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VOL 29 No. 26
Feed tax proposed to finance animal health program
Time bombs
ticking away
HARRISBURG - “We have
time bombs ticking away out there
in Pennsylvania agriculture.”
This is the way that State Grange
Master Charles Wismer describes
the animal health situation that
exists in the Commonwealth.
“One of the bombs - Avian in
fluenza - has already gone off and
look what it has cost Pennsylvania
agriculture and the taxpayer,” he
said during remarks at the Pa.
Grange legislative session on
Tuesday at the Harrisburg Host
Inn.
In addition to Avian, he pointed
also to pseudorabies in swine and
Johne’s disease in dairy cattle.
“In Lancaster County alone,
there are 102 dairy herds
diagnosed with Johne’s,” Wismer
said.
“It’s found in Montgomery
County and in Berks County one
farmer has lost some 38 cows out of
a herd of 70.’’
“And, on top of all this, there is
the problem with rabies.”
“Animal health is the Number
One issue in Pennsylvania
agriculture.
“And, those time bombs are
continuing to tick away.”
Representatives of both Penn
State and the University of Penn
sylvania Veterinary School backed
up Wismer’s comments about the
seventy of the problem and the
need for updated diagnostic
facilities to handle such diseases.
Speaking at an animal health
(Turn to Page A2B)
Dobroskys - a livestock family
BY LAURA ENGLAND
UNIVERSITY PARK - To say
that York County Extension
Director Anthony “Tony”
Dobrosky has a special interest in
youth and holds a commitment to
bettering the lives of young people
would be an understatement.
It is true that during his 25 years
as a county agent, Dobrosky has
been active in developing livestock
programs and coaching 28 state
winning teams in livestock, meat
and horses. He has also served as a
director and chairman for the Pa.
Livestock Association youth
committee. And, through his
leadership, York County was able
to construct a 4-H center.
But for Dobrosky, the com
mitment to youth goes much
deeper than developing programs
and planning activities. He is also
concerned with helping young
people to develop as individuals,
giving them guidance and coun
seling.
Recenlty selected the Out
standing Alumnus in Animal
Science by Penn State Faculty,
(Turn to Page A3O)
our Sections
Looking over animal health proposal, are Pa. Grange of
ficials from the left, James Aurand, chairman of ag and
poultry committees; Robert Pardoe, chairman of dairy
committee; Vernon Cox, chairman of legislative committee;
and Charles Wismer Jr., State Master.
Milk - very much in news
HARRISBURG - Milk and
dairy issues were very much in the
news this week as further decisions
and plans were made concerning
three recent milk marketing
related programs.
Milk dealers, farm and dairy
organization leaders met last week
with state Agriculture Secretary
Penrose Hallowed to discuss plans
for a voluntary Milk Promotion
and Marketing Program. The
program has been proposed to
allow Pennsylvania dairymen who
do not ship to federally regulated
handlers to participate in the
state’s promotional programs.
According to James Sumner, of
tony Dobrosky, named the 1984 Distinguished Alumnus by
the Penn State Block and Bridle Club, and his wife, Pat, lend
continual support to daughters Laurie, front left, and Lisa as
they participated in livestock-related activities.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 28,1984
the state Bureau of Marketing,
approximately 2,700 dairymen do
not ship to federally regulated
plants and “have no way to con
tribute to the state’s promotion
program.” This program, Sumner
explained, would allow these
farmers to participate in state
promotion programs by directing
10 cents of the mandatory federal
15-cent deduction per hun
dredweight to the promotion of
Pennsylvania dairy products.
The program is scheduled to
begin May 1; however, it must first
be approved by the USDA.
The meetings held last week,
(Turn to Page A 27)
Improved diagnostic lab,
indemnity fund needs cited
BY DICK ANGLESTEIN
HARRISBURG - A com
prehensive animal health program
financed by a sl-a-ton tax on feed
sold in Pennsylvania to provide
improved diagnostic and research
veterinary facilities and a state
indemnity fund was proposed in
Harrisburg this week.
The proposal, put together by the
Budget Committee of the Pa. State
Council of Farm Organizations,
was outlined at a Workshop on
Animal Health held by the Pa.
State Grange prior to its legislative
banquet Tuesday at the
Harrisburg Host Inn.
On Wednesday, the program was
explained to ag legislative leaders
in Harrisburg since the proposal
includes a partial matching con
tribution of funds from the state.
Here are highlights of the animal
health proposal;
-The $l.OO-a-ton tax on feed
would include all feed sold in
Pennsylvania and be collected at
the manufacturing level.
-Since an estimated sue million
tons of feed are sold annually in
Pennsylvania, the tax would yield
$6 million a year.
-Half or 50 cents of each dollar
collected would go toward im
proving and updating veterinary
diagnostic and research facilities
at Penn State, New Bolton Center
and the PDA’s Summerdale Lab.
-This amount would be matched
by the state from general fund
revenues for the construction of
lab facilities, updating of equip
ment and addition of personnel.
-The other half of the tax would
be used to create an animal in
demnity fund in Pennsylvania.
-When the indemnity fund
reaches a level of $lO million, a
decision would be made con
cerning the continuation and level
of feed tax contributions toward it.
Sure, it’s been wet April,
but some b«ve been wetter^
BY JACK HUBLEY
LANCASTER Weather cares
little about the affairs of pic
nickers, fishermen and farmers]
but only the latter group has a
financial stake in the whims o
Mother Nature. I
But as fickle as the heavens cai
be, a few meteorological
prognostications can usually bl
made with confidence. Two thJ
rarely miss the mark are, “hazj
hot and humid” for July aiil
August, and “mud-luscious arfl
puddle-wonderful”,for March arfl
April, as the poet, e.e. cummin J
once labelled the spongy months?®
Thus far, weekend gardene®
and farmers are labelling tfl
spring of 1984 “wonderful” wfl
r **ff
YC'’*
-An Animal Health Commission
would be created in Pennsylvania
to oversee the program and funds.
The proposed tax on feed would
include all feed sold in the state,
including that which is produced
by feed companies for their own
producers.
It would also include feed sold
for pets.
But it would not include bulk
ingredients that a farmer grinds on
his own farm to make feed.
The commercial supplements
that go into on-farm feed would be
included.
Since the tax would be collected
at the manufacturing level, no new
means of collecting would be
needed. The state now collects a
fee for inspection
that includes all feed, except that
provided by companies to its own
producers.
But this vertically-integrated
feed would not be exempt from the
new tax and would be included in
the animal health program.
A general breakdown of fund
requirements for new and im
proved diagnostic and research
veterinary facilities include:
- $6.8 million to Penn State for
Vegetable market
LANCASTER It won’t be long
before roadside farm markets will
be filled with home-grown
vegetables and produce, followed
later by a rainbow of fruits.
These many roadside marketers
among Lancaster Farming’s
readers will be interested in a new
market report The Philadelphia
Wholesale Fruit & Vegetable
Report that begins today. Found
on page Al 4, it joins our weekly,
comprehensive market section.
$7.50 per Year
(Turn to Page A 29)