~ i 0
VOL. 26 No. 28
Gov. Dick Thornburgh, who served as head chef for omelet
cooking on steps of the Capitol Building this week, offers first
helping of his culinary achievement to Eggatha, mascot of the
state's egg promotion program. More photos Page A3O.
PFA urges energy
groups for leasing
BY JANE BRESEE
Staff Correspondent
TOWANDA In an effort to help
farmers and land holders being
approached to lease their land to
oil and gas companies, S. Paul
Mazza, of the Pennsylvania
mmsabwiurb
Sod farm, A2O; Twin foals, A 26;
Farm business, B 2; U. of Dela.
race horses, B 6; Queen mother,
C2B; Draft horses, DIO; Apple
blossom, Dl6.
ffiMUReOUMMS
Editorials, A 10; Now is the time,
A 10; Ladies have you heard, C 8;
Joyce Bupp’s Column, CIO; Ida’s
notebook, Cl 2; Farm talk, C4O;
Ask VMD, DlB.
HOME AND YOUTH
Homestead notes, C 2; Home on
range, C 6; Ladies’ day out, C 9;
Kid s komer, Cl 4; FFA, C2O-26.
DAIRY
Mifflin DHIA, B 3; Somerset
®iry princess, C3O; Bedford
DHIA’ C 34; Dairy Expo, D 2;
*n a ? olt * D 6; Brown Swiss
AU-American, Dll.
Farmers Association Legal Ser
vices, spoke out strongly in
Bradford County against the
standard oil and gas lease, calling
it “not only unfair but
outrageous”.
Sponsored by the Bradford-
Sullivan County Farmers
Association, the meeting of far
mers and landowners was the 11th
meeting since February that
Mazza or one of his associates have
attended to caution farmers
against rushing into signing any
lease agreement.
The attorney’s campaign to help
land owners began when he heard
an agent for a leasing company
brag that they were doing the
fanner a favor.
“In reality,” Mazza said, “the
lease lacks many protections a
property owner should have, and,
in addition, pays a very small
bonus on signing, or none at all,
and the lease is for too long a
time”.
Mazza explained that at first he
had prepared a check list for
fanners to use as a guideline to a
fair lease, but it was not used as he
had anticipated. Then he for
mulated the idea of “energy
groups”, a combination of land
owners with 500 or more acres who
(Turn to Page A 34)
Lancaster Farminc, Saturday, May 9,1981
Giant omelets launch
May as Pa. Egg Month
HARRISBURG - Egg con
sumption should be showing a bit
of an increase throughout the
* Gommonwealthidurmg May, which
has been officially declared as Egg
Month in Pennsylvania.
At least part of the rise in the use
of eggs might be attributed to the
“giant omelet eggstravanganza”
events which are being staged at
several locations in the state.
At just two of these events - in
Lancaster and on the steps of the
Capitol Building in Harrisburg -
nearly 60 dozen eggs, along, with
more than 80 pounds of other
ingredients, went mto the five-foot
pan for the cooking of the king-size
omelets.
The Lancaster omelet,
“prepared” by honorary chefs
Mayor Arthur Morris and other
coimty and state dignitaries, was
wfupped'' up ’on T?eniT Square in
front of the Commonwealth
National Bank on Friday, May 1.
Gov. Dick Thornburgh doffed the
chefs hat and apron on Tuesday
and led a contingent of legislative
cooks in a re-run of the event in
front of the Capitol Building.
And as Vicky Wass, state egg
promotion specialist, emphasized
in Lancaster; and echoed by
Master of Ceremonies Chet Heim,
deputy ag secretary, in
Harrisburg, the omelet is prepared
at a cost of justl9 cents a serving,
making it one of today’s most
economical protein bargains.
Participating in the Lancaster
event were Luther Snyder, deputy
ag secretary; Rep. Noel Wenger,
of Lancaster County; J. Leroy
Esbenshade, president of the
Lancaster County Poultry
Association; the association’s
queen, Heidi Sue Miller; John R.
Biechler, president of Com
monwealth National Bank; Ronald
Frazier, Mid-Atlantic Sales
Manager for Regal Ware, Inc.,
which donates the pan; and Robert
Bucher, vice president and
manager of Commonwealth’s
Agri-Loan Department.
Overall champion of the Penn State Dairy
Expo, Matt Seipt, of Lansdale, third from left,
and reserve champion, Alan Wright, of Little
Marsh, are flanked by show judges David
Tdiung part in the launching of
Egg Month in Harrisburg, in ad
dition to Governor Thornburgh and
his wife, Gmny ( were Sen.'Henry.
Hager, president pro tempore of
the Senate; Sen. Edward Helfnck,
chairman of the Senate Ag Com
mittee; Joseph Grieeo, chairman
of the House Ag and Rural Affairs
Committee; and Penrose
Hallowell, secretary of
agriculture.
In proclaiming May as Egg
Month in the state, Gov. Thorn
burgh paid tribute to the Com
monwealth’s poultry industry,
which ranks among egg production
leaders in the nation.
“Each year. Pennsylvania
farmers produce 4.3 billion eggs
valued at more than $lBl million,”
he said.
Umsgsm rn rwung
for $2 million in RCWP
LANCASTER Lancaster
County farmers are in the running
to receive almost $2 million in
conservation cost share assistance
this year through the federal
government’s Rural Clean Water
Program, authorized under Sec
tion 208 of the 1977 Clean Water
Act.
The application to the State
RCWP committee earlier in March
for these funds was submitted by
the local Rural dean Water
Committee, consisting of the
County Planning Commission,
Lancaster Conservation District,
Eastern Lancaster School
District’s vo-ag program, Ex
tension, Soil Conservation Service,
Agricultural Stabilization and
Conservation Service, and Farm
Home Administration. The ap
plication was given top priority
and was sent through ASCS to
Washington, D.C.
.The exact amount requested for
Norman, of Liberty, and Ginger Secrist Myers,
of Littlestown. For more Expo information and
photos, turn to Page D-2.
$7.50 Per Year
“Pennsylvania ranks third in the
nation in the production of table
eggs.
“The egg is one of the most
complete sources of protein, with
all the essential ammo acids.
“The egg is also known for its
versatility Eggs are utilized in
baking, cooking, garnishes and
enjoyed alone. An egg contributes
to other foods by enhancing flavor,
extending dishes and by con
tributing to the overall nutritional
value of a food dish.
“For all its many uses and its
nutrition, the egg is also the least
expensive source of protein on the
market today. Egg prices have
"emained virtually stable for 20
years, while other prices have
soared with inflation.’ ’
the non-point pollution control
program in the Conestoga River
watershed is $1,930,513. Whether
the county receives this amount
and whether the application will be
approved is still uncertain.
However, an informed source
stated “It looks like a shoo-in.”
The decision on which ap
plications are approved for the
conservation work scheduled
throughout the country rests with
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture John
R. Block. It is anticipated he will
be giving his blessing to projects
within the next month.
Although the government may
be chipping in close to $2 million,
farmers in the 110,000 acre project
area would be investing $2.3
million in conservation work on
their farms.
According to Ray Brubaker,
Lancaster County Executive
Director for ASCS, a study con-
(Turn to Page A 34)