A34—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 22,1580
Letters To
The Editor
Dear editor:
Petroleum, on which our
country heavily depends, is a
dumshing resource and m
light of increasingly ex
pensive and unstable oil
supplies, any analysis of our
country's resources for self
sufficiency has to include
alcohol derived from corn.
Our freedom depends on our
mobility. Crops cannot be
planted or harvested without
fuel. A shortage at the wrong
tune would be disastrous.
As events m the Middle
East unfold it becomes more
and more apparent how
easily and swiftly our oil
supplies could be
threatened, with our
government being powerless
to defend them. A 5%
shortage is enough to create
a serious shortage as in 1973
and 1975. A 25% shortage,
which is equivalent to
Middel East imports, would
be disastrous to the farming
community. Agriculture is
the backbone of the nation
and must be kept strong.
This is why we can no longer
depend on unstable oil prices
and supplies both foreign
and domestic.
There are several liquid
fuel alternatives; oil shale,
heavy tar sand, coal
gasification and alcohol.
With the exception of
alcohol, the other alter
natives will be very ex
pensive, controlled by big
i *ij
i
V . (
*
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business and be at least 7 to
10 years before they will be
practical if at all. Quoting
the Umted States Depart
ment of Energy, “Alcohol is
the only alternative energy
source which will have a
significant impact on energy
independence in the next
decade.”
Economically and
strategetically it makes
sense to have an energy
source which is manufac
tured from local feedstocks
and shipped back to local
farmers, thereby keeping
the dollars circulating
locally and strengthening
the community instead of
frittering them away
overseas to the advantage of
big business, both foreign
and domestic. Such a plan
would be especially feasible
if the farmers would have
some control over their
energy source.
It is imperative people
realize what a serious
condition we are really in. It
is difficult to imagine what
would happen if indeed
Middle East oil would be
completely shut off as could
easily happen. On top of this,
the Russian oil wells (two
years ago Russian was the
world’s top producer of oil)
have peaked m the past year
and a half and they will be
very soon on the world
market for oil, obtaining it
through Soviet subsidized
money or b> force. In any
case, it is imperative we get
started immediately on a
national alcohol project, not
just talking about it.
James D. Kessler
Vice President
Penn Agrihol Coop.
Dear editor:
We’re glad you had
‘tongue in cheek’ when you
wrote the milk check-off
editorial in Saturday’s issue
of Lancaster Farming. Our
contention for a long tune
has been - it’s under
promotion, not over
production.
Another topic for an
editorial could be --
Producer are you a good
consumer?
Give it to ‘em, Curt!
Mr. & Mrs. R. Armacost, Jr.
Upperco, Md.
Lancaster Holsteiris
(Continued from Page A 29)
fit duled next for March
IUSI
In a report from the state
office, Mike Weuner an
nounced the goal for Lan
caster County membership
is 678, and encouraged
breeders to work in the
current membership
campaign to reach that goal
He pointed out that foreign
and domestic interest still
runs high in cattle from
Pennsylvania with a special
mterest in young bulls from
this state
President Nathan Stoltzfus
presented a $25 savings bond
to Mark Frey, Ronks Rl, as
winner of the country Future
Farmers of America dairy
judging contest. Frey is a
ip ember of the Pequea
Valley FFA Chapter
Lancaster County Dairy
Princess Connie Balmer told
the dairymen about her
activities, including serving
as a host on the recent Farm-
City week tour which
brought 650 people to her
family’s Guernsey farm
near Lititz She also
presented a brief program
on “Milk - The American
Way”, featuring patriotic
music as a background
She spoke out firmly in
support of advertising
programs saying that it is
necessary to “get consumers
to drink milk instead of
cola ”
She said the dairy industry
makes a unique contribution
to the health and welfare of
this country through it
many products.
She added, “One of the
ways to keep the country
strong is to keep its citizens
strong,”
She said this can be done
with a balanced diet in
cluding the recommended
allowances of milk
Entertainment was
provided by Merv Sands
local entertainer who now
works and lives in New York
City
WE’RE GROWING BETTER