Al2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 12,1981
OUR READERS WRITE,
In search of the REAL thing
The United Dairy Industry
Association notes that each dairy
product has a specified identity
that conforms to federal and state
standards. And only products that
conform can carry the “REAL”
Seal trademark.
The Seal, a symbolic drop of'
milk enclosing the word “REAL,”
can only appear on genuine dairy
foods produced produced in the
United States.
Butter, which was defined by an
act of Congress, has its A and B
grades; Cheddar cheese, cottage
cheese and instant nonfat dry milk
have specific marks of quality as
established by the U.S. Depart
ment of Agriculture.
Thus, American consumers of
dairy foods get the value they pay
for and the product they expect to
get. No surprises.
But it wasn’t always that way.
In the post-caveman era,
standards were set by the sue of
the chief’s hand or foot. That was
bad enough, but it also limited
commerce because a foot was not
the same length in each village.
Relics from the Egyptian period
show pyramid builders checking
their rulers against the Royal
Cubit, a measure of the pharaoh’s
arm from finger tips to .elbow that
was traced on black marble. This
is the first recorded effort to
develop a standard measure,
which was still related to the
tradition of using the foot of then
leader.
#*
You Con Depend jQn A KNIGHT Monure Spreader
| 7 Different Models - Sizes Ranging
| from 180 Bushels to 600 Bushels Capacity
ARNETT'S OARAGE
Hagerstown, Maryland
B EQUIPMENT, INC.
Waynesboro, Pa
BENCE'S FARM EQUIPMENT
Bedford, Pa
BINKLEY & HURST BROS., INC.
Lititz. Pa.
COLUMBIA CROSS ROAD
EQUIPMENT, INC.
Columbia Cross Roads, Pa.
D&R EQUIPMENT
Rmgoes, NJ
AND OTHER OPINIONS
The Babylonians standardized
measures m_order to trade with
other countries. Then the Greeks
borrowed from their predecessors.
And the Romans pushed standards
throughout the world in step with
their conquests. They established
one standard foot ot 12 inches and a
"mile," the forerunner of the
present mile, as a thousand two
stride paces ot five feet each.
Julius Caeser standardized the
calendar and got a month named
after him. The Magna Carta in 1216
demanded standard measures tor
ale, gram and cloth. In 1875, the
Treaty of the Metre was signed in
France setting up the international
Bureau ot Weights and Measures.
We contend that many people
look for safety standards such as
“Approved by Underwriters
Laboratory” or they recognize the
Good Housekeeping “Seal ot
Approval." items made with steel,
wool or cotton often carry
distinctive symbols indicating
materials used in their
manufacture.
Now the dairy industry has its
"REAL” Seal. That distinctive
symbol can be found only on
genuine dairy foods certified by
American Dairy Association to
display the Seal.
We agree it’s a long walk from a
chief’s foot to today’s symbols ot
quality. Hope you enjoyed the trip.
John F. Brookman
Vice President
Communications
LDIA
SEE YOUR LOCAL KNIGHT DEALER FOR MORE DETAILS
LEBANON VALLEY REED BROS - EQUIPMENT
IMPLEMENT, INC. coiumbus. nj
Richland, Pa. R.E. SMELTZER
LONG, INC. EQUIPMENT CO., INC.
Reedsville, Pa. Centre Hall. Pa.
LONGENECKERS, INC. SOMERSET FARMERS SUPPLY
Williamsburg, Pa. Somerset. Pa.
MONTROSE TRACTOR & STOUFFER BROS. INC.
EQUIPMENT, INC. C hambersburg. Pa.
Montrose, Pa. SWOPE &BASHORE, INC.
CLAIR J. MYERS Myerstown, Pa. <-
Thomasville, Pa. R.R. WALKER & SONS
PETERMAN FARM Edinboro, Pa.
EQUIPMENT, INC. YOUNG FARM SUPPLY
Carlisle, Pa. Orangeville, Pa.
-We do receive calls requesting
information on easement pur- | |
chases and agricultural districts. 6 • tM\
So, we know therejs interest on the Aii?«,;
part of many land-owners in these •
programs.
One of the “facts of life” that •m
was recognized early in the
(Turn to Page A 39) ’^*
DICKINSON FARM EQUIPMENT
Tunkhannock, Pa.
DIETS EQUIPMENT CO.
Marion Center, Pa.
THE FARMERS STORE
Harmony, Pa
HOUGHTALING’S GARAGE
Middleburg Center, Pa.
S. JOHNSON HURFF
Monroeville, NJ
J&M MACHINERY CO.
Greensburg, Pa.
KINGS TOWN TRACTOR CO.
Chestertown, Md.
America’s
During the past decade the USA
has had various gram embargoes
and gram trade agreements that
have unilaterally limited and
controlled gram exports.
They do not create demand
they control price and actually
prevent increase in export volume
that would occur in the absence of
such agreements. This
socialization of the international
market place has deprived the
USA of a supply-demand market
and substantial income to its
producers and to the U.S.
Treasury.
i This intervention m the export
grain market provides sales that
are below the farmers’ cost of
production. The subsidy of un
derpriced gr?»n poes to wealth'
Retaining farmland
As we drive the highways and
by-ways of Hunterdon County,
New Jersey taking in the scenery
around us, we can’t help but be
impressed with the beauty of it. To
be sure, the wooded areas, the
streams and ponds, lakes and
rivers, interesting old bridges,
quaint villages, well-kept homes,
all contribute to the charm of the
landscape.
But to many of us, it’s the far
mland .... the rolling fields of crops
at various stages of development,
even after harvest, the attractive
farmsteads, pastures with horses
and cattle grazing.
Yes, it is an impressive area.
With all its growth, all its
development, Hunterdon continues
to be one of New Jersey’s most
desihable counties. A great place to
live!
Over the past two years or so.
sold short
trade competitors the European
Economic Community, Japan,
OPEC countries, and the Soviet
Union. The subsidy to poor
countries destroys their incentive
to produce and develop their own
agriculture.
A proposal by Congressman
Weaver of Oregon would have
authorized setting a floor price on
gram exports. It was defeated in
the U.S. House of Representatives
October 20, 1981, and the Reagan
Administration refused to support
it.
The U.S. Government is fighting
producers instead of helping them
as the government of Japan does
for its producers.
S. Edward Murphy
Hanover
is preferred
we’ve become more and more
involved in an on-going search for
means by which we might
preserve farmland. Some of us
prefer the term retain farmland.
In the interim we’ve experienced
two favorable (2:1) votes on far
mland preservation bond issues ...
at county level in 1980, state level
in ’Bl. We now have a County
Agriculture Development Board in
place and working hard to develop
suitable and acceptable programs.
Progress has been steady and
good, most of those involved would
agree.
Durable Long Life Construction
Rust Resistant Copper Bearing Sides
And Bottom.
Heavy Auger Style Beaters With
Alloyed Steel "Ripper" Teeth
Low Profile
DISTRIBUTED JODD FARM
EQUIPMENT, INC.
HAGERSTOWN, MD. - CHESAPEAKE, VA.
FEATURING
Now is I
the Time f
(Continued from Page A 10)
entirely adequate to meet the
needs of today. .
So, review the agreement
carefully. If it-doesn’t quite
measure up to current needs, plan
to make necessary changes before
2982 rolls around.
To Be Concerned About Our
. Young Farmers
In the last ten years, the number
of young farmers (age 35 and
under) increased by-more than
50%! According to population
studies performed by the
Economic Research Service there
were 265,000 young fanners in 1970
and 401,000 in 1980. The fact that
this trend occurred at a time when
the total number of fanners was on
the decline makes these figures all
the more dramatic. Extension
Agent, Glenn Shirk,
concern for these young farmers,
particularly now, because of the
rising costs of production and the
depressed market situation. These
costs are devastating to heavily
indebted young farm families - and
they are becoming a larger and
larger portion of oar total farm
population. The existance of many
young family farm operations is
being threatened. At stake, too, is
American agriculture in general
and its allied industries, as well as
production of agricultural
products for future consumption
and export.
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