Alo—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, July 11,1981 mere's a worried whisper running through U.S. dairy and beef barns these days. It seems these cattle producers have gotten wind of a disturbing discussion that has been resounding through their neighbors' poultry and hog houses. What’s causing all the flutter can be summed up in two words animal welfarism. Unfortunately, at this point, discussion is all that seems to be stirring in the farm com munity as it reacts to an ever increasing threat to its very livelihood the freedom to raise animals and continue to pay the mortgage with the income they produce. Just last weekend, Lehigh County welcomed close to 200 people into its borders a country rich in farm heritage and fertile land. There, at a local college campus,’ vegetarians and animal welfarists converged to plan their future strategy to wage a battle under the guise of‘Action for Life.’ All this plotting and plan ning took place right under the noses of farmers who boast an ever increasing productivity and advanced technology in their operations which allows more people to be fed with less labor and from fewer acres. Were these vegetarians and animal rights schemers welcomed with picket lines of farmers demonstrating their opposition? Hardly. Even though the rains kept farmers from using field work as an excuse for not showing their sentiments, there was nary a picket line to be seen. Nor was anyone standing at the en trance handing out pro farming flyers. Some of the agricultural ranks did manage to infiltrate the meetings to keep an eye on what tactics were being developed by the consortium of vegetarians and animal groups. At least these ‘spying’ missions will aid farmers in planning a desperate defense as a last resorf. But in that lies the NOW IS THE TIME To Control Canada Thistles Canada thistles are listed as a noxious weed in Pennsylvania; this means they should be con trolled and not allowed to go to seed. Too often we see what some people call “summer snow flakes” floating through the air; these are not snow flakes but thistle seeds. We should insist that these be mowed or sprayed to prevent seed information. Most townships have noxious weed ordinances to prevent the Off the Sounding By Sheila Miller, Editor re issues leave farmers wringing hands problem. Why should we wait cages and over crowding, until our backs are to the wall along with debeaking, dub to strike out at the attackers? bing, force molting, catching Perhaps it's more the style of and shipping methods, and union workers or college slaughtering techniques. And students to wave protest signs the list goes on. to gain attention for a cause, Goodwin quipped, “To say but soon farmers will have to broilers are bored is extreme start combatting the animal anthropomorphism. And over welfare rhetoric that’s being feeding. . . we’re not raising listened to by legislators. Or, show dogs!’’ He continued by we’ll have to live with the stating those who speak for consequences. That old saying animal welfarism speak with about the squeaky wheel has emotionalism relating their been proven true many times experiences with pet animals before this issue was ever not farm animals, dreamed up. Goodwin implored the in- Poulty producers have dustry to “insist on recognized the early warning . discussions on the welfare of flags signaling rough weather animals, not their rights which and sailing ahead and have is strictly a human ex taken steps to batten down perience." He emphasized any their houses to be ready when shift away from present the first waves of animal production practices would welfare issues hit. A handbook mean economic change and an on handling and housing ultimate price increase to chickens spells out for each consumers producer what constitutes proper management. The poultry producers are hoping this suffices in assuaging the animal welfarists’ zealous attempts to make life ‘ducky’ for layers. Some poultry scientists throw up their hands when it comes to discussing animal welfarism and, like Penn State's Ken Goodwin, call it a “no win situation.’’ In talking to egg producers at the recent Pennsylvania Poultry Federation Con ference, Goodwin warned that the animal welfare movement is "gaining momentum." He commented the issue serves as an “umbrella for curious bedfellows”, referring to the vegetarians linking up with the animal organizations, and that these people have pigs, poultry and veal as a target. Goodwin cited examples of what the welfarists feel is a chicken’s rights: “They must be able to easily get up and lie down, turn and stretch, groom and preen, and interact socially with their own species," he remarked drawing murmured chuckles from the farm audience. Goodwin added the welfarists are-adamant against wire floor By Jay Irwin Lancaster County Agriculture Agent Phone 717-394-6851 spread, from farm to farm, of more long, dry forages, especially Canada thistles and other noxious if a lot of high moisture, finely weeds. These ordinances should be chopped forages and grain are enforced for the best interest of all being fed. At least 1/3 of the ration fanners. You can spot spray with dry matter should come from Banvel for control. Be sure to. forages .and the fiber level of the follow all label instructions. We total ration should be at least 17%. urge everyone to do something Increase the fiber level of the gram about this problem. mix oy feeding ear com, oats, To Protect Fat Tests and Appetites bran, beet pulp, etc. Avoid grains -Summertime is a difficult time that are heat processed, finely to keep cows eating and testing ground or pelleted, well. Glenn Shirk, Dairy Agent, __ Feed gram more frequently or offers these suggestions. Feed (Turn to Page Al 2) Board The poultry scientist challenged producers to meet “reckless claims head on” and for the various industries to police their own ranks. “Animal welfare ethics codes should be developed from within the industry rather than through legislation based on emotionalism." We have to agree with Goodwin's analysis of the times we’re' living in and the difficulty of evaluating them. The agricultural revolution released 95 percent of the people from, the tasks of eeking out a living on the farm. Those who stayed in the profession continue to provide safe, cheap, quality food. Those who produce and those who consume are separated by a gap that makes the void between generations seem like a stone's throw, even though they may be ‘next-door’ neighbors sharing country life. Goodwin predicts the outcome of the animal welfare issue is in the hands of the nonfarmers of the U.S. If that’s true, it’s only because U.S. farmers .were sitting on theirs. PROLONGING THE DAYS July 12,1981 Background Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-15. Devotional Reading Jeremiah 23:29-35. From the long perspective of history we can see that it was never really a question of IF the people of Israel would possess the promised land of Canaan, but HOW LONG they would be able to stay there. God had promised this land to them and he would keep his promise, but for the people to retain this land, they would have to do certain things—and that’s where the uncertainty lay. Their tenure in the promised land was never a question of God’s faith fulness to his promise, but of Israel’s faithfulness to theirs. Your Son and Son’s Son The people of Israel would continue to possess the promised land so long as they kept “the statutes and the ordinances which the Lord your God commanded me to teach you . . .” (Deut. 6:1). Therefore the key to their longevity there would depend, not only upon their faithfulness, but their dilligence in passing on the faith to the generations that followed. Israel’s perpetuity depended on a faith that passed from “you" to “your son and your son’s son.” That is WHAT they had to do, but now we come to the hard part, the HOW. For isn’t that the problem OUR READERS WRITE, AND OTHER OPINIONS What about ear com prices? I wish to register my objection to your recent dropping of the com prices, on the cob, that you ran on a regional basis. I know that fanning is big business, but there are lot of small farmers, myself for one, who would use that as a gauge when selling my ear corn. Is there any reason that this was dropped? John Staff a, Bethlehem, PA HAV HAWS “How did you make out with that new pesticide that I recommended you try?” that still faces us today? How can we pass on our religious heritage to our children and the generations that will'follow? Even more, how can we do this in an age when our children seem to have lost interest in our churches at best, or utterly reject them at worst? Isn’t it a hopeless task? Someone has said that “there are. no hopeless situations, only, people who have become hopeless about them,” and perhaps that’s true when we face the “youth situation’’ in our churches today. In fact, Deuteronomy reminds us that the first step in meeting that challenge is to remember once again that we have a God-given commandment to pass on the faith to our children—no matter how hard or impossible it may seem. Perhaps once or twice a month we ought to read again the com mandments as Deuteronomy puts it: “And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them dilhgently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deut.6;7) Our Doorposts and Gates At first glance, this seems an overwhelming task, but when we" look more closely, we find that the methodology of HOW is implicit in the challenge. How can we teach these things to our children? Answer: by keeping them con stantly before them and surrounding our lives with them in everything we do. Our children may come to that point where they are no longer impressed by our words; but if they see that our lives are filled, not with talk about God, but actions that proclaim his lordship, they will more likely respect the religion we profess and our days in the promised land will be prolonged. Editor’s reply. Mr. Stoffa, we checked back into our past issues and have not found the ear corn quotes to be mliwlng from our Pa. Grain market report, found on A 6 and supplied by .the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Also, the various local hay and grain markets quoted on the same page provide ear com prices when they are available. kin.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers