t3B—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 7, ISM NEWARK, Del. -Soil and water conservation programs are in transition today. Federal funding adequate to support former levels of agricultural conservation has been steadily cut back. What’s left is being directed toward a narrower range of needs. At issue are two questions. Who benefits from conservation practices? And who should pay for them? “Once you’ve answered the first question, which is seldom easy, the second pretty well takes care of itself,” says University of Delaware extension specialist in community and resource economics, Gerald F. Vaughn. Conservation practices in one area often impact other locations, sometimes miles away. “For example, besides increasing soil productivity, improved farmland drainage often benefits adjacent highways and nearby towns,” Vaughn says. “Government decision-makers are anxious to Peanut restrictions WASHINGTON, D.C. Under Secretary of Agriculture Daniel Amstutz has said the U.S. Department of Agriculture will retain restrictions on the export of contract ad ditional peanut products to Canada and Mexico. USDA had requested comments on the issue on May 18. The restriction had been in effect since 1978 and had become an issue due to the sub stantial price dif ferential between the U.S. and world market prices for peanuts, Amstutz said. “This rule was im plemented to protect against the possibility of contract additional peanuts being processed into products in the United States, exported to Canada or Mexico, and then imported back into the United States in competition with quota peanuts for a share in the domestic market,” he said. “Through the 1978- 1981 crop years, prices for contract additional peanuts were near the quota loans rates and it was not economical to export, process and import the products back into the domestic U.S. market.” However, Amstutz said, recent legislation and weak world market prices, among other factors, have made it profitable to reimport into the United States peanut products made from contract ad ditional peanuts that were purchased at prices lower than statutory minimum U.S. domestic edible prices. “It is desirable that we minimize the potential cost to the government of the peanut program,” Amstutz said, “and USDA has determined that Canada and Mexico shall continue to be ineligible countries for the purpose of exporting contract additional peanuts m the form of products other than seed products. The issue will be reviewed again Conservation programs reach turning point spend limited public conservation funds in ways which buy the most conservation possible, that is, ways in which public benefits clearly and substantially exceed public costs.” Since their creation in the 19405, Delaware conservation districts have helped build an agricultural land resource base that is the envy of other states, the specialist says. Moreover, rapid population and economic growth now have ur banized large areas throughout the state, creating additional urgent conservation needs. “We know the problems and we know most of the solutions. But we are less certain of who will fund these future conservation programs,” Vaughn says. As he sees it, the task is to find new ways to help finance essential farmland conservation practices while at the same time offering expanded and innovative services to Delaware urban areas. ATTENTION DAIRYMEN •••••••••••••••••••••••••*••••••••••••••***•##*•••••••••••#•• STOP LOSING COWS A LITTLE MONEY NOW FOR GROOVING CAN SAVE LOTS OF MONEY LATER The TMI “EDGE” provides clean, straight grooves in feed alleys, freestalls, holding lots and corners for improved traction, heat detection and drainage and the reduction of broken bones and splitting. Group rates available! CALL OR WRITE: TRACTION MASTERS, INC. Merle Becker Dari M. Packard 224 S. Market St. 1514 Hollins St. Ephrata, PA 17522 Baltimore, MD 21223 (717)738-1359 (301)945-7313 Waukesha GENUINE PARTS 7815 AIRPORT HIGHWAY PENNSAUKEN, NJ 08109 (609) 665-8484 MERICAN, INC. State and local governments are the most likely sources of money to replace lost federal funds. However, they may never wholly make up for federal cutbacks. Instead, government at all levels may insist that landowners assume a larger part of the cost of those conservation practices lacking substantial public benefits. State and local government support of district conservation programs increased nationwide from $l3 million to $169 million between 1957 and 1982. A growing number of states now pay for district technical aid and resource information, and also supplement federal cost-sharing to help far mers adopt conservation prac tices. Some states even provide cost-sharing in urban areas where federal programs don’t cover conservation efforts. “In urban states such as Delaware, districts that don’t respond suitably to urban con- servation needs probably can’t expect broad public support,” Vaughn says. “This doesn’t mean that districts in these states should stop working on farmland and shift totally to urban work. It’s more a matter of achieving a new balance between rural and urban efforts.” The economics of agriculture and other land use changes con tinually, sometimes sharply, he says. Benefits and costs of con servation practices thus are subject to considerable change. He says it’s essential to conduct comprehensive and continuing economic impact studies of con servation practices on a representative sample of Delaware lands. “These studies are needed to provide better benefit-cost information and to help fine-tune our conservation planning,” he explains. Future accomplishments in the ' areas of soil and water con- Utib SfSßr pTirngf? WE NEED MILK COME and GROW WITH LEHIGH VALLEY FARMERS BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP IN LEHIGH VALLEY FARMERS: TWENTY CENTS QUALITY BONUS TWO CENTS PREMIUM ON ALL MILK GUARANTEED 70% BASE PRICE FOR NEW ORDER (4) MEMBERS PATRONAGE REFUND -1982 EQUALED FOUR CENTS/CWT. MONTHLY DAIRY REPORT - MEMBERSHIP NEWSLETTER Guaranteed Market For All Your Milk BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD PLAN NEW MEMBERSHIP MANAGER MAX O. SUMSER 717-334-8900 800-322-9254 REAR TRACTOR TIRES • COMPLETE RADIAL INVENTORY • TRUCK TIRES IN ALL SIZES COMPLETE ON THE FARM TRUCK AND TRACTOR TIRE SERVICE Leola Tire Service, 258 W. Main St., Leola, Pa. (717) 656-2574 Open 7 to 5 Mon., Wed., Fn -7a.m to 8 p.m. lues., Thurs -7 to Noon Sat servation may come even harder than those in the past, the specialist says. “More technical know-Hbw, construction funds, skill in working with people, cooperation among concerned groups or individuals, and care for the total environment surely will be required-both for new projects and maintenance of those com pleted. Yet I’m confident that if we apply the same dedicated effort that has characterized Delaware districts since the 19405, con servation programs and services of value to the people of the state can be funded and will succeed.” IT S MAGIC PHONE How quickly 717 394 3047 YouGetßesults or 717 626 From Our , Classifieds' 3, I jj 860 Allentown Road Lansdale, Pa. 19446 215-855-0212 SNOW TIRES and ALL-SEASON TIRES Most Popular Sizes On Sale Now Inc.
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