Alo—L—c—tar Fnihj, Saturday, Wawataar 5,1903 What next? BY DICKANGLESTEIN Many farmers, particularly in Northern Lancaster County, have likely asked them selves this simple question more than once in recent months: WHAT NEXT? First, came the pseudorabies problem for the hog farmers. Then, all of agriculture gradually slipped into one of the worst recessions ever to hit the ag economy. Within the past six months, the roof literally has seemed to fallen m, affecting poultry farmers in particular. Operational margins were already trimmed to the bone for many by the recession when the weather stepped in. Heat cut production and caused some bird mortalities. The federal government instituted PIK and drove up feed costs. The continuing drought sent grain costs even higher. Finally, Avian flu broke out and has resulted in one of the worst epedemics in more than a half century in the country. Is it any wonder that poultry farmers are asking: "What next?" Now, dairymen and other farmers have had their share of problems with PIK and assessments, but nothing like what has befallen the poultry operators. Quite a few have been operating on the edge and the multiple problems of weather, NOW IS THE TIME To Really Tighten Poultry Health Security There is a great deal of in formation being passed around the county concerning the Avian In fluenza situation. There is also a lot of rumors floating around and I caution everyone, please be sure of your facts before you pass any information to someone else. The situation is difficult enough without dealing with a lot of false rumors. I feel very confident, that with the help of every person involved with poultry, that we can lick this problem. It is going to take a lot of extra effort by many people, but it can be done. The health security guidelines that have been listed in Off, ■ 10 X JV- U By Jay Irwin Lancaster County Agriculture Agent Phone 717-394-6851 this paper, handed out by poultry science personnel and sent out directly from the Extension Office should be strictly followed. No one really knows how it is going from farm to' farm so let’s not take chances keep everyone out of your poultry houses and you keep away from any other poultry farm. As the situation changes we’ll do our best to keep you informed. To Note Shifting Weed Populations Now that most of the corn has been harvested, we can plainly see what weeds failed to be controlled in those fields. We fire seeing more of the persistent, hard-to-control weeds appearing in our crop fields during the past 10-12 years. In part, government programs and diseases are sure to push some over. And any eradication program through depopulation to get rid of the disease will not help some of these poultry farmers even though there may be indemnification for the birds that are killed. If indemnification payments for the birds go to their owner -- who may be a feed mill or the bank - it still leaves the farmer out of business for quite a few months through the cleanup period with continuing mortgage payments to meet. While indemnification is needed to get rid of the disease, for some it may only add to their financial problems. What can be done? A couple of weeks ago, the State Senate passed a resolution calling on the governor to use $5 million out of the Emergency Management Service Code for grants or no interest loans to drought-stricken farmers. The governor apparently doesn't favor using the money for that purpose due to the problem of equitable distribution among farmers who may have lost up to $2OO million. Why couldn’t this $5 million be used to help tide over those poultry farmers who may be out of business for a number of months if an indemnification program goes into effect? And this money should be over and above any share that the state may pay as part of the indemnification to replace the birds. If no extra consideration is given to the “little guys," there may be fewer little guys around when all of this is over. And if there is any positive note to all of this, it’s the pulling together that seems to be taking place in the state’s overall poultry industry. All segments of the industry finally may be fully realizing that they all have a mutual stake in this crisis, which extends well beyond the producer to mills, suppliers, processors, etc. The Avian epedemic will be overcome through a united effort that involves producers, government, industry, Extension and others. But when it's all over, I hope that this ne< found feeling of cooperation doesn’t go up smoke with the birds that are incinerated. this is because we have changed our farming methods, particularly tillage techniques and we’re not using crop rotations in the case of continuous corn. Bindweeds, horsenettle, hemp dogbane, curly dock, Canada thistle, Johnsongrass, and yes, even woody plants such as brambles and small volunteer trees have appeared in increasing numbers, observes Arnold G. Lueck, County Agent in Agronomy. We need to note the presence of these weeds now and then prepare to deal with them. When you notice a new weed have it identified and take ap propriate control measures before that weed becomes a menacing W ELL THEN. YOU MUST BE LAGGING BEHIND THE REST OF THE FARMERS'.CAUSE YOU HAVEN'T GOT MORE THAN DOZEN PLATES OYER THERE IN YOUR CUPBOARD s ° S - f I i m I fj X THINK IT'S T!/V\E FOR ANOTHER agriculture LESSON AGAIN. _ go) x, THE ULTIMATE MYSTERY November 6,1983 Background Scripture: Psalms 103; Ephesians 1:3-10. Devotional Reading: Psalms 107:1-9. It seems that roughly a third of the people I know are expecting great cataclysmic events to devastate the world in the next 15 years. Although they don’t necessarily call this “the end of the world,” they obviously expect it to be the “end” of society as we know it. Perhaps another one-third of the people with whom I associate are looking to the next several decades as a time when, instead of cataclysm, humanity will fully enter a glorious “new age.” While this “new age” is not regarded as any kind of heaven on earth or kingdom of God, these people do see it as an evolutionary leap forward for humanity. ONE MORE THIRD One doesn’t have to be a great mathematician to realize that that leaves approximately one more third of people with whom I’m associated. All of these is this last remaining group don’t seem to have any idea where we’re headed. It’s not so much that they’re confused about our present direction, but that they rarely, if ever, think about it. Sometimes we get so caught up in the demands of our daily lives Farm Calendar Saturday, Nov. 5 Keystone International Livestock Exposition, continues through Wednesday at Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg. North American International Livestock Exposition, Louisville, Ky., continues through Nov. 19. 20th Annual Pa. Suffolk Bred Ewe Sale, Farm Show Complex, 5 p.m. problem. If weeds are presently escaping from your control efforts, find out how to change your weed management program. To Check Stand-By Generators The winter season brings with it snow and ice storms that can damage and knock out our supply of electricity. Most farmers are badly crippled without electricity so the need for a stand-by generator is recognized. I know that many poultry farms in par ticular, already have this equip ment. However, if the generator is not in good working condition, it (Turn to Page Al 2) ' c that we fail to look any further than our own short term goals—if that We tend to forget that one of the cardinal Christian beliefs is a conviction that God has created us and our world for bis own special purposes and that we are daily moving toward the eventual fulfillment of them. There are others of us who give thought to those divine purposes, but con clude that they are unknowable. The to the Ephesians was written in part to remind earl - ' Christians—and us—that God does have a plan for his creation and that that plan will be fulfilled in his good time: For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time...(1:9,10a) And what is the plan of God’s ultimate mystery? Is it to destroy everything and everyone? Is it to divide the world into the “good guys” and the “bad guys” with rewards and punishments for each? (The majority of people I know would select one of the above.) TO UNITE ALL THINGS But Ephesians gives us a dif ferent expectation altogether; ...to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (1:10) I do not know how or when God will accomplish this purpose, but if I were to live to the end of time, it is that unification of “all things in him” that I would expect to behold. For wherever I go today, I find more and more people who are beginning to see that it is God’s purpose to make manifest the ultimate unity in which he created the universe. Lord God, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Monday, Nov. 7 4-H Leader Training, Bradford County, 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m, Bradford County 4-H Leaders Banquet, 7:45 p.m., North Towanda Methodist Church. Tuesday, Nov. 8 Dairy Herd Reproduction School, Knights of Columbus Hall, Honesdale, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., continues tomorrow. Lebanon County DHIA Banquet and Awards Program, 7 p.m., Prescott Social Hall. Eastern Lancaster County Adult Farmer pesticide meeting, 7:30 p.m., Union Grove Alternative School. Wednesday, Nov. 9 National Brown Swiss Convention and Sale, Host Corral, Lan caster, continues through Saturday. Bradford County Lamb Pool, 9-11 a.m., Wyalusing Sales Bam. Pa. Rural Electric Assn, annual meeting, Hotel Hershey, con tinues through Friday. Thursday, Nov. 11 Legislative Breakfast, Pa. State Council of Farm Organizations, 8 a.m., Hanover Restaurant, Harrisburg. Friday, Nov. 11 Lancaster County 4-H Lamb Roundup, 6 p.m., Manheim Fair Grounds. Saturday, Nov. 12 York 4-H Daily Achievement Banquet. Southcentral District 4-H Beef Show and Sale, New Holland, 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 PFA Convention and annual meeting opens at Hershey Convention Center, continues to Wednesday. Pa. Farm and Power Equipment annual convention, Seven Springs Resort, Champion, continues to Wednesday.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers