BY GINGER SECRIST MYERS
Stall Correspondent
BERMUDIAN SPRINGS Why
should I get involved in milk
marketing? It’s so complicated
and prices have been good for the
last two or three years. Can’t we
leave the pricing alone? These and
other questions were answered at a
recent meeting of Adams County
dairymen and representatives in
the field of milk marketing held at
Bermudian Springs High School.
Highlighting the evening was a
panel discussion involving
representatives from three dif
ferent milk cooperatives who
discussed the unpact of the current
supply and demand situation, the
structure and policies of their
individual co-ops, and the up
coming milk referendum.
Prior to the panel, area
marketing agent Larry Yager
outlined the forthcoming
referendum' of Pa.’s milk
promotion program. He detailed
Dairy co-op reps present marketing policies
the advantages of milk promotion
and urges support for the
referendum.
Also 7 William Johnstone, Ex
tension Agricultural Economist,
presented an update on component
pricing. *
Johnstone stated that,
“Producers realize that in general
their income will not be greatly
enhanced by component pricing. It
just means that what Is there will
be divided differently among
different kinds of producers.’’
He gave examples of what dif
ferent regional markets are at
tempting in the area of component
pricing. He stated that Milk
Marketing Incorporated, which is
based in the Pittsburg - Cleveland
area, has a tentative program for
payment for protein and butterfat
that would also involve running at
least four somatic cell counts on
each producer during the im
plementation phase.
Payment according to somatic
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cell count would also be part of
their payment program. Johnstone
explained that dairy science has
long known that high somatic cell
counts can change the balance of
the protein in milk. Instead of
having casein as the source of
protein, the high somatic cell count
changes it so that more of the
protein and solids not fat are in a
soluble form and go out with the
whey. So, the higher, a somatic cell
count, the less product derived
because a higher proportion of the
protein is in a soluble form.
Whether this progam goes through
depends heavily on the Pittsburgh
markets according to Johnstone.
A panel of milk cooperative
representatives discussed changes
in their respective co-ops struc
ture, their antibiotic policies,
hauling costs, and the problem of
surplus milk. Moderated by Larry
Yager, panel members included
Jay Waybrigbt from Dairymen
Inc., Kathy Gill representing
Interstate Milk Producers, and
Max Sumser speaking for Lehigh
Valley.
All three co-ops have undergone
structural and marketing changes
in recent years. Gill highlighted
Inter-State’s purchase of one-half
of the Holly plant from Dairymen
Inc. According to Gill, Inter-State
feels this provides a better means
for farmers to manage their
market and aids in preventive
measures to handle the surplus
problem. She also informed the
group that Inter-State now has a
Capital Retention Fund where
farmers can invest in the
cooperative. She also stated that
the co-op has joined Atlantic
Processors Inc. in an effort to
contract for a standard market.
Waybright summerized his co
op’s greatest change as having
changed from Maryland Co-op to
Dairymen Inc. He states that 1,100
Maryland producers have now
become part of Dairymen’s 8,000
Lancaster Fanuhif, Saturday, March $, 1982—A17
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members. He said the change has
allowed for increased marketing
and absorption areas. Dairymen
Inc. now has a 70 percent Class I
utilization.
Speaking for Lehigh Valley,
Sumser outlined that what was
once Lehigh Farmer is now split
into Lehigh Valley Coop, which is
just involved in bargaining, and
Atlantic Processors Inc., who has
the assets and liabilities.
Antibiotics in milk can be costly
to both the producers and the
processors. Each representative
detailed his coop’s policy.
Gill stated that Inter-State will
pay the farmer for one-half of the
milk dumped at the farm the first
time a fieldman is called and the
tests are positive. If the milk gets
into a tanker, the farmer is liable
for the entire contents of the
tanker. If the milk gets into a silo,
the farmer is still liable for the
(Turn to Page AI8)
Wenger
to speak
Thursday
TERRE HILL- The
Eastern Lancaster
County Adult Fanner
Program will sponsor
an educational meeting
at 7:30 p.m. on Thur
sday to look at
legislative problems
facmg- farmers in the
area.
State Rep. Noah
Wenger will be the
speaker for the evening.
Representative Wenger,
a farmer himself, will
discuss those topics
having direct effect on
Lancaster County
agriculture.
Representative Wen
ger will be giving-up his
seat in the House of
Representatives this
year and is running for a
seat in the State Senate.
All interested persons
are invited to hear
Representative Wenger
speak at the Eastern
Lancaster County
Alternative School. The
school is located on
Route 625, two miles
north of Route 23.
STRIKE
IT
RICH!
SELL
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WITH
A
LANCASTER
FARMING
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