VOL 26 No. 14 John Biechler does the honors of putting the flame to the Farm and Home Center mortgage. The ceremony in Lancaster Thursday night marked the end of an era for the County’s ag foundation. House takes first steps on ag areas bill BYCURTHARLER HARRISBURG - A bill to allow establishment of agricultural areas in Penn sylvania was presented to the House Agriculture Committee Tuesday. The bill also authorizes counties to buy and sell development easements in those areas Although the measure was held in committee for fur ther consideration, it is Tobacco buying opens with 85-cent offers LITITZ Lancaster County’s annual agricultural waiting and guessing game concerning tobacco ended this week Buyers finally moved into the field in force beginning Monday and started pur chasing the 1980 crop at a price of 85 cents per pound This initial flurry of buying activity was much later than last year when purchases began before the holidays The late-January opening of buying activity was even much later than the traditional post-holiday start This week’s most-quoted price of 85 cents for Penn sylvania-type filler was above last year’s average of 72 cents. But it is quite a bit below earlier grower talk that had centered in the $1 range Selling activity reportedly varied quite a bit across the county. Areas of greatest selling activity were primarily in Legislative roundup likely the bill will be reported to the full house as written with few amend ments other than technical changes. The bill, H 8143, defines an ag district or ag area as “a unit of 500 or more acres of land used for the agricultural production of crops, livestock and livestock products under the ownership of one or more persons.” the southern section of the county and around East Petersburg and Manheim There were spotty reports ti om the noi them sections of the county And in western sections growers appeared to be holding their ci ops to a much greater degree Among buyers in the field this week were those from all major companies, in cluding Lonllard Corp, American Tobacco, General Cigar and Tobacco, Lan caster Leaf and Owens Tobacco As expected with the excellent curing weather, the quality of the crop was reported as good. Good yields were also achieved with many running about a ton to the acre. Earlier in the buying season a limited quantity ot the so-called fancy tobacco went tor prices aiound $1 and the small amount of Maryland-type went as high as $1.15 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 31,1981 Farm & Home Center banquet features roast mortgage BY SALLY BAIR Staff Correspondent * LANCASTER - It was a moment of intense pride for Lancaster’s agricultural community when Com monwealth National Bank President John Biechler touched a candle flame to the four corners of the mortgage of the Farm and Home Center and set it afire. The mortgage-burning ceremony was the highlight of the 17th annual meeting of the Farm and Home Foundation held Thursday night/ and represented the realization of a dream which began decades ago Nearly 260 people came out to witness the burning, in cluding many early leaders in the campaign for a center The bill is sponsored by t 7 members of the House in cluding the ag committee’s majority chairman and vice chairman, and the ag minority chairman As written, HB 143 has the support of Pennsylvania Farmers’ Association. The Grange has indicated it would like to see penalties for early removal of land from the program. As written, there is no penalty provision in HB 143. A 500 acre area would not have to be contiguous to form an ag district under the bill. Land used for processing or retail merchandising of crops, livestock, or livestock products could not be in cluded in the ag district. The bill will allow any local government body to establish an Ag Area Ad visory Committee to render expert advice relating to formation or termination of ag areas. H 8143 specifies two active farmers, two ag businessmen, and one memoer of the local government as members In this issue SECTION A: Editorials, 10; Cattle seminar, 16, Lehigh livestock, 17; Ephrata Young Farmers, 26; Farm Organizations, 27; York ag business meeting, 30; Chester Inter-State, 36 SECTION B: Dairymen vs. inflation, 2; Stiff soring penalties levied, 4; Top Schuylkill herd, 5; Veg meeting, 6; DMSO, 7; VW sheep commercial, 8 SECTION C: Homestead notes, 2; Home on range, 6, Joyce Bupp, 7, Kids’ Comer, 11, FFA hog sale, 14; Adams DHIA, 19; Franklin DHIA, 20, Juniata DHIA, 21, Lancaster DHIA, 26; Dairy Pipeline, 28. SECTION D: USDA sire summary, 2, More Keystone FFA’ers, 8; Dauphin DHIA, 13; Upper Susquehanna DHIA, 15; Blair DHIA, 18; Farm Talk. 20 and many elected officials. Larry Skromme, vice president of the Board of Direc t ors and co-chairman of the fund drive fpr the Center, recalled that at tunes it seemed an “im possible dream ” He added* “The history reads so smoothly but those of us mvolved know the Pseudorabies hangs on, causes cattle deaths BY DICK ANGLESTEIN LANCASTER - A year after the initial outbreak, pseudorabies remains a serious disease among hog and cattle operations in Lancaster County The measure is completely voluntary throughout HB 143 will allow any landowners to submit- 1 a proposal for an ag area provided the owner or owners own at least 500 acres or at least 10 percent of the land proposed to be in cluded in the area, whichever is greater. Provision is made for ag areas which will extend over township lines. (Turn to Page Al 4) Education Secretary quashes vo-ag scare BY DEBBIE KOONTZ HARRISBURG - Earlier fears and misconceptions of vocational agriculture’s diminishing administration were dispelled at a Thursday morning meeting between Secretary of Education Robert Scanlon, Representative Samuel E Hayes, Don Evans of Penn State and 18 vo-ag teachers. Said Hayes of the meeting, obstacles we met along the way. This week we see dreams come true all the hostages were, returned safely and the realization of another dream that at tunes seemed impossible. ’ ’ Before torching the mortgage, Biechler said, “I had no feeling that they thought it was impossible A total of 32 farms have been quarantined smce the beginning of the outbreak a year ago, according to Dr. John W. Cable, Head, Swine Health Division. Bureau of Animal Industry Present!; 29' are under quarantine Dr Cable said, mostly in Lancaster County Of the 22 quaran tined herds, 18 are in the county, three in Lebanon County and one in Schuylkill County “The disease has hung on mostly in the same original area and has not spread throughout the state,” Dr Cable said Among the 22 presently quarantined herds, 11 are finishing operations which received pigs from mfected herds. A new problem - spread of “It was very good and just what we hoped to ac complish. Secretary Scanlon was very receptive to what the vo-ag * teachers were saying and was very sym pathetic He further proved himself to be interested in and supportive of the needs of the vo-ag program, the adult farmer programs and evenFFA v Secretary Scanlon showed his “interest” by assuring that no more positions m the vocational agricultural administration would be diminished. “That was the purpose of the meeting, to save and keep in place all ad ministrators and specialists of vo-ag and to keep them working in the extent that they have been serving,” Hayes said. The “diminishing role” that those present were concerned about was the possible deletion of Vocational Agricultural $7.50 Per Year when the committee came to me with the plan I saw people who make things happen.” Adding a moment of humor Biechler added, “I . am genuinely happy to have this mortgage paid off because m the mid-sixties a (Turn to Page A 33) the disease to cattle causing fatalities - has resulted since the advent of the colder weather “This problem started about mid-November,” Dr Cable said, “when farmers started mingling their hogs and cattle, causing a number of steer deaths ” Steer losses on one Lan caster County farm num bered eight and on another farm there were 13, ac cording to Dr. Cable. “It usually happens that a farmer will lose a few cattle before it’s found out what has caused it,” Dr. Cable explained “Then, the hogs and cattle are separated and the problem generally clears up within three to five days.” Both Dr. Cable and County (Turn to Page A 39) Education Adviser, now being filled by Charles F. Lebo. Before the meeting, there was talk of reassigning him with other duties. The Secretary further showed his support by requesting that the teachers of vo-ag say what they believe the Education Department is doing to help vo-ag and then to again rate its work six months from now at FFA week at Penn State. Secretary Scanlon will be attending this event as will almost all vo-ag in structors in Pennsylvania. “Secretary Scanlon gave every indication that he wants his staff to be sup portive. He is concerned about having the program flow smoothly because he is very outgoing in trying to reach down to the classroom level. He understands education takes place in the lab and the classroom by these instructors and not (Turn to Page A3B)
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