NatT Grange Master calls for
BY SHEILA MILLER
LANCASTER Last weekend,
during a special six-state
workshop involving represen
tatives of the Grange, National
Grange Master Edward Anderson
spent a busy two days in' Lancaster
County.
As the session participants took
a short break, Anderson spoke to
Lancaster Farming about current
issues in the agricultural world, as
they affect the Grange and far
mers across the nation.
First on the list of important
topics was the 1981 Farm Bill-
Anderson, who began his farming
career as a Nebraska dairyman,
expressed the Grange’s “disap-
pointment in the total Farm Bill.
"We asked the House to vote it
down,” he said. “It’s below the
price support value and is wor
thless to farmers as written.”
Addressing the controversial
dairy provisions, Anderson con
ceded that there are serious
problems m the dairy industry.
“We need to get production more
in line with demand,” he
remarked. “But cutting price is
not the way to go.
“The dairy cows are out there,
and there are lots ot replacemen
heifers waiting to take their place,
m the milking string. It will take <
period of years to turn thi
production cycle around. But thi:
administration is determined t<
shut production down now. ’ ’
Rather than cutting price sup
ports, Anderson recommended
spending more money to develop
markets overseas. Concerning one
international butter sales
agreement involving the small
island-country of New Zealand,
Anderson said the Grange was in
full support of this eyebrow-raising
deal.
“There are many who opposed
this sale of butter to New Zealand
because the U.S. agreed not to sell
butter to anyone else on the open
market for 10 months. What these
people don’t realize is that we sold
more butter to New Zealand in
July than we normally sell on the
open market for an entire year,”
he pointed out.
The National Grange Master
explained that private industries
can still peddle their dairy
products in the world market,
Walter H. Gardner, professor ot
soils m the Department ol
Agronomy and Soils at Washington
State University, became
president-elect of SSSA.
He will become president ot the
scientific, educational
organization at the 1982 annual
meetmg in Anaheim, California.
His principal research interests
are in soil physics and soil-water
plant relations. He has made many
contributions, including
measurement of soil water content
using gamma ray and neutron
attenuation, concurrent
measurement of both soil water
content and bulk density using two
gamma ray energies,
psychrometnc measurement of
soil and plant water potentials, and
measurement of water status near
absorbing roots and in root growth,
water flow, and retention in
layered soils.
This research has contributed to
a better understanding of water
movement in soil, particularly in
stratified soil and in soil near
absorbing roots, and to techniques
for measurement of water content
and potential in soil and plants.
He is known for his tune-lapse
motion picture, “Water Movement
in Soil,” which is used worldwide
as an aid for teaching principles of
water retention and flow. He has
f nrt
Master Edward Anderson
however the New Zealand
agreement prevents the Com
modity Credit Corporation from
selling, at the present time. “The
, :Jy way CCC can export dairy
products is through PL 480
programs and other ‘giveaway’
programs. But that restrictive
time period of 10 months will ex
pire fast.”
In summing up the problem
facing the dairy industry, An
derson, stated, "The Grange only
sees increased per capita con
sumption of milk as the long-range
answer. And, increased export
promotion would help balance the
supply-demand situation.”
Anderson, who joined the
Grange in 1950, has held numerous
local, county and state offices. He
was elected State Master in 1970
and Overseer (vice president) of
the National Grange m 1971. Then
in November 1979 Anderson
became the first National Master
ever elected to the top Grange
office from the Overseer’s chair.-
While serving as a member of
the National Grange Executive
Committee, Anderson was called
on to represent thfe Grange on the
Beef Development Task Force and
served on both Beeferendum
committees in 1976 and then
again in 1980. Commenting on the
failure of these two national efforts
to create a promotion checkoff for
the cattle industry, Anderson
predicted there would never be
another beef referendum because
the industry would never consider
one. “Today, the beef industry is
Gardner is new SSSA president-elect
also authored or coauthored more
than 70 papers. Currently a
member of the editorial board ot
Geoderma, Gardner has served as
associate editor and editor-m-chiet
of Soil Science Society of America
Proceedings, now the Soil Science
Society of America Journal.
Gardner is a Guggenheim
Fellow (1964), an ASA Fellow
(1966), and an SSSA Fellow (1976).
Other newly-elected SSSA of
ficers for 1981-82 include: D.W.
Nelson, Purdue University, West
Lafayette, board representative.
Soil Microbiology and
Biochemistry (Division S-3); J.V.
Mannermg, Purdue University,
West Lafayette, board
representative. Soil and Water
Management and Conservation
(Division S-6); and W.C. Lynn,
U.S. Department of Agriculture-
Soil Conservation Service, Lincoln,
Nebraska, board representative.
Soil Mineralogy (Division S-9 j.
Also, A.H. Ferguson, Montana
State University, Bozeman,
chairman-elect. Soil Physics
(Division S-lJ; H.L. Bohn,
University of Arizona, Tucson,
chairman-elect. Soil Chemistry
(Division S-2); D.H. Hubbell,
University of Florida, Gainesville,
chairman-elect, Soil Microbiology
and Biochemistry (Division S-3);
D.K. Christenson, Michigan State
*L *
committed to working to develop a
voluntary beef checkoff on a
nationwide basis."
The Nebraska farmer stressed
that one of the serious problems in
the beet industry is mer
chandising. "Cattlemen haven’t
changed their merchandising and
they haven’t changed their product
to. keep pace with consumer
demands. We still see too many fat
animals; we need to change to
what the public wants lean
meat.
“Look what happened in the hog
industry. The hog of 25 years ago
looks nothing like the modern hog,
longer and leaner.”
Anderson expressed his concern
for a nationwide promotion-effort
in the beef industry. He cited the
fact that, during the past three
years, beef consumption has
lagged. "Once the price of beef
gets to a certain level, consumers
back away from it and turn to
cheaper meat, like poultry and
pork which is available in large
supplies. In a weak economy, like
we have today, the first things
consumers cut back on are red
meats and dairy products.”
As a native of the gram-rich
Midwest, Anderson touched on the
problems facing the feed gram
farmers. "The - Administration’s
export program is the only one
availaole to help the gram in
dustry. It’s a great opportunity
that is limited to a certain extent
due to the effects of the recent
embargo.
■‘The effects of this action im
posed by the previous ad
ministration will be felt for many
years,” he noted. “The Russians
have found markets in other
countries to make up for the cutoff
supplies of U.S. grains. Now we
can only sell them what amounts
v they can’t buy from'other sup
pliers. It’ll be a long time before
our gram. industry will recover
from the embargo.”
Anderson expressed some
assurance that the current ad-,
ministration in Washington, D.C.
will not create another stumbling
block in gram exports. “This
administration is more reluctant to
impose another embargo than
most administrations would be,”
he said. “.This one is committed to
University, East Lansing,
chairman-elect, Soil Fertility and
Plant Nutrition (DmsionS-4); and
G.F. Hall, Ohio State University,
Columbus, chairman-elect, Soil
Genesis, Morphology and
Classification (Division S-5).
In addition, D.E. Miller, U.S.
USDA reports brucellosis status changes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the
certifying of Box Elder County, the
entire state of Utah has become
certified free of cattle brucellosis
in the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s latest monthly
assessment.
On the other hand, Childress
County, Texas, slipped from
certified-free to modified-certified
status because of infection in local
cattle herds when the county was
due for recertification.
Dr. Paul Becton, director of the
national brucellosis eradication
program for USDA’s Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service,
said Utah becomes the 32nd state
to have all counties certified-free.
The state was free of brucellosis
some years ago, but infected or
exposed cattle imported from lugh
prevalence areas caused new
outbreaks.
higher support level
freer trade with less government
involvement.”
Bnngmg the conversation full
circle, Anderson stated that the
export situation as it affects the
overall farm economy is- the
reason why there needs to be a
Farm Bill with higher support
levels. “The total economy
depends on our net farm economy.
If that’s down, then manufacturers
aren’t going to sell machinery,
buildings, automobiles, or new
homes. These industries are all a
part of the total that will suffer
with a weak farm economy.
"The Administration will be
making a grave mistake if it
doesn’t give agriculture a larger
share of the budget.”
One of the areas where the
federal government proposes
cutting back is m soil conservation
eliminating 1,200 technician
positions during the next fiscal
year. This potential layoff of
skilled conservationists who assist
farmers in solving their erosion
problems is wrong, said Anderson.
“Erosion is a serious problem
that should be dealt with im
mediately. It is the responsibility
of the federal government to put
the needed emphasis on erosion
and flood control. This would be in
the best interest of all consumers
who would be paying for this
service through taxation.”
Anderson stressed the need for
more research into the proper
methods to achieve adequate
erosion and flood control on far
mland. He stated, that these con
servation measures should be
carried out under a long-term
agreement with the cooperation of
all levels of government.
Concerning proposed cross
compliance stipulations, the
National Grange Master said his
organization is opposed to any
requirements for soil and water
conservation that would exceed the
present restrictions.
"The Farmers Home Ad
ministration has required for a
number of years that farmers
borrow enoughjtnoney to install
needed conservation at the same
time they borrow money to buy the
farms. This, we go along with. But
we don’t feel this should be ex
tended to allloans, such as a farm
operating loan where a farmer
Department of ~Agnculture-
AgncultUral - Research Service,
Prosser, Washington,- chairman
elect, Soil and Water Management
and Conservation (Division t>&);
R.F. Fisher, University ot Florida’
Gainesville, chairman-elect,
Forest and Range Soils (Division
An infectious disease of cattle
and other livestock, brucellosis’
can be transmitted to humans as
undulant fever. In animals', the
disease causes abortions and
reproductive problems.
According to Becton, the system
of rating counties for degrees of
brucellosis prevalence is expected
to give way, on Jan.'l, 1982, to a
statewide rating system. A state
now qualifies as certified free by
having each and every county
attain the status.
The new system, as proposed,
would rate states as “free” {no
infection for 12 months) “Class A”
{herd infection rate no greater
than 0.25 percent), “Class ■B"
{herd infection no greater than 1.5
percent), or “Class C” (herd in
fection rate greater than 1.5
percent or 15 herds per 1,000).
Only cattle from “free” states
might be borrowing money to plants
crops on all rented land.” }
Addressing the trend to fewer
and larger farms, Anderson
commented that the rate of change
from small to large has not been as
rapid in recent years. He offered
his solution to the problem, though
- changing the tax laws.
“Certain Internal Revenue
Service regulations actually en
courage increasing farm size,” he
said. The tools of investment credit
and capital gams are, for the most
part, out of reach for the small
family farms, he noted, because
they are below the level of income
needed to take advantage of these
tax-saving measures.
One recent tax change that
received the National Grange’s
complete endorsement involved
inheritance taxes. “We supported
the changes because they allowed
for one spouse to pass the farm to
the surviving spouse and raised the
level of exemptions. They also
changed the rules so that now the
value of a farm is based on it&=*%
agricultural use instead of its' J
market price.”
As a result of the new
inheritance tax laws, Anderson
stated, there will be a decrease in
the number of farms on the market
as years go by. And with fewer
farms for sale, those that are sold
will bring*a higher price. “It used
to be estates had to sell the farm in
order to settle the inheritance
taxes. This will no longer
necessarily be the case.”
Other agricultural issues that
are being considered by the
national farm organization in
clude:
•- Control of communicable
diseases and the need to be willing
to support restrictions in interstate
movement of livestock, if needed ;
Identification of all imported
meat;
Informing the public on
treatment of farm animals through'
education and letting them know
it’s in the best interest of animalTJ
producers to raise their livestock'
m the most comfortable en
vironment; and
Marketing by organizing into
groups to allow farmers to be in a
position to command an adequate
price through production control.
S~7); H.G. Hanson, University of
Missouri, Columbia, chairman
elect, Fertilizer Technology and
Use (Division S-0); arid P.M.
Huang, University of Saskat
chewan, Saskatoon, chairman
elect, Soil Mineralogy (Division S-.
9).
would be able to move interstate
with no testing requirements. One
or more tests would be required to
move from lesser rated states.
By the present rating system,
only, the affected county loses
status when a brucellosis outbreak
occurs. Next year, an entire state
could lose status unless the in
fection is promptly contained.
A state could have a two-area
classification after Jan. 1 under
certain circumstances but whole
state classification would be the
general rule.
Eradication of brucellosis is a
top priority project for cooperating
state-federal agencies concerned
with animal health.
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