energy, and an ever-growing
industry could absorb
surplus rural labor.
These conditions are
changing; our farming
system never was the best
for every time and place,
and may not prove the best
for the coming tunes in this
place.
119"
Reg 129 99/SAVE 10 00
24040 260
9.300 B.T.U.
Kerosene Heater
Heats by radiation and convection
Features electronic push button
starting and convenient removable
cartridge fuel tank Get clean heat
and nearly 100% fuel efficiency with
this compact portable'
Gas Enaine
Log Splitter
Standard model complete Comes with
spring center valve and semi
pneumatic low speed tires on rim 3 5
h p Briggs 4 Stratton engine Single
stage pump 3 diameter x 18’ stroke
cylinder Splitting capacity up to 20
long Splitting force up to 18 000 lbs
LANCASTER
1570 Manheim Pike, Hwy 72 North
Ph; 717-569-0111
Sale Hours
8 30 - 5 30 Mon - Fn
8 30 - 5 00 Saturdsy
I enjoyed your editorial
about the KILE. As men
tioned there are many things
large and small that must be
changed for the show to
remain viable.
In your opening comments
you mentioned The Standard
of Perfection Polled
Hereford show scheduled for
the 1981 event. This breed
event can definitely add
greatly to the entire show
but only if show officials are
ready to do things properly
as should be the case with a
major stock show.
The basic purpose of a
stock show would have to be
considered both educational
and promotional. It is safe to
assume that those animals
that are shown are high
value individuals; not only,
to an individual breeder, but
in many cases to the breed
as a whole.
My first acquaintance With
KILE was at the time when I
was a member of the Ohio
State Intercolligate Judging
Team. The stock show not
only presented an out
standing contest but an
excellent display of
purebred livestock. Most all
the leading herds East of the
Mississippi were present.
At recent shows this at
tendance has not been
evident. Some of the same
individuals were involved
with the show throughout the
entire period. But, they are
individuals and cannot be
expected to buck against a
system that seems deter
mined to extinguish the
interest of prospective
exhibitors.
Maynard Withescll
R 8 Johnstown
Dear Editor:
3 Pt. Hitch
Wood Splitter
Fits category 1 or 2 allows you to split a
cord of wood in less than an hour Ex
elusive quick adjustment backstop heavy
duty construction can be used free
standing with ground stand or mounted on
tractor Uses 8” to 18" stroke hydraulic
cylinder Does not include cylinder valve
hoses or stand
Stand for above 12953 279 37 99
CHAMBERSBURG
1351 Lincoln Way East
Ph 717-264-8282
Store Hours
-9-6 Mon -Thur
9-9 Fn , 9-5 Sat
The facilities provided at
the present KILE are, at
best, substandard, when the
beef cattle were housed in
the cattle barn; now used to
stall horses, and they were
shown in the large arena,
these surroundings made for
a much safer & prestigious
exposition.
It seems to be a totally
opposite position of KIILE
show management to con
fine the progress of this show
when the national attitude of
major livestock shows is
toward better facilities and
improved cooperation
between exhibitors and show
management. There are a
few ' superintendents who
really do seem to earnest to
do the best job they are
allowed to do.
Cliff Orley, owner
Keystone Cattle Service
Member, Eastern National
Livestock Show
Board of Directors
LIMIT 16
Per Customer
77*
Reg 99' / SAVE 22%
AC. Champion, or
Motorcraft
Spark Plugs
For most makes and models of cars
trucks tractors and many other
engines
97*
Reg 1 14/SAVE 14%
Resistor Plugs