VOL. 28 No. 21 Lancaster honors top conservationists BLUE BALL The Lancaster County Conservation District paused Thursday night to honor the top conservationists for the, past year. Sharing honors were', Francis and Ethel Kirk, of near Wakefield, the Outstanding Cooperators; individuals from ASCS and SCS J Pa. Extension hiring freeze beyond July, 1? LANCASTER The current hiring freeze for Agricultural Extension personnel could well continue beyond July J, Samuel Smith, Dean of Perm State’s College of Agriculture, -sidd on Wednesday. . - - “Right now, we have no plans for lifting the freeze on July 1,” Smith said. “If we don’t get some good signs from Washington' (concerting budget cuts) and there £3 no state budget, there’s quite a good chance the freeze will continue” Counties, such as Lebanon where Agent Newton Bair is retiring, are vitally interested in the hiring freeze and how long it may con tinue. Prior to a scheduled Ag Week speech before the Lancaster Rotarey Club, Dean Smith discussed the depth of his concerns over fiscal problems that are looming for the College of Agriculture at Penn State and the Extension System throughout the Commonwealth. He explained that formula funding from the Federal Government for ag research and (Turn to Page A3l) From farm Five Sections Narvon mine cited for service and several groups who accomplished a storm water management project in Sadsbury Township. And amidst this pause, featured speaker, State Ag Sec. Penrose Hallowell favorably predicted the survival of the small family farm that is characteristic of Lancaster County. And, in somewhat of a couple of departures from the regular speech theme, Hallowell spoke briefly about the Narvon Mine and efforts to make the Farm Show “All-Americanmade.” -In answer to a question from the audience concerning the Pa. Department of Agriculture’s position on the proposed har zardous waste dump for the Narvon Mine, Hallowell said: “You can be sure we willprotect the interests,of agriculture.” . He cited the landcondernnation boardthat now exists, that can take a -look at the proposal to make certain that the proposed dump would not affect area agriculture and that there is not a better -location for such a facility. Hallowell qualified these statements by explaining that location of such facilities is one of (Turn to Page A 36) Ag Sec. Block coming to Lancaster LANCASTER - U.S. Sec. of Agriculture John Block is coming to Lancaster next month. Block will be the keynote speaker at the open house for the new Purina Chow Plant in the Hempfield Industrial Park west of Lancaster on Friday, April 8. He is scheduled to speak about 11:3(1 a.m. at the plant, located off Rt. 30 at the Centreville Exit. Pa. approves $250,000 in leans BY DICK ANGLESTEIN HARRISBURG - Twelve low interest loans totaling a quarter of a million dollars have been-ap proved thus far in Pennsylvania’s program to encourage direct marketing of Commonwealth farm products. With the approval of the 12 loans, nearly three-quarters of a million dollars still remains in the revolving fund, which features an interest rate of four and a quarter percent this year. The dozen initial loans are spread across the state and include a variety of direct farm marketing operations. Two of the loans involve Lan caster County markets, including expansion of an existing diver- - , . rifled farm market and another i V jTt* <rurV' Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 28,1983' Francis and Ethel Kirk, Lancaster County’s Outstanding Cooperators, with aerial photo'of their farm presented at Thursday's Conservation District banquet. Hog, poultry farmers to feel PIK Pennsylvania hog and.poultry farmers are keeping a keen eye on the aftermath of PIK. Their interest is not centered on those millions of idle acres, but the effect that those grainless fields will have oh feed and production ’ costs in the coining months. Even ~ before the government announced on Tuesday that 82.3 'million, acres will be taken out of production,-the cash and futures grain markets had been feeling the effects of the expected record signup. And when traders heard that more than one out of every three acres normally planted to major crops will lie idle this year, the upnard swing in grain .prices escalated. Here’s some examples: The March 10 price on the futures market for May com was $2.83 a bushel. It has since jumped more than 25 cents. Soybeans futures wete up about 50 cents a bushel. And meal had risen more than $15.00 a ton. - And all of this will be reflected in feed to be used by area fanners and increase their production costs Direct marketing that retails only apples on a 10- month basis. Hie first loan involved a farm market in Armstrong County. And the most unique market operation approved for a loan is a lamb and wool operation in Westmorland County. In addition to the sale of meat, the operation is installing a blocking machine and will be selling wool products from the small flock associated with the market. Presently, two or three ap plications are under consideration, according to Don Unangst, director of agricultural develop ment for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. “The fund was established last July with |987,000 in federal Coital rehabilitation money that was'h'ot to finish each pound Of pork, raise a broiler orproduce a dozen eggs. Irwin cites artichoke questions LANCASTER Farmers considering the - planting of Jerusalem artichokes should ask themselves several questions before making any decision, cautions Jay W. Irwin, County Agricultural Agent “We have received many calls about this crop,” Irwin said. “We suggest that farmers ask themselves the following; questions: —ln there a guaranteed market for the product? -What new machines will be required to plant and harvest the crop? -Will this crop require ad-, ditional labor? -“Most importantly, how will this crop affect my good land?” (Turn to Page A 24) being used," Unangst explains. "The funds were put into the direct farm market development program because w 6 think it is one of the best ways for Pennsylvania - farmers to sell their products.” In addition -to Usangst, the program’s board which reviews the loan applications includes Amos Funk, Tom Styer and Paul' Konhaus, three well-known direct farm marketers in Pennsylvania and Eugene Wingert, of PDA’s Office of Planning and Research. Hie major requirement to apply for a loan is that the applicant' must be engaged-in an agricultural operation that produces a com modity that is sold at the farm $7.50 per year Poultry operators, who have been walking a tightrope, will find their positions even more precarious. And the hog farmers, who have had something of a profit margin lately, may find it harder to maintain those levels. All of this concern is due to the position of Pennsylvania and the Northest in general as a grain deficit area. Much more is fed out here than is grown. While the figures announced by the USDA have already caused widespread ripples throughout grain markets, there are some questions that will need to be answered as the full effect of all of those idle acres is felt. Saying that the signups were beyond “my wildest ex pectations,” Ag Sec. Block was already predicting drastic reductions in particularly com and wheat crops this year. There’s no doubt that overall figures will be down, but it still remains to be seen how much. While more than one-third of acres will be out of grain production, you can be sure that (Turn to Page A 34) to home
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers