*24-Uncwttf Farming, Saturday, December 17,1983
Grange helps initiate new house bills
HARRISBURG - The Penn
sylvania State Grange in
cooperation with Representative
Carville “Peck” Foster, and other
legislative sponsors, is initiating
two new House amendments
restricting foreign agricultural
enterprises in the Commonwealth.
The two bills, HB 1751 and 1752
were introduced by Rep. Foster
into the House Agriculture and
Rural Affairs Committee with
amendments urged by the Grange,
according to State Grange Master
Charles Wismer, Jr.
The legislation will “directly
affect the future of the family
farmer in Pennsylvania,” Wismer
announced at a press conference
held recently at the Capitol
Rotunda in front of a large group.
One of the amendments will
Introductory
6r OAMRRIKE=
agrirerter
TRI-COUNTY
SWIME SYSTEMS
PHONE
No of Cows
change the Agricultural Land
Acquisition by Aliens Law of April
6, 1980, Sec. 1 (HB 1752): The
amendment would limit the
current allowed 100 acres to 10
acres for foreign investor
acquisition of agricultural lands,
except in the instance of “acquired
by demise or inheritance, and such
as may be held as security for
indebtedness.”
“Agricultural land is a natural
resource, and should be owned
only by U.S. citizens. Foreign
owned farm land also adds to our
farmer’s competition and sur
pluses,” Wismer commented.
House Bill 1751, The Penn
sylvania Industrial Development
Authority Act, has been introduced
to Ag. Committee also by Rep.
Foster with an exclusion for-
A6OM
60,000 BTU/hr.
$239.95
Other BTU’s Available
• A4OM
40,000 BTU/hr
• AI2OM
120.000 BTU/hr
• AI7OM
170.000 BTU/hr.
bidding f oreign-owned agricultural
enterprises from receiving Pa.
Industrial Development project
(PIDA) funding. PIDA loan fund
ing is given to industrial
development agencies for the
payment of a part of the cost of
industrial development projects in
critical economic areas in the
Commonwealth.
Rep. Foster and the Grange feel
that State monies should not be
allocated to foreign-owned
agricultural enterprises,
especially since they add to the
current product surpluses, and
aren’t critical employment en
tities.
To use an example, foreign
owned farm operations are in
competition with poultry farmers
and this is one of the industries
3iiGßg:
WE MANUFACTURE OUR OWN FEEDS
OR WE’LL CUSTOM BLEND TO YOUR
REQUIREMENTS
i] Serving Central New Jersey '^
LJ with
J r Bag Or Bulk Feeds ju |
1 1 And Farm Supplies ,r *
Horses, Dairy, SheepWMl
And Poultry $ ju?
140 North Seventh St.
that has been suffering greatly
from not only foreign investors
moving in, but also from the
drought, a depressed egg market,
and most recently, the severe
avian influenza outbreak, ac
cording to Wismer.
“The Grange is hoping that
Senator Wenger’s idea also will
bring some needed relief
specifically to the burdened
poultry farmer affected by this
disease, '‘Wismer said.
The Senator is introducing an
appropriations amendment for
about $1 million in state grant
money to reimburse farmers for
bird losses prior to the release of
federal depopulation funds in
November. The money would also
provide grants for clean-up ex
penses so that “poultry farmers
FACT... Our Dropping Boards
Now Being Used in Over
0 PouH’iy Operations...
WE DELIVER
Open Daily Till 5:30 P.M.; Sat. Till Noon
DAVIS FEED
of
Bucks County
(215) 257-4613
VA s A
:>vf~
• SUPERIOR QUALITY
• WILL NOT RUST OR CORRODE
• WILL NOT SAG OR CRACK
• RUSTIC IS A FULL V*" THICK
• AVAIUBLE IN 8’ AND 10' SECTIONS
• FITS MOST MAJOR CAGE SYSTEMS
• ALL NECESSARY HARDWARE AVAIUBLE
BOX 218
EAST PETERSBURG, PA 17520
Phone 717-569-3296
Perkasie, PA 18944
can get back in business as soon as
possible,” Wenger said.
“This is just another step in a
total program - there may be a
need for a loan program to follow
the clean-up in order to resume
business,” he said.
The Grange has been requesting
government funding for
retroactive payments for bird
losses prior to the federal
depopulation program, clean-up
monies, and down-time income
loss reimbursements. Poultry
farms affected are inoperable
during clean-up/dlsinfection for
anywhere from 30 days to three
months.
“There is no money coming in
from the bird houses, but there are
still mortgage payments to make,
and expenses to pay,” Wismer
said. “Senator Wenger’s
legislation is a major step towards
getting the poultry farmer back on
his feet.”
■