P32—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 14,1983
To Washington
LANCASTER Two western
lowa farmers, making their way to
the nation’s capitol on a farm
tractor pulling a manure spreader,
stopped briefly in front of the
Lancaster County Courthouse
Tuesday morning. There they
spoke with County Commissioners,
reporters, and well-wishers.
Pennsylvania Fanners Union
assisted the two in their trek
across the state.
Peter Brent, 44, and Tony Bos,
49, two life-long farmers, have
been forced out of business by
depressed markets and changing
government policies. They left
their homes in early April intent on
sharing their distress on current
government policies with other
farmers, small businesspeople and
unemployed workers along the
way, before delivering their
message in Washington.
Brent was forced to declare
bankruptcy when Farmers Home
Administration refused to
refinance his Joan. “We are not
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radicals, nor are we sloppy, inef
ficient fanners,” they’ve informed
well-wishers along the way.
“We’ve both been just ordinary
hard-working farmers all our
lives. But what was done to us
shouldn’t be allowed to happen in
America. We’re angry, we’re
frustrated, we want to raise the
consciounsness of other Americans
to the injustice,” the pair has said
along the way. They want to report
the extent of farm disaster through
mid-America.
Bos, whose farm mortgage was
foreclosed by Production Credit,
was told that his lender was going
“to sell you out, right down to your
shorts!”
Brent and Bos are determined to
deliver their message to Congress
and the White House in graphic
form. On their manure spreader is
perched a White out House and next
to it is an easy chair holding a
barrel on which is printed the
following greeting.
“If your debts are free and clear,
with a manure spreader
you can stand right up and cheer; and farmer coalitons who have They plan to arrive in Washington
But if like us you’ve lost your rear, been trying to get recent govern- on May 9.
throw your shorts right up in ment farm policies improved and When they arrive in Washington
here.” interest rates lowered. The two they will meet with legislators
Some of the pair’s expenses are have been meeting with leaders of from their state and hope to be able
being covered by church, labor, these groups at each of their stops, to speak with President Regan.
Horse imports from Italy restricted
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S.
Department of Agriculture of
ficials have again imposed
restrictions on the importation of
horses from Italy because of
contagious equine metritis, a
venereal disease of horses.
John K. Atwell, deputy ad
ministrator of USDA’s Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service,
said Italian officials reported
finding the disease in three mares.
Test results on these mares were
confirmed March 28.
USDA had removed Italy from
the list of countries affected by the
disease Dec. 9, 1982, based on in
formation that indicated that the
disease did not exist in Italy.
Atwell said the restrictions will
affect only mares and stallions of
breeding age. To be eligible for
entry into the United States,
animals over two years of age
must undergo specific
prophylactic treatments and tests
in the country of origin, at USDA
import quarantine stations and on
premises specifically designated
for state quarantine.
Since discovery of this bacterial
disease in 1977, the United States
has imposed restrictions on horse
imports from 11 countries. They
are Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
West Germany, France, Sweden
and the United Kingdom.
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