A26—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 3,1981 Just Coincidence? In last week’s issue of Lancaster Farming, I began a series on rural crime and its growing occurance in the US It seems as if I’ve touched on a topic that has stabbed at a greater number of farmers in our area than I suspected I began the senes with a ficticious account of teenagers trying to have some fun by turning out a farmer’s cows This story was based on statistics documented by the Ohio State research team on rural crime who does it, when is it most likely to occur This report comprises the gist of this week’s article on rural crime found in Section B Since the first article of the senes came out, I have had several farmers tell me how current the problem is a living nuisance or nightmare for many One farmer recounted how vanaals entered his hog finishing bam late one night and turned the hogs out of then pens The fun for the hogs turned to fighting and tearing into the fiberglass insulation around the barn’s furnace The next morning, the farmer walked into the barn to find two dead hogs •V. r ANDY CLICK, Oley, Pa. “I usedtoget mycribcorn shelled for feeding my hogs. But since that cost around 8$ a bushel even before hauling costs, I decided I’d be better off with storage. I wentwiththe Harvestall and have never regretted it. “I’ve put as high as 32% moisture corn in my Harvestall and you know, I’ve never had a mold problem.” “So I’m impressed with the Harvestall system and the quality corn I get with it. And I get it cured down for less than it used to cost just for shelling. “I’ve recommended the Harvestall to my friends. I’m really happy with it.” Brief answers to short questions Sheila's Shorts By Sheila Miller killed from the stress and fighting that occurred when the pens were mixed He figured the loss at several hundred dollars The insulation around the furnace was shredded and destroyed The prank of the vandals cost the farmer another couple hundred dollars Slightly more difficult to calculate the loss, the far mer also said he felt all of his hogs were set back fiberglass and fighting are not great methods for put ting on pounds of pork Again, more feed costs to finish out the barn meant more expense for the far mer What happened to the vandals' 7 As the farmer recalled, somewhat disturbed by the outcome, he reported the incident to the local police who offered to patrol the area more frequently Needless to say, the culprits were never caught Now, the farmer said, he has installed a floodlight and locks on all the doors of his barns Additional expense and aggrevation but a necessity to try to prevent other occurances of van dalism from taking place Another farmer told me how local police busted a drug pusher at the farm He told how the peddler was parking his car along the road behind a fence row a secluded pick-up point How long this was going on before the bust was remains an unanswered question Striking a bit closer to home, neighbors recently had their mailboxes torn from their posts and stuffed with beer cans. Don’t people respect property of the federal government anymore 9 If apprehended in the act, these vandals could be charged with a federal offense But that’s the trick catching them And even if you do, you might find they’re people you know And, depending on the police authorities and lawyers, the vandals might get off scot free anyway. All the time and effort of prosecuting has cost a lot more than just hammering the mailbox back in place How do you cope with this problem 9 By trying to solve it and that doesn’t mean ignoring it or thinking it will just go away Farmers need to get back in touch with neighbors They need to watch out for each other’s well-being Other precautionary measures could include installing locks on barn doors and gas pumps, put ting up floodlights, keeping a good watch dog around and checking to see what it’s barking about, even if it’s only a stray cat For more ideas on how to make rural crime more trouble than it’s worth, read next week’s issue of Lan caster Farming. Even though it’s three 11 Har vestall Chillcuring works great. Igettop quality corn for less than I used to pay for shelling alone." Advanced Ag Systems KenSauder Milford Mast 717-656-6519 215-286-9118 PMMB to face fire (Continued from Page Al) Such a nrncess would give opponents of any agency, including PMMB, a chance to close it down or at least to modify its structure or purpose. Common Cause said it definitely will fight for sunset laws in the coming legislative session. Olson would seem to agree with Common Cause that the purpose of PMMB should be modified. “The price fixing power of the Board is unfair,” she maintains “There is nothing wrong with the basic milk marketing law if it is properly administered. I don’t think it is properly administered,” she says. “It is always a fight and it’s hard for consumers,” she says Dealers have attorneys and accountants to speak for them, fanners are well represented by PFA and the Grange But, Olson says, it is unlikely a group of people in the neighborhood are going to get together to pay $20,000 a year to testify at a milk board hearing “All I want is to get con sumers a fair shake,” she says. “What if there were an oil board with Gulf, Standard and some housewife running things Do you think the days late, add one more item to your list of New Year’s resolutions safeguard your farm in 1981 It’s time to be safe rather than sorry RD2, Box 174 Elverson, PA 19520 215-286-9118 consumer would get a fair shake 9 ” she asks. Olson said she feels it is appalling there are two industry representatives on the board. “It really is wrong,” she maintains. Olson said she would like to see better represenatation, someone from another walk of life. The impact of such a move would be to remove the two to-one margin held by dairy interests on the Board, a long-standing tradition Repeating that his group does not yet have a policy on PMMB, Thomas DeWall, executive director for Common Cause of Penn sylvania, said Common Cause may favor abolishing PMMB’s price-setting function while keeping other functions bke the Board’s standards setting powers. On the other hand, farm groups generally support PMMB Pennsylvania Farmers’ Association policy, adopted last month, strongly sup ports PMMB and recom mends, “The minimum THINK AHEAD... Read Futures Markets on Page 3. JEJ The Harvested iH Chillcuring System It's simple When grain comes out of the field it's a living seed So instead of destroying the seed with high heat, moisture is removed with natural air ventilation The gram keeps all its feed value, there is less shrinkage than with heat drying because only moisture is removed, not dry matter You'll neve l- see white dust in Chillcured corn You actually save half of what you’re used to 'osmg in heat shrink There's no gas or oil to buy Natural air carries away heat and moisture as the corn releases it Harvestall Chillcuring is a back-to-basics system that just simply makes good sense Find out more about pricing of milk be controlled by the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board, the way it stands presently.” Thus, the lines in any battle are drawn. Perhaps reflecting un favorably on PMMB’s chances in the coming fight are the current milk glut and the artificially high price of milk required by federal milk orders and supported by Commodity Credit Corporation buying. While PMMB and federal orders are not working hand in-glove, the bad taste from the federal pricing structure carries over to the state group Consumer discontent with federal pncmg shows up in the Community Nutrition Institute proposal to allow restructuring of Class I prices as reflected in powdered milk sales. Thus the sides are drawn for potential conflict bet ween dairy farmers and consumers The outcome will effect the pocketbook of whichever side carries the battle
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