Ag policy must he geared to food tech WASHINGTON, D.C. - America’s future agricultural policy must be geared to the entire food system, not just to the three percent of our population who are farmers, according to Tom Urban, president of Pioneer Hi-Bred In ternational, Inc., a major seed research firm. In an address this week before the National Governor’s Association Committee on Agriculture, Urban pointed out that’ America’s food system is a “high tech” industry involving 23 million people. Of these, only a „ all percentage are responsible for i. "'st of our farm production. SAVE 40% on New Replacement Belts For Farm Machines • Bale Thrower Belts *52.00 • Grove-Gehl-Int.-S.U Wagon Box Belts *9B to *l2O Also Available Bean Picker Belts & Big RootH Baler Belts Any flat belt can be custom made for your farm machinery (cleats installed). Betts shipped same day by UPS. For more information, write; SbbGabd Rt. 16, Chaffee, New York Phone Collect: 716-496-6025 EAR CORN Paying Top Prices For Good Quality Ear Corn • Wet or Dry • No Quantity too large or too small • Fast Unloading- Dump on Pile & Go • Easy access - 2.2 miles off 283 bypass- Manheim, Mt. Joy exit • Daily Receiving 7:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. - un loading evenings & Saturdays by appt. • Trucks available for pick up at your farm. Call Anytime For Price 717-665-4785 JAMES E. NOLL GRAIN Future ’eminent policy, he said, must be developed from this perspective and n»t from tradition. "The largest single mst ln your food bill is now off-farm labor; that is, labor that takes place after the food has left the farm. Economic policies which affect the long-term cost and productivity of U S. labor have a great deal more to do with the cost of food than do farm price support programs," Urban said. “Almost 85 percent of farm output is now produced by only 700,000 farmers. Other agricultural tasks are still there; they have simply shifted up or down the food chain. We need to begin to talk COW MATS Use our unique method of install ing a one piece mat under a row of cows. Prevents movement of mat and bedding from creeping underneath All “row” and single mats are cut from heavy one inch rubber belting THE PILLSBURY COMPANY COMMODITIES • Wet Brewers Grain • Dry Brewers Grain • Other As Available WEIGH/MIXER • Mobile & Truck Mt. • Stationary THE PILLSLBURY CO. 1358 N. Main St. Harrisonburg, Va. (703-434-5621) about the total food system today, not about farming, per se ' me suggest that the time has come to reposition food and agricultural support programs; to reshape the image of our American food system. We have traditionally related program costs to the farming segment of the food system A more proper analysis should related food and agricultural support programs to the entire food system, a system which accounted for one-fifth of our $3.4 trillion gross national product," Urban said. The U.S. has moved well beyond the production of food solely for POLE BUILDINGS CUSTOM BUILT AGRICULTURAL, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS FOR A VARIETY OF NEEDS: • Painted Galvanized Roof & Siding in a wide range of sizes, designs and colors. • Weather Resistant Pressure Treated Poles and 2x6’s T&G Skirting Cell For A Free Brochure BEN STOLTZFUS SAM STOLTZFUS (215) 273-3456 (215) 273-3495 Honey brook, PA ’Sell and is committed to world markets, accoidmg to Urban About 40% of the land in this country produced for exports in 1981 "The cost to producers, lenders, suppliers and buyers of reducing the size of the U.S. food supply system to solely meet internal consumption to ignore the world market would bankrupt a significant segment of our industry and require quite unacceptable subsidies from the non-food sector of our economy. Such downsizing is simply not an acceptable alter native," Urban said. He also told the governors that I FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: Iliu U S food system has quietly become the largest high tech" business in America. Researchers are now working to combine classical genetics with biotechnology to significantly improve agricultural productivity. In addition, Urban said, microbiologists are beginning to learn about the mutually beneficial relationships between microbes, animals and plants in order to manipulate those microbes for further productivity gams. "Farmers are rapidly adopting new technologies. They’re now buying computers to control their (Turn to Page Dl3) by Stoltzfus Builders MINERALS • Basic Ingredients • Complete Mixes • Custom Mixes • Trace Pre-Mix • MILK REPLACERS • 20/20 • 21/10 (All Milk) • 22/15 (Soyprotein) THE PILLSBURY CO. 127 Edward St. Philadelphia, Pa. (215-351-9211)
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