i QtotaSter ; fannSng; Saturday, Way 2,-1981
Block said he is elated about the end of the
Soviet grain embargo. He also took the op
portunity to express his sentiments about the
proposed Farm Bill and encouraged the far
mers’ support. Humorous tales of his
Block
(Continued irom Page Al)
the prospects of peace.
“We have a strong ad
ministration. We won’t carry
ineffective baggage like the em
bargo that’s discriminatory
against farmers,” Block ex
claimed.
Concerning the political
problems m Poland, Block noted
the Soviets didn’t invade after the
announcement of an embargo end.
“They exerted restraint to
date,” he said. “We’ll have to deal
with those problems as they
present themselves.”
When asked what the embargo’s
effect will be on future grain sales
to Russia, Block stated
negotiations have already begun to
reach a future sales agreement.
“How strong a customer they’ll
be, we can’t predict,” he admitted.
“Whenever trade is interrupted,
the supplier becomes suspect.
They may rely on the other
countries whose trade they’ve
cultivated.”
However, Block did predict what
would happen to the price of grain
Cantaloupes
(Continued from Page Al)
Before last year’s start of the
supermarket program with Acme,
the sale of cantaloupes off the
Eastern Lancaster Colunty farms
had largely been an individual
effort - either through roadside
stands or to some local markets.
Martin said that fanners often
found themselves with only one of
two possible options many times
during the peak of the season.
“Some people would drive up
from the city and get a truckload
for as cheap as a dune apiece or
the farmer could dump them over
the back fence,” he said.
Even last August, cantaloupe
specials were seen at stands along
Rt. 322, featuring prices of 10 for a
dollar.
It is expected that the county
cantaloupes will be bulk shipped to
central warehousing and
distribution facilities for the
supermarkets located in
Philadelphia.
One of the biggest local needs
may be a packing facility to in
spect, grade and package the
cantaloupes, according to George
Perry, of the Farmer-Consumer
Services Association, Inc., of West
Chester, which last year was in
volved in a sizable pepper growing
marketing project in Eastern
Lancaster County.
“Twenty-seven acres of peppers
were grown last year,” Perry said,
“but there are no plans for any this
year.”
“It was a bad year to try such a
childhood on the farm brought a hearty laugh
from Pennsylvania Farmers’ Association
President Eugene Thompson, right, and
Director Keith Eckel.
here in the U.S. He said he saw a
“generally stonger market for
grain with higher prices by fall ”
He added the high gram prices
might encourage dairy farmers to
sell some of their cows.
“That might not be a bad idea
considering the current surplus,”
he chuckled. He added dairy
producers would then see price
support higher and a balance of
supply and demand
Block claimed there is an ample
supply of grain in stock 250
million bushels of feed grain more
than what was thought and a 5
month supply of wheat.
“It looks like the hogs in the U.S.
didn’t eat as much as we thought
they would maybe they were my
hogs,” he laughed
Block emphasized farmers are
in the business of selling their
products, and agriculture’s life
blood is exports. He said this
year’s gram stocks should be more
than adequate to meet both the
domestic and export needs of the
U.S.
Another issue on the Secretary’s
mind was farmland preservation.
He stated the federal government
will take a leadership role in
venture, Giovvcia c-uuea up wun
less than a 50 percent crop.
“It was bad because of the
drought and the extreme heat
during the latter part of August
caused a blossom drop. Growers
lost two or three pickings during
that tune.”
Perry said that the Farmer-
Consumer Association will not be
involved with county growers this
year, other than the marketing of
some cantaloupes.
“We’ve had some more meetings
in the area,” Perry said, “and still
want to spur interest in the
growing of vegetables.
“We still believe that it is much
more attractive financially for the
farmers. We’ve found that there
are a couple of sizable obstacles
that must be worked with con
cerning the fresh market in that
area. Those are communications
and transportation for these
perishable products.”
In another phase of the Lan
caster County fresh produce
growing market, it is expected that
processing tomato acreage may be
increased this year, too.
It has been reported that con
tracts up to $9O a ton have been
arranged for this year, which
would be a sizable increase over
the $72 a ton which was paid last
year.
Many of the processing tomatoes
are grown in the southeastern
section of Lancaster County,
particularly in the area below
Paradise.
helping to save the farmland
However, he pointed out the
responsibility lies with state and
local governments. He announced
an inter-agency committee has
been set up at the federal level to
study farmland preservation
Block advised farmers to keep
abreast of political issues, stating
“Agriculture needs to work
together in the political process.
Politics affects farmers’ lives,
whether they’re parking a car or
buying a loaf of bread. If farmers
aren’t watching, they’ll be
unaware of decisions they’ll
have to live with the results.”
He reassured the PFA members
that he is making an effort to staff
USDA with people whose
philosophy on agriculture is in tune
with the administration’s
philosophy.
“We have experienced people
who want to safeguard agriculture.
It’s a tremendous team and one
I’m proud of. You can judge by our
performance I’m excited about
what we have to offer.”
Block encouraged his audience
to support the Farm Bill legislation
even the dairy producers who
are fighting for 75 percent parity
versus 70 to 90 percent Block said
he sympathized with the dairy
producer’s hard life which he
recognized as a drain on the farm
family, having grown up on a dairy
farm, himself.
“What we’re saying is give us
flexibility to get those stocks
reduced now. Stocks are ac
cumulating at an astounding rate.
By October 1, you may see 69 to 70
percent parity I’m afraid
producers aren’t cutting herds as
fast as they should be ”
Block stressed, however, the
new Farm Bill is designed for
everyone consumers, too and
is not only to serve farmers
“The new Farm Bill is ‘out
standing’,” he exclaimed “It’s in
keeping with the President’s
philosophy on a free agriculture
one that’s more reliant on the
market than on price allocations
and deficiency payments
“By relying on supply and
demand, fanners will be giving up
some security. But there are
profits to be made in the market
place I know that’s how the
farmers reallv want it "
USDA recounts embargo facts
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In
response to the invasion of
Afghanistan by Soviet troops on
December 27, 1979, President
Carter on January 4,1980, ordered
the suspension of grain sales to the
Soviet Union except for the 8
million tons per year of com and
wheat the U.S. was committed to
sell under the U.S.-USSR Gram
Supply Agreement
At first fund drive
FARMER hosts
HARRISBURG - The first fund
raising banquet for FARMER, the
political action committee of the
Pennsylvania Farmers’
Association, was held here last
Friday evening.
The success of the campaign,
with its 200 supporter turnout at
$lOO a plate, could be attributed (at
least in part) to the drawing card
in keynote speaker John R. Block,
U,S. Secretary of Agriculture.
FARMER is a bi-partisan,
voluntary, tax deductible, fund
raising political action committee.
PACs are a relatively new
Guernsey sale
(Continued from Page Al)
They were consigned by Thomas
Lurvey and Chester Williams, of
Baraboo, Wise.
Their dam is Willow Brook C.
Dena, who holds three national
class leading records, including
35,170 pounds of milk and 1385 -of
fat m 365 days as a four-year-old.
At Ex.-91, she is the top cow for
milk and fat production in the
breed.
Their dam is Willow Brook D.
Denise. The-grand dam was bred
by Vaughn Moore, of Cham
bersburg. Both the dam and the
grand dam went through the sales
ring at the Guernsey Sales
Pavilion in Lancaster.
A two-year-old, also sired by
Clovelly Top Hornet, brought
$12,000. Fauver Hill TH FredeUa
was consigned by Bernard Tralle,
of Onalaska, Wise, and purchased
by K. A. Forster, R 2, Lynden,
Ontario, Canada.
A couple of the consignments
also had Pennsylvania connections
at the sale, which had-the highest
average for consignment events in
the history of the breed.
Applebrook Fayvors Susie,
consigned by Donald Brown, of
Oxford, was sold for $3,000. She
went to the same home as the top
selling cow. She is a daughter of
Housleys Dari Fayvor.
PRV survey
nears completion
HARRISBURG - The
pseudorabies survey currently
being conducted in I,ancaster
County by the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture’s
Bureau of Animal Industries is 75
percent complete, reports Chief
Vetennanan Max Van Buskirk.
“We expect to complete the
blood testing within ten working
days and should be pretty nearly
finished by May 10,” he stated.
He pointed out, however, the test
results will not be completed in the
laboratory for at least another
week after the blood testing is
finished.
Since the survey began in early
April, seven new herds have been
positively identified as being in-
The embargo, effective January
7, 1980, was mvoked for national
security and foreign policy reasons
under the Export Administration
Act. Besides gram, it covered
soybeans, animal feed ingredients,
seeds, meats, poultry products,
dairy products, and certain animal
fats, and it required pnor approval
for exports to the USSR of most
other agricultural products. (High
Block
concept occurring in politics.
Recent changes in election laws
make PACs a legal method for
groups to donate money to people
seeking public office.
Serving on the FARMER
committee are: Christian Wolff,
Millville, chairman; William
Moore, Region 1, Myerstown; John
Stoner, Region 2, Mercersburg;
Frank Bertovich, Region 3,
Bentley ville; George Gredg,
Region 4, Grove City; Frank
Sankey, Region 5, Clearfield; and
Gary Reichard, Region 6,
Honesdale.
Pen Col Top Hornet Pastel, bred
by Chns Wolff, of Millville, Pa.,
brought $B,BOO. She was sold to C. --v'
E. Cottmg, of Chedco Farm, **
Berlin, Mass. An Excellent
daughter of Top Hornet, she was
milking 95 pounds a day at the sale.
Some 500 people were in at
tendance at the sale, which was
held on April 11. There were
consignments from a dozen states
and active bidders from 15 or more
states and Canada.
Bernard Tralle, Guernsey owner
and breeder of Qnalaska, Wise.,
explains that by the end of the year
all Guernsey owners in the state
should be realizing the added in
come from the component pricing
for protein.
Wisconsin began the practice
three years ago and participation
in the added income has expanded
from the 10 or 15 percent of
Guernsey owners who took part the
first year.
The component pricing features
a payment of 25 cents a point Cor.
protein over 3.2. ’■
The proponent pricing on the,
average is adding $l.OO a hun
dredweight to milk checks, or
about $150.00 added income per
cow, Trade estimates.
“The component pricing has
gene above and beyond anything
we have ever imagined,” he said.
fected with pseudorabies, bringing
the total to 33. These herds are
under quarantine, said Van
Buskirk. He pointed out several of
the infected herds have only a y
small number of hogs.
The seven additional
pseudorabies infected herds are
not adjacent to one another. Van
Buskirk said, but are within the
original problem area.
The state veterinarian said he
was pleased with the cooperation
the state testing team was
receiving from farmers
“The farmers have been ex
cellent to work with and
everything has gone smoothly/' he
stated.
technology industrial items also
were embargoed/and in February
fertilizer was added to the list.)
The grain sales agreement had
been negotiated in 1975 to cover 5
years (October-September),
beginning October 1, 1976, ancjy\
ending September 30, 1981. Under
its terms, the Soviet Union agreed
(Turn to Page A 36)