A46—Lancaster Faming, Satarday, February 27 f 1982
(Continued from Page AX)
13 percent in ’B3.
By the time the tariff is lifted,
Snyder expressed confidence that
it will have given the mushroom
industry enough time to adjust to
the imports “so they won’t hurt as
much.”
Snyder said the AMI plan is to
swing the domestic mushrooms
Pa. mushroom production
UNIVERSITY PARK -
Mushroom production in the
United States reached nearly 471
million pounds during the 1980-81
marketing season. This is frac
tionally higher than the 1979-80
crop and 4 percent more than
production in 1978-79 and con
tinues the upward trend in
production since mushroom
estimates were started in 1966.
This year’s survey includes
growers with production in 26
states, unchanged from a year
earlier.
Pennsylvania, the leading state,
with 50 percent of the U.S. 1980-81
crop, grow 237 million pounds, up
11 percent from the previous
season. Eastern states, 13 percent;
and western states, 25 percent.
The value of the 1980-81 crop was
$351 million, down 5 percent from
the 1979-80 season. Growers
averaged 74.5 cents per pound
compared with 78.4 cents the
previous season. Volume of fresh
market sales increased to 267
million pounds during the 198081
marketing year, up 4 percent from
Mushroom
into the fresh market where the
producer receives a higher price.
Admitting growers are ex
periencing hard times, Snyder
pointed out bow it costs 65 cents
per pound to grow mushrooms and,
even on the higher-priced market,
fresh mushrooms are only
bringing 60 cents a pound.
Processing mushrooms are only
the 1979-80 season. Fresh sales
accounted for 57 percent of the U.S.
production continuing the upward
trend in the proportion sold fresh.
Growers used approximately 140
million square feet of bed and tray
area to produce the 1980-81 crop,
down 7 percent from the previous
season. Yields averaged 3.35
pounds per square foot, 7 percent
more than the 1979-80 yield.
An estimated 142 million square
feet of production area is intended
for use during the 1981-82 season, a
1 percent increase from last
season. If growers’ current plans
are carried out, first filling will be
virtually the same as last season;
second filling, up 1 percent; and
additional fillings, up 3 percent
from the 1980-81 season.
returning 40 cents a pound to the
growers.
While the AMI awaits the
Secretary of Agriculture's opinion
on their proposal for a federal
marketing order, the mushroom
organization is making wise use of
its time, imuatmg a "campaign of
understanding” where it takes the
ideas of paid advertising and
federal mrketmg orders to the
growers. During these regional
meetings, the growers are free to
ask questions and the AMI
representaUvestry. to provide the
requested information.
To date there have been four of
these campaign meetings held, the
first being held at Kennett Square,
followed by, more recent meetings
in Nottingham, Temple and
Avondale. Two more meetings are
scheduled for March and April and
will be held in California and
Michigan, respectively.
When Secretary John ' Block
gives his approval to AMl’s
proposal, it will be the mushroom
growers chance to have the last
word.
If two-thirds of the producers
who voted either by number or.
by the volume of production
approve the program, and if
handlers of a majority of the crop
volume to.be regulated sign the
marketing agreement, the
Secretary will then issue a
marketing agreement and order
program effective for the entire
industry.
While pursuing promotion
projects, AMI is contuiumg its
fight to control the influx of im
ported mushrooms.
"We’re fighting to maintain
import restrictions because it’s
part of our strategy,” said Lewe
Martin, AMl’s attorney. "We want
to restrain imports while we build
up the fresh market. ”
AMJ’s executive-director Jack
Kooker and Martin mil appear at
the U.S. International Trade
Commission’s hearing in
vestigating. the mushroom tariff
scheduled for March 10, 1082. The
ITC instituted this investigation to
gather information on develop
ments in the mushroom industry
since tariff relief became effective
HARRISBURG - Placements of
broiler chicks in the Com
monwealth during the week ending
February 13 were 2,247,000, ac
cording to the Crop
Reporting Service.
The placements were one per
ceny above ihe corresponding
week a year earlier and eight
percent above the previous week.
Average placements, during the
past nine weeks were slightly
below a year ago.
Pa. broiler placements up
in November 1980. Progress and
.specific efforts made by the firms
in the industry to adjust to
-competition will be noted an£ y
presented to President Reagan
with no ITU recommendation.
At the hearing, representatives
of Korea and Taiwan will attempt
to exempt mushrooms broiled in
butter or butter sauce from the list
of unported mushrooma-contrdlled
bythetariff. AMI will oppose this
exemption attempt.
“The mushroom industry is one
of only two commodities receiving
unport controls the other is the
television-industry. We oppose all
tariff exemptions because we want
Washington to keep its current
perception that the mushroom
industry is worthy of protection,”
saidMactm.
Placements in the 19 key poultry
producing states were 79,543,000,
one percent below both the
previous week and the same week
a year earlier. Average
placements in the 19 key states
during the past nine weeks were
one percent above a year ago. ,j?v
Broiler-fryers slaughtered V
Pennsylvania under federal in
spection during the week ending
February, 3 totaled'!, B32, ooo, with.
an average liveweight of 4.00