Alo—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, July 3,1982
As we prepare to celebrate our nation's
independence for the 206th year, none of us
can say we remember the first July Fourth
festivities. But all of us easily remember how
important this date is and what it has stood for
over the years.
Because of the fortitude and dedication of
those men who worked day and night drafting
the standards by which our nation was
shaped, Americans continue to enjoy the
greatest freedoms of any people in any land.
Freedom to agree, disagree, and most im
portantly, voice our opinions is an inheritance
most of us take for granted when it should be
our most cherished possession.
This treedom to have differing opinions,
even when it means opposing government
leaders, has created a nation where
organizations representing various segments
of the population can raise public outcries.
Just last week, a message was shouted by
farm groups throughout the U.S. as the House
Agriculture Committee killed legislation aimed
at bailing farmers out of the economic turmoil
that threatens to drown them.
Twenty-one congressmen cast their votes
against H.R. 6274, the 1982 Farm Crisis Act,
which was introduced by fifteen Democrats
and five Republicans. Its prime sponsor was
Rep. Tom Daschle, a Democrat from South
Dakota. It came as quite a surprise as last
week’s final vote was called and three of the
bill’s original sponsors switched their
allegiance, throwing their votes to the “no"
side.
Several farm organizations, including the
National Farmers' Union, have blamed the 21-
21 rejection of the supposedly non-partisan
Farm Crisis Act on legislators following party
lines, with Republicans kowtowing to the
Reagan Administration wishes.
Pennsylvania Farmers’ Union President Jim
Brown reacted to the House Ag Committee’s
decision saying, “The Reagan Administration
and the Congress sent notice to the American
farmer they are willing to pull the life
preserver away from a drowning man by failing
to pass the Farm Crisis Act. They talk about
reducing supplies and increasing prices for
farmers, but when we come up with a plan to
do just that and actually save the government
some money, they oppose the measure."
H.R. 6274 would have provided for an
additional five-percent paid diversion for
major field crops in order to reduce produc
tion. It also would have called for an annual
referendum each July for farmers to vote on a
voluntary fifteen-percent diversion for the
next year’s crop. In return, they would have
qualified for a ten percent loan rate increase.
In addition, the Crisis bill would have man
dated the use of Farmers Home Adminstration
economic emergency loan funds, a $1 billion
n- - ■■ - ■
NOW IS THE TIME
To combine at the proper speed
It will soon be tupe to harvest
winter barley, and then in a few
weeks, the winter wheat crop
should be ripe. Both of these crops
require mechanical harvesting
equipment and good weather.
From the volunteer grain seen
growing following barley and
wheat harvests, it is evident that
too much grain is being left in the
field.
Too much speed with the com
bine might be part of the reason
that grain is thrown out with the
Off the
Somdmg
By Sheila Miller, Editor
Free to disagree
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
straw. The manufacturer
recommendations should be
followed in this respect. Also there
are times when the grain may be
too tough to combine. This is often
the case when the crop is quite
weedy. The best solution is to have
the combine adjusted to the best of
your knowledge and then drive at
recommended speed. You’ll need
every bushel of grain and every
bale of straw from your crop.
To beware of lead poisoning
Livestock producers are
reminded of the danger of lead
Board
export credit revolving fund, and a guaranteed
loan program for farm storage facility con
struction all in an effort to bring supply in
line with demand and improve farm prices.
Sticking with the Administration's cheap
food policies, one of the chief opponents of the
bill was the farmers’ “champion” John Block,
U.S. secretary of agriculture. Testifying before
the House Committee, Block was unflinching
in his stand against the bill.
“I’m afraid that the authors of this so-called
Farm Crisis Act did not take the necessary
time to analyze what could happen if this
legislation were enacted into law,” he
criticized, adding the greatest danger he saw
was that the legislation "could be taken
seriously.
"This legislation is an attempt to deceive us
into believing that it will lead agriculture out of
a crisis. Common sense tells us that this Farm
Crisis Act is destined to lead us into a crisis
situation."
Block encouraged the legislators to “not
spend a great amount of time considering a bill
that is misleading, self-defeating, dangerous
and unwanted by farmers." Instead, he ad
vised them to work on lowering interest rates
and expanding sales through exports.
Because of the delays suffered by the Farm
Crisis bill from the time it was introduced until
last week. Block’s reasons why the proposal
would not work had merit:
“Calling for a five-percent paid diversion
program for the 1982 crops is unrealistic. With
most of the crops already planted, it is naive
for anyone to believe farmers would pull a
plow into five percent of it. American
agriculture wasn’t built on poor management
decisions like that.” (How quickly he forgets
his own “timely" announcement of the
“voluntary" acreage reduction program this
spring.)
And, indeed, it would have been too late to
set up the necessary avenues to hold a
national referendum by July since we’re
already gearing up to celebrate July 4.
Boiling it all down, the Administration’s
opposition, the time of introduction, the
lobbying effort against the bill by American
Farm Bureau and the National Grange among
others, and the party-line politics spelled
defeat for the Farm Crisis bill almost from its
inception.
We are disappointed and agree with Penn
sylvania Farmers’ Union’s Brown who pointed
out “the agriculture industry is going to have
to improve if the nation is ever going to be
aroused from its economic doldrums.
Otherwise, without rectifying legislation, we
can look forward to another harvest of red ink
this year and more family farmers going out of
business in record numbers."
poisoning around the farm.
Cattle and sheep are curious and
will lick crankcase oil, paints or
old batteries. Some of these may
contain enough lead to cause lead
poisoning.
Signs of poisoning from lead are
blindness, retarded growth, eye
and ear twitching or uncoordinated
gaits. Prevention is the only an
swer; lead poisoning is seldom
curable. Keep dangerous
materials away from all livestock.
(Torn to Page AX2)
A MAN CALLED
“USEFUL”
July 4,1982
Background Scripture:
Colossians 4:7-9; Philemon.
Devotional Reading:
Colossians 1:9-14.
Little known by Christians,
seldom read and even less
frequently understood, the letter of
Paid to Philemon is Christian
masterpiece.
If the statement I have just made
causes you to blink just a bit, let
me assure you that it has taken me
far too long to come to that con
elusion. Like many, I have often
felt a sense of embarrassment in
regard to this letter. On the face of
it, it seems that the Apostle Paul is
giving in to unspecified pressures
to return the former slave
'(although legally he was still
regarded as one) to his legal
owner, Philemon, of the city of
Colossae (today’s Turkey.)
Double Jeopardy
What one might wish for in this
letter from Paul is one of his
typical clear, forthright
pronouncements against the evil of
slavery. But for once, Paul
disappoints us his letter to
Philemon doesn’t “ring” or
command. In fact it is probably the
Apostle’s most low-key appeal in
the New Testament.
Consider the facts: Onesimus
had been the slave of Philemon
and, at some time, had run away,
probably stealing from his master
in the bargain. Later, after his
escape, he had come under the
influence of Paul and been con
verted. In fact, it appears that
' Farm Calendar
Monday, July 5
Holstein Junior Judging School
through Tuesday, Nor
thampton/Bucks Counties,
headquarters Sheraton Easton
Inn, Gaston.
Tuesday, July 6
Penn State Weed Days, continues
tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 7
Lancaster County Conservation
District meeting, 7:30 p.m.,
Farm and Home Center,
Lancaster.
1982 Dairy Fitting and Showing
workshop, Jefferson Co.
Fairgrounds, Sykesville,
continues tomorrow.
Holstein Junior Judging School,
HAV HAWS
“Look, Leroy, 1 don’t want you running up to me every 5 years
asking for a raise!”
Onesimus (won-ESS-ee-muss) had
become one of Paul’s trusted
associates, possibly during the
time that Paul was under house
arrest in Rome. If the story had
ended there, it would have had a
happy ending. But for some
strange reason, Paul decides to
persuade Onesimus to return tm
Philemon. Because slavery waP
perfectly legal in those days and
Onesimus was regarded as
Philemon’s personal property,
Paul’s request of Onesimus was
putting him in a very precarious
position. There was nothing to keep
Philemon from inflicting bondage
on Onesimus once again.
I Prefer to Appeal
Yet, despite these appearances,
Paul’s letter to' Philemon is more
effective than any pronouncement
or command. By appealing to
Philemon, instead of compelling
him to renounce ail claims against
Onesimus, Paul does a great deal
more than simply secure
Onesimus’ freedom he - also
manages to free Philemon from Ids
bondage. As a slave owner,
Philemon was even more a slave
than Onesimus.
You may protest, however, that
in using appeal instead of com
mand, Paul was subjecting
Onesimus to a considerable risk.
Not really, for Paul knows.
Philemon and his Christian'
commitment and he is confident
that Philemon’s prejudices cannot
withstand the appeal of Christ’s
gospel: “...for love’s sake, I prefer
to appeal to you.” Paul’s letter is
so skillful that there is no way that
Philemon can turn him down.
How cleverly he plays on the
meaning of the name: Onesimus
actually means “useful.” As a
slave, Onesimus had not been truly
usefuly to Philemon, but as a
brother in Christ he would be
“useful'' in a way no slave could
ever be. Because of the compeUing
power of Christian love, the
“useless” one becomes forever
“usefull” to God and his children.
continues through Thursday,
Blair/Huntingdon counties,
headquarters Minuet Manor,
Altoona.
Southeastern Pa, FFA Market Hog
Show and Sale, Quakertown
Livestock Auction, Show at
10:30 a.m. Sale at 3 p.m.
Pa. Ayrshire Breeders
Firecracker Sale, Carlisle
Fairgrounds.
Thursday, July 8
Bradford Co. Holstein bus tour to
Ontario, Canada, continues
through Saturday.
Keystone Stud Ram and Ewe Sale,
Farm Show Complex,
Harrisburg.
(Turn to Page Al 2)