,huuoicals division
T<) pattee LIBRARY
STATE UNIVERSITY
.DIVERSITY PARK PA 16802
VOL. 29 No. 9
Moving south, west from Lancaster
BY LAURA ENGLAND
LANCASTER - The federal
state avian flu quarantine zone
was expanded Tuesday to further
protect the state’s poultry industry
and to provide poultrymen
reasonable access to processing
plants.
Previously set at 2,800 square
miles, the quarantine zone now
i overs 3,100 square miles in all or
parts of nine counties. These in
lude all of Lancaster, York and
\dams counties and portions of
I ranklm, Cumberland, Dauphin,
Lebanon, Berks and Chester
ounties.
According to task force
spokesman Don Nielson, the
quarantine expansion will allow
loultrymen additional access to
processing plants. Under
quarantine restrictions, no live
>irds, nest run eggs, hatching eggs
ir day old chicks are permitted to
i mve outside the area
These restrictions prevented
processors outside the quarantine
/one from gaining access to
poultry and egg products within
the quarantine. The expansion will
ielp meet marketing needs,
Nielson said.
Poultrymen will still be required
to have all products inspected by
the government and certified free
of the deadly avian virus before
moving them off the farm.
Partly responsible for the ex
pansion was a positive diagnosis of
a 31,000 bird turkey flock near East
Berlin on the York-Adams County
line. Infected with the highly
pathogenic avian virus, the flock
was to be depopulated Wednesday
and Thursday, Nielson said.
This flock represents the
westernmost movement of the
avian flu virus. Representing the
southernmost movement of the
disease was a hot flock of 50,000
layers near Nottingham, Chester
County. This flock was diagnosed
Wednesday morning, Nielson said.
Lancaster plans 5-yr. no-till promotion
BY LAURA ENGLAND
LANCASTER The Lancaster
County Conservation District
approved Tuesday a five-year plan
to promote conservation tillage
within the county.
Moved by vice chairman Amos
Funk, of R 1 Millersville, the five
year plan will incorporate the
already established corn planter
assistance program in efforts to
promote soil erosion prevention.
Under the current program,
farmers rent one of the districts
no-till corn planters and receive
information and training in
planting no-till crops.
Through the five-year program
approved by a unanimous vote,
demonstrations and tours will be
conducted with the cooperation of
Extension personnel and con
servation district specialists.
Goals of the program, in addition
to providing an awareness for
jp secure
Three Sections
Avian influenza continues to spread
The new quarantine boundry
runs north on Interstate 81 from
the Maryland state line in Franklin
County into Lebanon County.
There, it picks up on Interstate 78
and travels east to the Berks
County line and follows south to
Rouje 442.
From Route 442, it runs east to
Milk plan
details due
next week
BY IRISH WILLIAMS
LANCASTER Dairymen
debating whether to participate in
the milk diversion program which
is scheduled to begin tomorrow
must wait until at least Jan. 3 for
dlttVflrai program from ASCS.
William Clayton, Pennsylvania
ASCS program specialist for the
Milk Diversion Program, said,
county ASCS offices in Penn
sylvania will have contract forms
and regulation handbooks
available for dairymen on Jan. 3.
Maryland ASCS officials will also
have these materials ready for
distribution on the 3rd.
However, the sign-up period for
the program, when ASCS will be
accepting contracts, will not begin
until sometime in the middle of
January, no specific date had been
set at press tune. Jan. 31 is the last
day dairymen will be able to
contract to reduce their production
under the Milk Diversion
Program.
Only dairymen that contract
with ASCS to reduce production
and who comply with the
regulations of the contract will
receive incentive payments,
(Turn to Page A 35)
funds to hire a conservation tillage
specialist and purchase tillage
equipment.
About $4OO is needed, Funk said,
to purchase two hydraulic adap
ters and a universal hitch for the
com planter. The money is also
needed to pay mileage expenses
for the use of a jeep and a scout in
transporting tillage equipment.
QeraldM. Heistand
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 31,1983
(Turn to Page A 35)
The map above shows the expanded quarantine area for the Avian influenza. The star
on the left represents the most western point of the quarantine, which is a turkey flock
near East Berlin, near York/Adams County border. The star on the right represents the
most southern point of the quarantine, which is a layer flock in Nottingham, Chester
County.
This is the year that was in ag
BY KIMBERLY HERR
LANCASTER It was a year of
ups and downs, of struggles and
triumphs. It was a year when
farmers learned to expect the
unexpected.
Playing a large part in the
unexpected aspect of 1983 was the
weather. A surprise snowstorm hit
Central Pennsylvania February
11, bringing more snow than the
area had seen for years. And as
winter melted away, the
precipitation continued, making
for a soggy spring. But then, just
as everyone was complaining
about all that moisture, it stopped.
And again the unexpected oc
curred as the summer of 1983
Also approved by the board was
a $2 increase in per acre charge for
com planter rental. The increase
brings the rental fee up to $7.50 per
acre. Funk, who moved the in
crease, said the additional money
will help in meeting the county
goal of 2,000 no-till acres in 1984.
In other business, Aaron Z.
Stauffer, R 1 Ephrata, was re
elected chairman while Nancy J.
Burkhart was re-elected
secretary-treasurer. Robert E.
Wagner, of R 2 Quarryville, was
elected to serve his first term as
vice chairman and as an executive
council member.
The board introduced Gerald M.
Heistand as the district’s new
conservation tillage and manure
management specialist. Holding a
degree in agricultural engineering
from Penn State and a degree in
liberal arts from Elizabethtown
(Turn to Page A 35)
turned out to be one of the hottest,
dryest summers in Pennsylvania.
Farmers watched helplessly as
their crops suffered under the
devastating drought conditions.
But life went on and the summer
show circuit brought happiness
and success to many. A Penn
sylvania bull sold for $lOO,OOO at
the National Holstein Convention
in June, and champions were
crowned at the Southcentral and
Eastern Holstein shows in August.
And more champions were
honored across the state as 4-H
clubs participated in round-ups
and shows.
The summer of 1983 also saw
record crowds attending Ag
Progress Days at Penn State,
despite the August heat, and 500
people attended the National
Jersey Convention in June.
fa
17.50 per Year
1983 was also a time to honor
individuals. Penrose Hallowed was
reappointed as Pa. Secretary of
Agriculture in January. J. Paul
Espy was chose by cattlemen as
their Man of the Year in March,
and Tamara Lynn Cree was chosen
Pa. State Dairy Princess in Sep
tember.
This was also a year for farmers
to keep abreast of what the
politicians were saying and to take
an active part in getting legislation
passed. In February it was an
nounced that pigs without iden
tification numbers would not be
accepted at markets.
Then, on a positive note, Penn
sylvania approved $250,000 in loans
to encourage direct marketing,
and on April 2, the Senate passed
the Clean/Green two-acre splitoff.
(Turn to Pace ASS)