Alo—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 27,1983
Get out of ag
BYDICKANGLESTEIN
A large manila envelope arrived in the mail
the other day. At first, it looked like dozens of
others that come weekly.
But then the return address caught my eye.
The Department of Defense? Ag newspapers
generally don't get much mail from the
Defense Department. Denim and khaki don't
blend very well.
I could have done without this piece of mail
very easily, too.
The envelope contained a fancy report
entitled: “The World Grain Economy and
Climate Change to the Year 2000: Implications
for Policy.” It’s Part 111 of another of those
bureaucratic think-tank studies first begun
way back in 1976 following the scare headlines
about the world cooling down and the possible
effect on farming.
In addition to questioning the overall worth
of the study, which isn't much more than 50
pages of Washington D.C. jargon, I take strong
objection to who did the study and why.
It was done by the National Defense
University - part of the Department of
Defense.
President of this “university" is a lieutenant
general in the Air Force (ours naturally).
Even the postage to mail out the report is
paid by the Department of the Army.
Other cooperating groups and agencies
included the USDA, Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration and the
Institute for the Future, of Menlo Park, Calif..
To any of these groups and particularly Ag
Sec. Block, I'd like to pose a couple of
questions;
Farm Calendar
Saturday, Aug. 27
NW Holstein Breeders Sale
at Crawford Fair.
4-H District Horst Show,
Kersey.
Forestry Safety Field Day,
Fairgrounds. Smethport.
Horse Exercise Clinic,
Journey’s End Farm,
Glemoore, continues
tomorrow.
SE District Horae Show,
Montgomery Co. 4-H
Center, Lansdale.
Flemington, N.J.
Agricultural Fair, con
tinues through Sept. 5.
Sunday, Aug. 28
Pa. Flying Fanners, landing
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before noon at
Rostgravers, visit home
of Tom and Esther Cox,
near Pittsburgh.
Monday, Aug. 29
South Central District 4-H
Dairy Show, Farm Show
Complex.
Dairymen, Inc., District 14,7
p.m., Harvest Drive
Restaurant, Gordonville.
Elizabethtown Fair opens,
continues through
Saturday.
Tuesday, Amt. M
Allentown Fair, continues
through Labor Day.
Wednesday, Aug. 31
Pa. Classic Ayrshire Sale,
Guernsey Sales Barn,
Why is such a study about our possible
future capability to produce food done by the
Defense Department?
And. why is the bottom line of this study
si. ihe possible use of food as a weapon to
shape future international policy?
Also, I’d like to know if these fancy futurists
with the $2.00 words like “scenarios" and
“methodology” are ever going to learn the
bitter lesson of using food as a weapon.
Each time food has been used as a political
weapon American farmers have paid and paid
dearly.
How many grain embargoes must backfire
for the lesson to sink into the thick skulls of
our national leaders?
Two paragraphs from the foreword of the
study by Lt. Gen. John S. Putsay, USAF,
president of the National Defense University,
should stick in the craw of every farmer in the
country;
“Another development (of earlier parts of
the study), not totally unexpected, has been
the relevance of study results to U.S, national
policymaking. The study team anticipated that
the research, although highly technical in its
early stages, would ultimately have im
plications for national security. The team was
pleased to note the Carter administration's
responses to the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan took cognizance of the con
clusions of draft copies of the reports sent to
high-level policymakers in key agencies. NDU
is equally pleased that a draft of this con
cluding report is being integrated into the
report of the Reagan administration’s Global
Issues Working Group.
“The role of U.S. “food power" in U.S.
policies remains unresolved, and this report is
helpful to the continuing discussion. A major
conclusion of the study is that the United
States can consider its proper role in the world
food situation for the rest of the century
without great fear that major climatic changes
will significantly upset the calculations. This
study provides the scientific base which
enables planners to have at least some degree
of confidence that their plans will not be
undermined by climatic change.”
In plain English, the report and the National
Defense University is not only taking credit for
helping to bring about the Afghanistan grain
embargo, but says that climate changes
should not have much effect on using the same
tactic in the future.
I have only one comment, actually two, for
General Putsay and the Defense Department:
Get out of agriculture.
And, stay out.
Thursday, Sept 1
Schuylkill County Extension
vegetable growers
meeting, 6 p.m.,
Labenberg Brothers
Farm, Zion Grove.
Conservation tillage tour in
Lancaster County for
Ephrata and Solanco
Young Farmers, 8 a.m.,
Ephrata Junior High, 2
p.m. Solanco High School.
Saturday, Sep*. 8
4-H District Dairy Show,
Meadville Fairgrounds.
Ram Lamb Performance
Sale, 12:30 p.m., State
College.
Til
Lancaster.
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MORETHAN
A SURVIVOR
August 28,1983
Background Scripture: Esther.
Devotional Reading: Psalms 31
19-24.
•'l’m a survivor” has become an
increasingly universal creed. It is
based on a conviction that, no
matter what may come upon us,
the most important thing is for us
to find some way to survive the
experience, it may mean com
promising one’s principles, sub
mitting to hunuliaUon, and even
participating in some form of evil
or debasing activity - so long as it
enables us to survive.
Eyed in the cold light of reason
and morality, it must be evident to
us that, although being a "sur
vivor” is greatly to be desired, it is
something that should not be
bought at the price of our own
damnation. The problem is that
when we are confronted by this
choice - between surviving and
maintaining our integrity - reason
and morality are often clouded by
our instinct towards self
preservation.
IN THE KING’S PALACE
The story of Esther - or
Hadassah - is a shining example
for all of us who are tempted to
choose survivorship over
disdpleship. Esther, as Queen to the
powerful King Ahasuerus of
NOW IS THE TIME
To Be Alert For Silo Gas
The dry weather and heat stress
has, really affected the com
growth. Much of the com did not
develop ears, and stalk size was
reduced to about one-half of nor
mal size. This condition increases
the danger of poisonous gases -
known to fanners as “silo gas”.
We urge our farmers to discuss
this hazard with their employees
and all family members. These
gases can develop from onk day to
14 days after the silo is filled. Most
of these gases have a chlorine
laundry bleach odor and irritate
the eyes and respiratory system.
Some are yellow, some brown and
some colorless. Don’t take any
chances warn all your people of
the danger of silo gas.
Never enter a partly filled silo
without running the blower for at
least 15-20 minutes. These gases
are heavier than air and will come
down the chute and into the bam.
Be very careful around recently
filled silos this year.
To Prepare For Local Fairs
We are rapidly approaching the
time for local fairs. These times
should be happy events but once
in a while they are not because
planning was not done ahead of
time. This is the time to take
necessary precautions to help
prevent the possiblity of your
taking diseases to the fair with
your poultry or animals or
bringing .infection home to your
farm.
Many fairs require health charts
and specific tests or vaccinations
for animals and poultry. Be sure to
read the health regulations
carefully. And, it doesn’t hurt to be
more strict than what the
regulations may require. Animals
a
‘SJ
By Jay Irwin
Uncaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
Persia, must have assumed that
she at least would be safe from the
anti-semitic plots of Hainan. She
was shocked when she learned of
tus terrible plots against the Jews,
yet she realized that there was
nothing she could do, for it was
forbidden for even a queen to at
tempt to interfere in the rule of her
husband.
Mordecai, her adopted father
and leader of the Jewish exiles, sent
a messa & „ „.iich startled her from
her complaceny. “Think not that L.
the king's palace you will escape
any more than all the other Jews.”
The king's palace, although it had
seemed safe and secure to Esther,
was no place to hide. For, even if
she should escape physical harm
from Haman, she would not escape
the deep stain of guilt for having
failed to speak for her people. “For
if you keep silence at such a tune
as this," warned Mordecai’s
messengers, "relief and
deliverance will rise for the Jews
from another quarter, but you and
your father’s house will perish.
And who knows whether you have
not come to the kingdom for such a
tune as this?”
HOLD A FAST
Mordecai’s words were able to
penetrate Esther’s survivorship
defenses. She knew that she had to
at least try to save her people. She
also realized that she needed help
beyond herself and so she asked for
spiritual support: "hold a fast on
my behalf... 1 and my maids will
also fast as you do." At last she
saw things clearly and she made
the response that guaranteed that
she would be more than a sur
vivor:... 1 will go to the king,
though it is against the law; and if I
perish, I perish.
Only thus did she become a
survivor in the truest sense of the
term.
or poultry with any form of
communicable ailment should be
left at home.
When animals or poultry leave
the fair and go home, it's im
portant to have a place where you
can isolate them and observe them
closely for a period of time before
returning them to their herd
mates. If in doubt, consult your
veterinarian for advice.
To Apply For Gasoline Tax Refund
I would like to remind our far
mers that applications for the
Pennsylvania Liquid Fuel Tax
Refund should be filed before
September 30.
Farmers may apply for an 11
cent per gallon refund.on all liquid
fuels used in non-licensed tractors
when used off the highway for
agricultural purposes, or non
licensed power farm machinery
used for actual .farm work. This
includes fuel used in all auxiliary
engines or balers, elevators and
other stationary equipment.
The liquid fuel tax is for all farm
production fuel used between July
1,1983 and June 30,1983.
The people who have not already
received applications should apply
by writing: Board of Finance and
Revenue, Room 409, Finance
Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120 or
by calling 717-787-3365.
Remember, applications
received after September 30 will
not be honored; they must be filed
on time. The time to do it is now.
Keep in mind this is not money
the State is giving you it’s
money you already paid, you are
just applying to get it back. It may
not seem like much but 11 cents per
gallon on 5,000 gallons is f 550.00.
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