W.9M
Reagan troops invade Pa. dairy farm
Reagan mixes
humor and
policy
BY DONNA TOMMELLEO
LANDENBERG The peaceful
setting of Chester County’s rolling
hills received quite a royal
disturbance last Friday when four
large helicopters, scores of
automobiles and thousands of
people invaded the Leon Wilkinson
dairy farm to get a look at Ronald
Reagan.
And just a look or fleeting glance
is exactly what most people got. In
what started out as a quiet stop
over with some invited guests
before heading to Philadelphia, the
president’s ‘chat” with American
farmers attracted more people
than the Secret Service cared to
handle. The remedy, which was
sour to most, was to to cut-off the
flow of traffic and prohibit anyone
from reaching the farm proper,
regardless if they had guest status
or not.
While 300 fortunate folks waited
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Pfizer opens Pa. corn research station
BY DICK ANGLESTEIN
LAWN A second seed com
company is taking advantage of
the unique climatic conditions of
Southeastern Pennsylvania with
the opening of a research station in
the Lancaster-Lebanon-Dauphin
counties area.
Pfizer Genetics Inc., producers
and marketers of Trojan brand
hybrid seed com, this spring
i opened a research station with
' offices at Lawn, Lebanon County,
and test fields at Palmyra, Lan
disville and Lawn.
Manager of the new research
station is Joel Cohen, graduate of
the University of Massachusetts
where he majored in plant
breeding and genetics.
“We have just completed the
planting of some 45 acres of test
plots,” Cohen said.
“We plan to expand the testing
acreage and range in the future
with the research program moving
out into a greater radial distance to
such areas as Virginia, New York
and Maryland.
“But our overall program will
continue to be concentrated in
Pennsylvania.”
The other major company which
has just opened a research station
in Lancaster County is Northrup
King, with an office at Mount Joy
and test facilities between East
Petersburg and Manheun.
The Pennsylvania research
station is the 15th such facility of
Pfizer Genetics.
The mam test plots of some 30
acres for development and testing
of new corn hybrids are located on
Two “Washinfton cowboys” come face to
face with the non-voting public, the true
backbone of the dairy industry. Both President
Reagan and U.S Agriculture Secretary John
land of the Milton Hershey School
off Railroad Street about two and
one-half miles northwest of
Palmyra. Other testing sites are
located on the farms of Richard
Metzler and Kenneth Zurm in the
Landisville area of Lancaster
County and of Tim Tyson at Lawn.
Farm operator of the Pfizer
facilities is Joseph Schott, of
Lebanon.
The local Pfizer testing
program, according to Cohen, will
be concentrating on the
development and improvement of
Trojan hybrids in the 105 to 120-day
maturity range.
“While we will be testing and
developing hybrids in this
maturity range, our work will be
coordinated with all of the other
research stations,” Cohen said.
Other Pfizer research stations
are located at Tifton, Ga.; Terra
Haute, Ind.; Windfall, Ind.,
Beaman, la.; Eldora, la.; Mason
City, 111.; Madison, Wise ;
Kingston, Oh.; Farmvdle, N C ;
Garden City, Kan.; Doniphan,
Neb.; Oliva, Mn.; St. Louis, Mo ;
and Kihei, Mam, Hawau.
Pfizer Inc. Central Research is
located at Groton. Ct.
While the Pfizer research station
is new to Pennsylvania, the
company’s testing program has
been conducted in the southeastern
section of the state for a number of
years
Trojan test plots have been
located in this area and previously
were included under the research
programs of the stations in Wind
fall. Ind or Kingston, Oh.
“Thus, in the work of our new
station,” Cohen explained, “we
will be able to drawn upon the
previous research that has been
done in this area through these
other programs.”
One of the major factors that has
accounted for the increased in
terest of corn breeders in
Southeastern Pennsylvania is the
high humidity climatic conditions,
which are not only ideal for
Get ready for L.F.’s Dairy
Month celebration
LANCASTER In two weeks,
Lancaster Farming will unveil its
special dairy issue, designed to
salute the number one money*
maker in the state.
From cover to cover, we’ll
feature something for every
member of your hard-working
dairy family. Management ar
ticles with a common sense ap
proach will offer tips on milking,
feeding, health care and much
more. Current DHIAs will keep
you in touch with the Com
monwealth’s top producers. We’ll
bring you ideas from farmers as
well as those who serve the dairy
community. Watch the Lancaster
Farming for updates on the much
talked about dairy price support
program and results of the Penn
Block were on hand, last Friday, at the Leon
Wilkinson dairy farm in Landenberg, to answer
farmers' questions
growing corn but also for
generating plant diseases which
are common to the crop
This type of climate is ideal for
leaf blight, stalk rot and various
insect diseases. Com breeders are
able to easily culture such diseases
and inoculate plants as they work
to develop types and hybrids that
are more resistant to the
problems.
sylvania Milk Marketing
referendum.
Ladies, get your recipe boxes
ready. Beginning June 5 our Home
on the Range section will offer a
variety of nutritious dairy recipes
To the first 100 cooks who share
their recipes, a special Dairy
Month gift will be sent to show our
appreciation
Your response to this year’s
Dairy Photo contest already has
started and it looks as if this year’s
amateur dairy photographers will
make this contest more successful
than our first. Remember, entries
should be postmarked no later than
Jane 23 This year’s contest
features three categories Dairy’
Farms, a dairy farm in a scenic
setting. Dairy Partners, dairy
animals together with their
Block defends
dairy plan
LANDENBERG - US.
Agriculture Secretary John Block
may not be the most popular man
in dairy circles these days, but last
Friday, Block along with his boss,
Ronald Reagan, met with farmers
on a dairy farm to provide support
for the president as well as defend
his emergency dairy plan
Earlier this month. Block
proposed a multi-provision plan
which would give him total
discretion in setting price support
levels.
•‘The secretary has to have
enough discretion to act with the
time,” he said ‘Somebody has to
make the decision " Block
reminded farmers and reporters
that his plan also calls for the
secretary to work with a Dairy
Advisory board, primarily made
up of producers
The secretary noted that solving
the dairy surplus problem is top
priority on his list.
“It bothers me to realize that the
U S can produce gram and forage
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Last day for
milkerendum
HARRISBURG - Today is the last
day for dairy farmers to mail
ballots for the Pennsylvania Milk
Marketing Program
Two days ago, less than one-half
of the 15,000-plus ballots mailed
have been returned. According to
Pennsyvama Department of
Agriculture spokesman Kevin
Hickey, 6,401 ballots have been
received from producers The
ballots will remain unopened until
a three-man teller committee
begins tabulation sometime next
week.
favorite people; Dairy Life, un
posed photos of events as they
happen on a dairy farm For ad
ditional rules, see our special
Dairy Photo entry blank on page
812
For all the little farmers. Kid's
Komer will feature new dairy facts
and puzzles designed to educate
and entertain
To reserve that special ad
vertising space m our June 5 issue,
we remind our advertisers that
deadlines for ads are May 28
Remember, we want you to be a
part of this very important issue
We welcome feature ideas and
news that will highlight and salute
the nation’s vital dairy industry
For news or advertising in
formation call 717-826-1164 or 717-
394-3047