Alo—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 23,1982
it sounded tike a broken record on Tuesday
as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Agriculture
Penrose Hallowed and dairy leaders from
across the state “brain-stormed” their way to
a consensus of opinion on what to do about
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture John Block’s 50-
cent assessment on each 100 pounds of milk
that’s sold.
After two and a half hours of round-robin
debate, these dairy Jeaders had come up with
the brilliant idea Jo petition Block to delay his
50 cent assessment “substantially.” During
this period (however long a subtantial delay
is), ideas on what to do about the dairy surplus
problem would be formulated and shipped
down to USDA headquarters.
What, you mean Pennsylvania's dairy
leaders have nothing more concrete than that
to offer in response to Block’s plan after
having known about the 50 cent assessment
since August? Even if they would have picked
one of the many dairy programs that surfaced
at this summer's Kansas City seminar (all of
which Congress later threw out) and tossed it
back in the hat for consideration, it would have
shown more direction.
But what credibility would our recom
mendations have anyway in Washington?
want to promote their product with the vote
down of the state’s milk referendum in June?
So other than promotion and increased
consumption, it would seem the only alter
native to the dairy surplus situation is less
production. And that’s what Block seems to
think his 50-cent assessment will do.
Since dairy farmers have been crying, “We
were only responding to signals sent by the
U.S. government when they increased price
support,” as reasons for their increased
production, then it would only stand to reason
that a possible $12.10 per hundredweight
price support next spring should have an
inverse effect and consequently bring prices
down. But will it?
Some dairy farmers already have
threatened to put on more cows if Block’s
assessment recoups 50 cents from their
monthly milk check. More cows mean more
milk so nothing would be solved there.
It's not hard to understand why, in the eyes
of USDA, dairy farmers haven't learned much
since April 1981 and the first dairy price
support freeze. Just this month, USDA figures
showed milk production continuing on its
merry upward trend. The three-month
production from July to September poured in
at 33.8 billion pounds, up 2,3 percent from a
year ago and 5 percent higher than for the
same period in 1980.
Despite the rhetoric that has been going up
and down dairy pipelines to and from
Washington, dairy farmers have not reduced
production or herd sizes. As a matter of fact,
there are more cows now with higher
production.
Milk cows numbered 11,026,000 during the
July-September period that’s up one
percent from a year earlier and up 0.4 of one
percent from April-June, and the highest for
any quarter on record since January-June
1980. Production per cow averaged 3,070
pounds (for the three months) up VA
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Off the
Sounding
By Sheila Miller, Editor
Same old story
percent from a year earlier and 3 percent
above that of two years ago.
And for the argument that it’s not Penn
sylvania’s problem, take a look at USDA's hit
list for overproducers. Pennsylvania was listed
among the five top leaders with 2.31 billion
pounds. Leading the pack was Wisconsin with
5.8 billion pounds, then came California with
3.77 billion pounds, followed by New York with
2.74 billion pounds, and Minnesota with 2.4
billion pounds.
Yes, out of those five states, we produced
the least amount. But look again. Our
production was tied with Minnesota’s for
showing the highest increase percentage-wise.
Pennsylvania’s and Minnesota's production
increased 3 percent as compared to
Wisconsin's 1 percent, California's 2 percent,
and New York’s I percent/' •
With those kinds of figures already on
USDA’s books, no one is betting on whether or
not dairy producers have already exceeded
the Commodity Credit Corporation limit of 5
billion pounds of surplus dairy purchases
which would trigger the 50 cent deduction. As
a matter of fact, there have been reports that
CCC purchases have hit the 13.5 billion pound
level.
So, unless dairy producers and leaders put
their thinking caps on in a hurry and come up
with a better idea during the 45-day comment
period, it looks like our milk checks will be
coming up on the short side after the
November elections. Just an empty plea to
“give us some more time to think" probably
won’t make much of an impression in
Washington.
About the best ideas we’ve heard skimming
off dairy producer's minds include:
v Making sure the 50-cent assessment (if
and when deducted) is earmarked for dairy
promotion and research, at least in part, and
not dumped in a general CCC account;
Regionalize the assessment based on
total pounds of CCC dairy purchases;
Work toward a quota system where those
dairy farmers who are already cutting back
production won’t be penalized by having to
pay an assessment. Pay a premium price for
milk to those producers who reduce
production, a flat rate for those who stay the
same, and a reduced rate for dairy farmers
who continue to increase production to excess.
Restrict casein imports; and
Continue to work on better labeling laws
and ways to incorporate milk and other dairy
products into the diets of the 1980s' con
sumers. Remembering what the per capita
consumption of dairy products was a decade
ago is like crying over spilt milk.
There already is a better urban awareness
of the dairy situation even if farmers don’t
always like the way their cases are presented
in the press. More nonfarm consumers are
looking for REAL seals, and many food
products are boasting the fact that they use
real cheese, cream, etc.
It’s only a matter of time until dairy farmers
will be responding to the surges of supply and
demand —' either because of government
rules or because of ideas for promotion and
production programs which they, themselves,
have developed and suggested.
Board
[ BY LAWRENCE W ALEHOUSE J
‘mmm
THE YEAR
OF JUBILEE
October 24,1982
Background Scripture:
Leviticus 25.
Devotional Beading: Leviticus
26:3-5,40*46.
The Book of Leviticus is not one
of the most popular of the Old
Testament. You are not likely to
hear many sermons preached
from it, nor to have committed any
of it to memorization. To many, it
seems a book written for the an
cient past and not for today.
Yet there are very important
issues in Leviticus that are
relevant to our own tune. This is
particularly true ot the provision
tor sabbath years and the Year ot
Jubilee. In preparation for en
tering the promosed land, God
Commanded the people through
Moses to practice a sabbath
ecology in their use ol the land he
would give them; "...six years you
shall sow your field, and six years
you shall prune your vineyard, and
gather in its fruits; but in the
seventh year there shall be a
sabbath of solemn rest tor the land,
a sabbath to the Lord; you shall nut
sow your field or prune your
vineyard" (25:3,4).
The Land Is Mine
Too often we regard God’s
commandments as the imposition
of arbitrary requirements, but this
passage makes it clear that the
sabbath is intended, not to make us
"toe the mark,” but to preserve
what God puts uito our hands.
There is a recognition that in
NOW IS THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture A(ent
Phone 717-3944851
To Be Careful Around
Manure Pits
This is the time of year that
many liquid manure pits will be
cleaned-out and spread. on the
land; the crops have been har
vested and the ground is open
enough to absorb much of the
liquid; this is necessary rather
than to apply it on frozen ground. A
pass over the field with a disc will
reduce the possibility of odors a
great deal.
When these pits are emptied
there is a danger of poisonous
gases being present. If the mixture
is agitated before being moved
than good ventilation must be
provided above the pit. Also, never
go into a pit without a gas mask or
some type of respirator. Keep in
mind that these gases can be ex
plosive as well as poisonous to man
and beast. Special care is needed
in and around liquid manure pits.
To Graze Canttoasly
We receive many phone calls
concerning the dangers of
pasturing forage crops after being
frosted. All of the permanent
grasses such as bluegrass, orchard
grass or bromegrass can be safely
grazed at any time of the year; this
is also true of any of the small
grain cover crops such as rye,
wheat or barley. All of these are
not toxic when frozen and usually
do not present any bloating
problems.
However, the legumes such as
.clover and alfalfa should be grazed
very carefully. They are not toxic,
after being frosted, but will cause
. severe bloating if consumed while
the frost is on the leaves. Allow the
nature there must be a cycle of
work and rest if productivity is to
be preserved for future
generations. The sabbath idea is a
restraint against unbridled ex
ploitation and exhaustion of the
natural world. How strange, then,
that today so many avowed
Christians are either indifferent or
even violently hostile to steward
ship and ecological concerns!
Leviticus also enunciates
another truth that is often
overlooked or ignored by us: "the
land is mine; for you are strangers
and so-journers with me”(25:23>.
Israel was indeed the promised
land to the Hebrews, but Israel
belongs to God, not Israel. The
tribes of Israel are but temporary
inhabitants “so-journers."
Their continuance in the land of
Canaan was* to be dependent upon
their convenantal relationship with
the Lord, not some natural or legal
right. (Whatever the basis for the
existance and perpetuity of the
modern nation of Israel, it is not a
Biblical basis, fur the Bible makes
it clear that the lands belongs, nut
to any nation, but to Uod. )
And Proclaim Liberty
This brings us to the Year ot
Jubilee commandment. In this
observance, God is concerned not
only with the ecology el the land,
but also the ecology ot people. In
this year the Jews shall retrain
troin sowing, reaping and
gathering, and it shall be a year of
liberation: "And you shall hallow
the tiftieth year, and proclaim
liberty throughout the land to all
its inhabitants” (25: 1U).
The year iU9B will be the titlieth
anniversary ot the birth ot modern
Israel. 1 do not know it a Year ot
Jubilee is'planned, but 1 hope so,
tor there is no way that Israel
could celebrate the Year of Jubilee
without proclaiming liberty to the
Palestuuans who are captive in its
West Bank.
And it then, why not now:'
frost to thaw, and the plants to dry
off before turning in the herd or
flock.
Also, any of the sudan grasses or
sorghum hybrids should not be
grazed for at least a week after
being frozen. Neither should the
new growth, after being frozen, be
consumed.
To Evaluate Farm Records
The 1962 cropping season is
about over and soon it will be time
to summarize your farm accounts
and be reporting to the Internal
Revenue Service. In addition to the
need of good farm records for tax
reporting purposes, I’d like to
suggest these farm records be used
for future farm planning and in
making major farm decisions.
When time permits and as the
outside work winds down this fall,
it is good management to spend
some time in your office and do
some “pencil pushing”.regarding
the most profitable parts of your
fanning business. Your records of
success or failure of the various
enterprises are the best guide to
future expansion or termination.
To Reduce Egg Breakage
Egg breakage is costing poultry
producers a great deal. You would
be surprised how much. Some
poultrymen do not realize how
many eggs they are losing because
they do not keep track of them. In
studies where this has been
checked carefully, we find the
percentage of eggs broken ranging
from 2% to 5% up to 20%_
With a flock of 30,000 layers
averaging 70% production, a loss
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