VOL. 28 No. 25 Farmers Union House bill on dairy due Wed, ROTHSVILLE Members of the Lancaster Farmers Union were told Thursday night at their first annual banquet at the Rothsville Fire Hall that new dairy legislation is scheduled to be reported out of committee in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. ■ ’ The report on the status of federal dairy legislation was part of a report to the Lancaster County group by Paul Sacfa, assistant director of the~National Fanners Union Office in Washington, D.C. who handles lobbying efforts. “The dairy legislation is ex pected to come out, of Congressman * Tonr- J Hatltm’s - committee on Wednesday,” Sacia said. “We’re not sure what Vehicle will be used, such as the Federated Milk Producers proposed bill. “But, it really doesn’t make any difference because the final form will undoubtedly-be sonte sort of compromise.” Sacia in his legislative report covered a wide variety of subjects in addition to dairy legislation, in which the Pennsylvania Farmers Union was unsuccessful in a last ditch effort to halt the 50-cent assessment. While he was talking, he said that the vote on the ag credit bill should have been completed in the House. This would provide a total of $BOO million in emergency loan jnoney to farmers with a deferral knechanism to those who meet r certain criteria. Sacia said he expected the bill to get through Congress, but the real test would be in trying to override an ex pected Reagan veto. (Turn to Page A 32) BY DICK ANGLESTEIN HARRISBURG The Penn sylvania State Grange is taking a look at itself. And what better time to do it than during Pennsylvania State Grange Week. At age 109, the State Grange is going to its members and some outsiders in a self-analysis survey to see what members and otters think of the Grange,, its leadership and programs and whether they think this oldest of farm organizations is keeping up with the times. ■The questionnaire survey was .developed and is being directed by Arba L. Henry, who is on leave . from his vo-ag post at Solanco High School in Lancaster County for post-graduate studies in ag education at Penn State. The study “.An Analysis of the Pennsylvania State Grange” - is Four Sections Who says the Lancaster fanningofflces aren’t tocated close to livestock of sorts? Out . our wjndow, this misguided mallarcLwas spottedonanadjoining roofin downtown Utitz. ‘ Chilly weather and the surprise snow obviously had him confused, tie landed to get his bearings, before deciding whether to head northor sbdSk' MANDATA—The financial stew involving the Mandate Poultry Processing Company that has been bubbling for the past couple of years boiled over this week af fecting some growers in a half dozen Pennsylvania counties and an Elizabethtown hatchery in Lancaster County. The Northumberland County based poultry processor ap parently canceled its grower contracts during the past week, leaving the 60 growers with all birds under four weeks of age and payments owed that may total from $lO,OOO to $30,000 per grower. In addition, Longenecker’s Pa. State Grange is taking a ‘look’ at itself I>3oo Grangers across the state. Each of the Grangers selected Survey author Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 23,1983 Meet our Mr . Misguided Mallard Mandata poultry financial stew boils oyer for 60 growers in Pa. Hatchery, Elizabethtown, also apparently was left holding the bag with large of pullets ready to be" delivered to growers and an evealargCr number of eggs in the three-week set jperiod. Amidst this turmoil, the Penn sylvania State Grange has again called on the state to, not only come to immediate aid of these growers as far as markets are concerned, but to pass legislation that would require bonding of all poultry processors and brokers doing business in the Com monwealth. The Grange estimates that perhaps a million dollars is owed randomly are being asked to fill out and return a seven-page questionnaire, which seeks data in several major areas; -How effective is the Grange leadership at both the state and subordinate levels? -How appropriate and up-to date are the Grange’s objectives, services and programs? -What’s the image of the Grange through the eyes of both members and non-members? -Is the Grange’s organizational structure old-fashioned? In his explanation pf the need for the study, Henry 'cites the declining membership ’> in the Pennsylvania' despite it being the largest and oldest rural farm organization in the Com monwealth. .■’‘During the membership dropped from’ 55,258 in 1978 to 46,351 in 1979,” Henry explained. the growers by Mandata, which has dipped some 16 weeks behind in payments for the past year and a half. A Gettysburg area grower, who had been with Mandata for the past 10 years, is likely typical of the poultry fanners caught up in the situation. Here’s his story in his own words: v - “We haven’t heard anything from Mandata directly. But that’s the way they have been all along. “I was cleaning out my house and got a .call from the hatchery that there wouldn’t be any birds coming. (Turn to Page Al 9) Legislative dinner More than 450 state legislators and Grange members are expected for the Pa. State Grange legislative dinner at the Penn Harris Motor Inn on Monday evening. Featured speaker at the dinner will be Dean Samuel H. Smith, of the Penn State College of Agriculture. “At the present time, there are slightly more than 42,000 mem bers. This represents a .drop of some 4,000 members in' three years. “If this rate of decline should ~~ * r ’ v ~ -A v ‘X' r &£•<■•« r-. ♦*' X- 10 ' $7.50 per year Dairying hearings continue BY HUSH WILLIAMS LANCASTER Final decisions are still being awaited on hearings held this week in Harrisburg, and last week in Washington, D.C., over the controversial 50 cents assessment. Thursday a second hearing was held in Harrisburg before U.S. Middle District Court Judge William W. Caldwell. In a previous hearing held April 15, Judge Caldwell turned down the-motion of Pa. Farmers Union and five individual plaintiffs for an im mediate restraining order against the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s collection of the SO cents assessment. ' When the restraining order was denied after the first hearing, Pa. Fanners Union requested a second hearing date, to try to obtaining a preliminary ' innjuction. Spokesperson for PFU, Marion Furman said Thursday’s hearing was an attempt to convince Judge Caldwell that unless a preliminary injunction is issued against U.S.D.A. before the first deduc tions are made from the producers’ milk checks, they will suffer immediate and irreparable harm. The plaintiffs also had to prove that the defendent (U.S.D.A) would suffer little harm compared to the plaintiffs, and that there are serious enough issues involved to warrant a preliminary injunction. If a preliminary injuction is granted, a bearing date will be set for a final decision to be made. The plaintiffs in the suit were Carl Kaufman, PFU executive director; Farmers Union Vice President Barbara Woods, Franklin County; Northern Tier (Turn to Page A 32) continue, the Pennsylvania State Grange, as known, would cease to existby the end of the century.” Grange Master Charles E. (Turn to Page. A3l)
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