Alo—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 4,1982
Anyone who’s holding onto last year’s corn
in hopes the prices might climb before the new
harvest starts pouring in had best revamp
their game plan. Last month's crop outlook
and carryovers from last year are two factors
that are bound to keep thle prices of corn and
other feed grains down almost to rock bottom.
You know things are bad when the govern
ment does things earlier than planned rather
than their usual a-day-late-and-a-dollar-short.
Just recently, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
John Block announced a $4O million farm
storage facility loan program which will take
effect immediately, rather than Oct. 1, the
date previously earmarked. The program, that
will be carried out under new rules reflecting
the current grain situation, is designed to
increase the number of farmers who will be
eligible for storage loans.
These changes will enable the USDA to lend
farmers money to build facilities to store up to
two years’ production of eligible crops. This
will be in addition to any present on-farm
facilities being used for the grain reserve
program. Previously, farmers were limited to
borrowing to build storage for one year’s crop,
including storage used for the reserve
program.
But there is one small catch. Only those
farmers who participated in USDA’s acreage
reduction programs will be eligible for the
program. Block threatened to draw the line on
USDA programs using "voluntary” acreage
reduction as a criterion, and he’s not reneging
on the deal.
The new loans will be limited to a maximum
of $25,000. But, on a case-by-case basis,
farmers who have reserve grain stored on
their farm and who have outstanding storage
facility loans will be allowed to carry an
aggregate loan balance of up to $50,000.
Soybeans, at one time excluded from the list
of crops that could be used to determine
storage needs under the program, have now
been included as long as there is a crop on the
farm that is eligible for the reserve program.
"We" decided to make these program
changes after reviewing the current storage
situation and prospects for record feed grain
and soybean crops. Farmers face a severe
storage problem this year,” Block said. "These
changes will help producers use the facility
loan program ahead of harvest and will allow
them to market their crops in a more orderly
fashion."
But some farm groups predict this $4O
million storage program will make only a small
dent in what may be a billion-bushel deficit in
on-farm grain storage capacity. And exports to
Russia and Mexico will be a help to the U.S.
farmers’ dilemma, but not a cure-all.
So, what choices do grain farmers have this
fall? We can try to swing a farm storage facility
loan through our local Agricultural
Stabilization and Conservation Service office,
or hope we already have enough room in the
bin or crib to hold what promises to be a
bumper crop.
If there’s no room in the bin and no loan
monies forthcoming, then we have to look to a
am
Off the
Sounding
By Sheila Miller, Editor
No room in the bin
Board
commercial gram storage facility or take a
beating in the depressed marketplace this fall.
For those of us who find temporary homes
for our grain off the farm, there is always that
chance of losing our crop to an elevator
bankruptcy. Although USDA assures us that
this is only a remote threat, citing figures in
1980 and 1981 which show only 26 grain
elevators nationwide filed bankruptcy, the
case of one Midwest farmer who wound up in
jail this year over just such a “slim possibility”
still lingers in our minds.
When choosing an elevator to store grain
this fall, the advice of USDA’s ag economist
Joseph R. Corley might be good to keep in
mind. He notes if the answer to any of the
questions is “yes,” we should think twice
about unloading our grain at that place of
business.
s Does the firm consistently offer prices
higher than other buyers in the area without
valid reason? Some may do this occassionally
to increase volume, increase cash-flow and
operating money or to cover commitments
already made for grain?
Does the firm offer economic incentives
not usually offered in the purchase of grain
such as little or no discount for high damage,
dockage, or moisture?
s- Does the firm have a history of slow
payment, issuing bad checks or recurring
financial problems?
s- Does the firm ask you to hold a check a
few days before depositing it or until the grain
is received?
s’ Does the firm urge you to leave your gram
money on deposit, even promising interest?"
Does the firm give you an oral promise
instead of a written contract?
Does the firm try to persuade you not to
ask for your stored grain or to get your
warehouse receipt without-paying for it?
Although farmers can’t be absolutely
protected against elevator bankruptcy, the
following tips might help minimize risks:
Know the buyer and the soundness of the
business;
Demand accurate weights and grade:
Demand payment for grain when due and
cash checks promptly;
Never let contracts or monies due extend
beyond one year;
Request written documents for all
transactions, and read them thoroughly;
Understand the risks with delayed
pricing and deferred crop payment contracts.
Remember you are extending credit and you
lose title to your grain you don’t have the
same rights as storage depositors.
Insist on a valid warehouse receipt; don’t
rely on a scale ticket alone. This receipt is a
written storage contract that defines the
rights and responsibilities-of the parties in
volved and protects the farmer if the elevator
goes bankrupt.
When faced with the problems of no room in
the bin back home on the farm, farmers need
to be sure they don’t place too much stock in a
shaky elevator or their surplus of grain may
yield a shortage of cash next spring.
VES, BUT NOT TO STORE
HIS RESERVE GRAIN IN
THE REAL
ADAM AND EVE
Septembers, 1982
Background Scripture:
' Genesis 2:4 b-25.
Devotional Reading:
Genesis 1:26 through 2:4a.
"One of the greatest frauds ever
perpetrated upon humanity!” This
was the scathing Judgement
pronounced upon the Genesis
Creation story which 1 came
across last week in a magazine
article. Instinctively 1 bristled.
Yet, as 1 put down the magazine,
it struck me that the Genesis
Creation story has probably suf
fered more from its "friends” than
from its-enemies. Many of us in
the churches have unwittingly
provided the very amumtion which
critics have used to discredit the
scriptures. And nowhere, is this
more evident than m our handling
of the first few chapters of Genesis.
“So God Created...”
The time is long overdue for
Christians to make it un
mistakably clear that acceptance
of Christ and his Uospel does not
require that we regard Genesis as
a literal history of the creation of
the universe. The long-drawn out,
weary controversy as to whether it
took God seven literal days or
thousands of years diverts us from
the real purpose of Genesis’
Creation story which is to focus
upon whv. not hnw God created the
NOWES THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
To Mow or Not To
Mow Alfalfa
The question comes up from
many alfalfa growers, should 1
mow alfalfa the first part of
September or not. According to
crop authorities it is not just a yes
or no question, if you have left one
of your cuttings go into full bloom,
then you do not need to be con
cerned; however, if you have not,
then do not cut the first two weeks
of September. The reason for this
is, it’s the period when the plants
are developing rhizomes for next
year’s growth. To disturb this
development will result in less
rhizomes and less growth next
year. The final cutting can be
made in late September or early
October.
The application of a phosphorus
potash fertilizer this fall is a good
management practice. Use your
soil test results as a guide on rates
of application. On stands that have
been established this spring, from
which one or two' cuttings have
already been made, it’s best to
allow it to stand; this will give a
little better winter protection.
Be Extra Safe During
This Busy Season
We are entering one of the
busiest and most hazardous times
of the year...silo filling and corn
picking time. Blend into that time
wheat and barley planting and the
last cutting of alfalfa. This means
a lot of farm machinery will be on
our highways during semi-dark or
dark hours.
Slow moving vehicles such as
farm equipment traveling on
highways present a real traffic
hazard. ' The motorist' must
recognize that a tractor traveling
world. How ironic that our human
interpretations of the Creation
tend to obscure" the real theme of
this story : “So God created...”
It is no less fruitless and even
self-defeating for us to get hung-up
on the question as to whether the
Adam and Eve -narratives of
Genesis are literal accounts of the
first two human beings. A serious
reading of Genesis 1-4 indicates
that those who penned these words
never intended them to be
regarded as literal history. Their
use of the Hebrew word, Adam,
provides use a clue if we really
need one. Adam means “man”
(today we would say “humanity”),
a collective term referring to all
men, not an individual. Thus, we
need to bring Jo the Creation
stories of Genesis the same at
titude and appreciation that we
bring to the parables of Jesus: the
realization that it is the truth
behind the story, not the details of
the story itself that is -vital in
hearing what God is saying to us.
It Was Very Good!
So the story of Adam and Kve is
really our story. The value of their
story is not that they ought have
actually lived centuries ago, but
> that what we see of them In this
story continues to live in us today,
it is you and i who are made in
God’s ••image,” who were created
to “Have dominion” over this
earth, who are commanded to "be
fruitful and multiply,” and live in
obedience to God’s commands. We
are the “real Adam and fclve.” .
And, in this day when we are
tempted to be pessimistic about
both the world and humanity, it is
we who are called to remember the
Creator’s own attitude to his
handiwork: • “And God*' < saw
everything that he made, and
v behold, it was very good.”
al 5 tu 10 miles per hour is almost
standing still compared to a 55
mph car. Most highway drivers
have never driven a farm machine
on the highway and simply do not
realize how slow thay do travel.
Proper identification and
warning is real important. Let’s
keep alert this busy fall season
both on-the highway and in the
fields.
To Prepare Farm Ponds
Farm ponds are nice to cool off
in the summer, but they serve
another very useful purpose...fire
protection. One problem we’ve
seen however is that too many
farm ponds are located in a place
where the fire truck cannot get
close enough in wet weather. Most
engines must be within 25 feet of
the water in order to pump the
water to the fire.
We suggest that pond owners
have an all-weather lane to the side •
of the pond. This may not be im
portant in the 'summer months
when the ground is dry and solid,
but in the early spring the fire ■
truck may not be able to travel'
through the soft mud to reach the
water. We have had cases where }
the fire truck was stuck in the mud
between the main road and pond ■
while the bam burned to the
ground. Be sure the water in your p
farm pond can be used by your
local firecompany in case of fire.
To Control Johnsongrass
This sorghum-like grass is a l '
problem on many farms in tbisg
part of the state. There are cases
where nothing is being done to *
control-this weed. In conutbere is
little that can be done at this time-v
of year; this requires treatment'
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