VOL 27 Ho. Sf ■33*
LuAnn Brenneman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elvin
Brenneman of R 1 Mount Joy. was named the county’s new
dairy princess during ceremonies at the Host Farm in Lan
caster. Past county princess and current State Princess
Alternate Deb Greider said a tearful goodbye to the audience
after which she crowned LuAnn. For the new princess’ story,
see Page 818.
Pa, vo-ag faces cutbacks
BY DICK ANGLESTEIN
LANCASTER - There’s a
growing budgetary paradox facing
more and more vo-ag departments
across Pennsylvania.
Despite an 89 percent increase m
v state funds specially earmarked
§ for vocational education, a number
of vo-ag departments are par
ticularly feeling the pinch as local
school boards tighten budgets for
the coming school year.
Two programs, which play
important roles in the overall
vocational agriculture curriculum
in the state, are experiencing
serious cutbacks in some areas.
These are:
- Summer programs, m which
vo-ag teachers work directly with
students on their supervised oc
cupational experience projects
conducted on farms and with
agribusiness firms.
- The Young Farmer Program,
which is an extension of the
secondary school vo-ag experience
and permits farmers to take ad
vantage of continuing education.
‘‘Reports of cutbacks are spotty
across the state in the summer and
Young Farmer programs,”
I Donald E Evans, assistant
professor of agricultural education
at Penn State, said.
“They are of major concern,
particularly in view of the extra
SlO million that was specifically set
aside in House Bill 517 to improve
Three Sections
and expand vocational education
in Pennsylvania.
“The state specifically allocated
these additional funds because
vocational education, and par
ticularly vo-ag, are considered
vital to economic recovery in the
Commonwealth.”
This extra $lO million was added
by the Legislature to $l3 million
that had already been allocated for
vocational education. This
PDGA “Big Weekend”
attracts largest crowd
BY PATTY GROSS
Staff Correspondent
HUNTINGDON Dairy goat
farmers from Pennsylvania, New
York, New Jersey, Maryland and
Connecticut gathered at the
fairgrounds in Huntingdon County
last weeked. The sth annual "Big
Weekend” attracted 50 exhibitors
with 450 goats.
Saturday and Sunday were filled
with four goat shows, milking
competition and something new
cheesemaking competition.
Following interviews with four
young men and women, a panel of
judges chose Michelle Haines, 15,
Lancaster Farming. Saturday, June 26,1982
Specter probes dairy ideas
HARRISBURG - The Penn
sylvania Farmers Association in
conjunction with the American
Farm Bureau, Monday, called for
an elimination of laws, after 1965,
which provide authority to im
plement government-subsidized
farm programs.
PFA spokesman Roger Hoke
presented his announcement
before a hearing called for by
Senator Arlen Specter to explore
the current dairy situation. Hoke
was one of several farm, dairy and
consumer leaders who attended
Specter’s special hearing.
Hoke announced that his
organization supported changes in
the current dairy program which
would provide for a •market
oriented agriculture. ’ ’
This would mean, Hoke ex
plained, that supply and demand
rather than government action,
should ultimately determine
production and prices.
“Toward that end, all laws,
which provide authority to im
plement government-subsidized
farm programs should be
eliminated after the 1985 crop
year,” Hoke said.
Prior to 1965, however, Hoke said
his organization will work to
maintain a viable dairy price
support program that provides a
floor under milk prices but not at a
level that encourages production of
large quantities of milk that
consumers will not buy.
amounted to an 89 percent increase
m monies appropriated by the
state to, not only stabilize
vocational education programs
which had already been affected
the previous year, but to expand
the programs.
Despite the added funds, which
apparently aren’t accomplishing
their intended purpose m some
schools, a number of reports of vo
(Turn to Page A39l
of Honey Grove as the Penn
sylvania Dairy Goat Association
Youth Representative. Michelle
will be the industry’s “goodwill
ambassador,” as she distributes
awards at such events as the
Pennsylvania Farm Show and Ag
Progress Days.
The very serious honor of “Miss
Pennsylvania” was bestowed on
“CH Eight Acres T.M. Lana,” a
goat owned by Jennifer Croft of
Stahlstown. In order for a goat to
enter is must be bred and owned by
a Pennsylvanian.
During the Dairy Goat
(Turn to Page A 32)
While federal hearings continue
During Specter’s hearing, State
Agriculture Secretay Penrose
Hallowell stressed the importance
of Pennsylvania’s dairy industry
‘ Sales of milk from these farms
totaled about $1 3 billion, over 40
percent of the state’s total cash
farm income Pennsylvania also
has 160 licensed milk dealers who
employ 11,000 workers Another
27,000 are employed on our dairy
farms
"But they have become victims
of their own success With milk
support prices sitting at the
minimum level, farmers have
been encouraged to produce more
to make a living, ” Hallowell
stated.
Darnel Martin, spokesman for
Inter-State Milk Producers'
Ag bills become law
HARRISBURG - Governor
Dick Thornburgh found two pieces
of agricultural legislation on his
desk last Fnday, along with nearly
100 other bills, as he began a day’s
work of lawmaking. With a stroke
of his pen, Thornburgh signed into
law Senate Bill 1283, the Farmland
Preservation bill introduced by
Senator Edward Helfnck (R-27th),
and SB 1350, the Milk Sanitation
bill sponsored by Senators Frank
O’Connell (R-20th), Edward
Helfnck, and Patrick Stapleton
t D-41st)
In signing SB 1283, Thornburgh
stressed this legislation is designed
to “keep state-owned farmlands in
agricultural use and assure family
farmers are given the opportunity
to work them.”
"When 1 proposed the Far
mlands Management Act in Oc
tober of 1979,1 said the state should
set an example for the preser
vation of our valuable farmland
resources,” the governor said
"Through the sale of these lands
with deed restrictions for
agricultural use, or through long
term leasing to family farmers
Jeff Hockenberry of Maryland walked away with the Best
Doe in Show and the Grand Champion Recorded Grade
honors. Fellow goat owner Deb Smeltzer of Bellefonte, who
received many awards herself, helps Jeff show off his prizes.
$7.50 per year
Cooperative explained that dairy
producers responded to increasing
price policies set by the Carter
Administration
It now appears that changes in
legislation are needed to reduce
the current level of milk produc
tion and also the cost of the price
support program to the federal
treasury,” Martin said
Martin urged bpecter 10 support
the National Milk Producers’
Federation program, recently
introduced into the U S. House by
Congressman Tom Harkm
"This legislation would provide
for a two-tier pricing system The
higher price would be the support
level wluch would prevail for up to
five billion pounds of milk
<Turn to Page A 39)
this act will help keep these lands
in agricultural production
“It is our desire that these
farmlands, when leased or sold,
will provide an opportunity for
farm families and young families
to enter or expand their careers in
agriculture ”
SB 1283 creates a nine-member
advisory board to work with the
secretary of agriculture in
determining the most efficient and
productive uses of state far
mlands The advisory' committee
includes the director of the Bureau
of Rural Affairs, the secretary of
the Department of General Ser
vices, the chairmen of the House
and Senate Committees on
Agriculture and Rural Affairs and
five farmers nominated by farm
organizations and selected by the
ag secretary
The Commonwealth now owns
approximately 15,000 acres of
farmland, including 5,822 acres
which were formerly operated as
state hospital farms SB 1283
transfers these farmlands at the
state hospitals to PDA. and other
(Turn to Page A 39)