VOL 26 No. 10 Galen W. Crouse, R 1 Stevens, right, has been named Master Farmer for 1980. Crouse, along with wife Carolyn and sons Philip, left, and Neal operate a successful dairy enterprise in Lancaster County on 310 acres of leased land. His program boasts a 16,000 pound herd average for milk production. He is actively involved in the embryo transfer program. GalenCrouse wins Master Farmer award STEVENS - Galen W. Crouse, of R 1 Stevens, has been named a Master Farmer for 1980. His business expertise and management efficiency has proven you can be a highly successful dairyman without owning an acre of land or a building. The 310 acres of cropland he farms is owned by operators of a limestone quarry. The land was sold years ago by his father. Unable to buy the farm, Crouse leases the land. On this farm Crouse raises 360 dairy animals, 126 of which are milk cows. Heavily involved in an embryo transplant program, he sells offspring for a profit in addition to maintaining a milk herd average of 16,000 pounds of milk. “When mv dad sold the farm, 1 negotiated an agreement with the new owner. The original buildings were too small, outdated, and inefficient for an expanding dairy operation,” Crouses says. En this issue SECTION A: Editorials, 10; Bank freezes farm rates, 14; Dotterer named Master Farmer, 15; Farm exports, 17; Perry County Master Farmer, 18; Beshore named Master Farmer, 19; Rural crime, 24; Sheila’s shorts, 26; Stressed pigs, 30; Lebanon A3CS committee, 34; Big com yields, 36. SECTION B: 1980 s in review, 2; Mifflin DHIA, 4; Meet U.S. Ag secretary nominee, 9; Lebanon 4-H roundup, 12; Joyce Bupp’s column, 14. SECTION C: Homestead notes, 2; Microwave cooking, 6; Broiler ventilation, 7; Lancaster DHIA, 12; Dairy pipeline, 16; Chester DHIA, 20; Blair DHIA, 22; Farm Talk, 29. 15 6l c CO /*’ 551,, 1 oepiodicals uiv , 2 .y PATTE 7. L 5^TE;«^T!f^ F, S I T Y =l' >IS YL V A IN. 1A S i 6S C 3 2 iMivrRSITY PA*< ■ The owner, however, preferred not to invest ad ditional money in the farm. The Master Farmer financed and constructed a 40 by 200-foot free stall bam, a 60 by 90-foot maternity barn, and two large silos. Crouse worked out a 20- PMMB to face several 1981 challenges BY CURT HAULER HARRISBURG - Look for the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board to be the target of consumer-oriented activity as 1981 wears on. PMMB is likely to face opposition both from within the Board and from outside interests. While two of the Board’s three members and the state Milk Dealers Association face legal action on a charge they conspired to force a consumer representative out of her job, the battle will go to broader interests than that. Main target will be Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 3,1981 year lease whereby he has the right to farm the land for this period or longer. “I formed a partnership with my fatrher in 1954, but disbanded it in 1966, when the farm was sold. I pur (Turn to PageA2l) PMMB’s authority to establish minimum prices for milk. In Pittsburgh, for in stance, it has become almost a regular occurance for the Mayor of the city to challenge price increase orders issued by PMMB. The latest legal action against a PMMB-ordered price hike came earlier this month. PMMB’s consumer representative on the Board, Marianne Olson, says she takes a different position than the Mayor. The Mayor said he wanted no price increase, she points out. “I want a decrease.” At least one researcher has found that consumer representation at PMMB hearings makes a difference in milk pricing. Amy Leader, a student interne with Common Cause, the citizens’ lobby, con cluded in her study that in areas like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, where con sumers are well represen ted, the consumer factions do better in milk pricing battles. Leader is the neice of Brecknock farmers seek ag zoning clarification BY DICK ANGLESTEIN FIVEPOINTVILLE - Farmers in Brecknock Township, Lancaster County, will seek clarification of several agricultural restrictions in the new zoning ordinance which will be up for adoption by township supervisors at a public hearing on January 15. Farmers’ concerns are centered on certain agricultural restrictions, such as those governing height limitations for ac cesses? buildings to the principal dwelling permitted in the ag district and a 25- acre minimum requirement for intensified livestock uses. Donald M. Robinson, vo-ag teacher in the Eastern Lancaster County School District, said that farmers have been in touch with him concerning such restric tions, which are included in the ordinance to be con sidered by supervisors at the Gets scoop on legislation? ACP $ cuts Lane. Dist. re-elects officers LANCASTER Aaron Stauffer and Amos Funk were unanimously re-elected chairman and vice- chairman of the Lancaster former Pennsylvania Democratic Governor George M. Leader. Although Marianne Olson does represent consumers on the Board, she is out numbered two-to-one, the study points out. Olson, who is quick to point out she never advocated abolishing PMMB, adds that its price fixing policy is unfair. She says PMMB auditors say Pennsylvania dealers are making a 5.3 percent profit on milk sold. Nationally, USDA says the average profit on milk is 2.8 percent. In controlled states, other than Pennsylvania, the margin averages 2.5 per cent. “I don’t care how much profit they make. I just don’t think they should make the profit on a minimum price,” she says, explaining the minimum should be low, but higher prices allowed if a dealer feels he can get them. While Common Cause does not have a position on PMMB pricing policies, it - tsj£v v ff^ N public hearing in the Brecknock Elementary School, Bowmansville, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 15. “Primarily, the farmers want more clarification of such restrictions and how they might affect their operations,” Robinson said. Concerning the 15-foot height restriction for ac cessory buildings, Robinson explained that this could be a concern of agricultural families who utilize horses for transportation. Family members, he said, may want to construct another dwelling on a farm and the 15-foot restriction might apply to a horse bam which would be needed as an ac cessory building. The section of the proposed ordinance, which updates the existing zoning regulations adopted in 1973, containing the 25-acre minimum for intensified livestock operations states: “Poultry houses for County Conservation District during the monthly Board of Directors meeting on Monday. During their last meeting does support the idea of sunset legislation. A sunset law would require termination of a government agency or board unless it were re-approved regularly by the state legislature. (Turn to PageA26) Last call for Form Show issue Lrm- Famsbowiser will begin Sunday January ate,ran through,Friday the , 16th. The anauM MN CASTER FARING Antin' Stew issue-'Wiit--he in-'lar*. Saturday 'before, IteyShow opens. , ;'/5 " ' .Iske wii be'lasted '' with aptbdate IMormatioh on the Show, incitejsg the most recent "list ot . exfdbilors/a tiiriHsage map showing where, everyone is located cm the new exhibit floor plan, and the day-by day schedule of events, Including all last minute changes. In addition, the Farm Stew* .issue will include $7.50 Per Year bousing more than five thousand (5000) birds and structures for housing more than twenty-five (25) sows or fifty (50) head of other livestock shall not be located on lots of less than twenty five (25) acres, of which a minimum of twenty (20) acres shall be arable land available for the disposing of liquid manure generated by the poultry or livestock.” In view of today’s fanning economics, seemingly all future livestock operations in the township would meet this 25-aore minimum requirement. “We can see that proper disposal of manure is a legitimate concern,” Robinson explained. “But what if a farmer with slightly less than 25 acres wants to establish a poultry operation in which all of the manure will be sold to another fanner or to a mushroom grower?” (Turn to Page A 25) of the year, the directors also took the opportunity to discuss the latest con servation programs with local legislators.' Attending the session were the three Lancaster County Commissioners, James Huber, Jean Mowery and Robert Boyer. From the state legislators, personal appearances were put in by Senators Clarence Manbeck and Richard Snyder, with Steven Nickol representing Senator Ralph Hess. Other (Turn toPageA2B) toographiek on - the FF& Keystone Fanner ; award winners, ten teres ,_;eb Brestodr,aM mactonery, ~ and - pages':-dt Mortoaßen ' yen’d lfl£etoJa»owfeetoreyoa - bead Mgshow, ; *'" : ,, , . ~ ffe is our i&aa nofceejlo rrettond [pky&& 'mi. 'M ' yertlsers'ahke to gadasrap ■ " Be sore your group» Bon orduhis represented in the bible of ' Pennsylvania agriculture; , Lancaster Paraaag,, > - ■ Contact 'm at Box m> Lititx PA, m&i or phone 717/6a&5652, '« you have something to contribute.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers