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VOL. 29 No. 31
Cow goes to Capitol
BY LAURA ENGLAND
ELIZABETHTOWN -
Traveling off the farm is not a new
experience for Ada, a 5-year-old
Holstein cow. The stylish bovine,
which classified very good at 89
points, has had her share of
competitive 4-H round-ups and
FFA shows and has enjoyed her
youth-oriented excursions.
But when her owner, Robert
Kauffman R 1 Elizabethtown, told
Otis in Tux
Did you ever think you’d see
Otis in a Tuxedo?
Well, he’s all decked out in
his finest farming threads on
our Editorial Page today.
To find out why, turn to
PageAlO.
Part I
An overview
(Editor’s Note: Laura England,
dairy editor of Lancaster Far
ming, has criss-crossed Penn
sylvania in recent weeks talking to
dairy farmers primarily about one
topic - THE FUTURE. What does it
bold? What happens after the
Dairy Opportunity program ends?
How do you see the coming years
in dairying? She has put together a
special series of articles on
“Dairy’s Future - Whatever it
holds, it’s in your hands.” In this
Five Sections
Bob Kauffman and Ada
her she would be traveling to
Harrisburg on Friday - and it’s not
even show season - Ada was just a
bit surprised. She was even more
surprised when she arrived in
Harrisburg and was led up the
steps to the' Capitol Rotunda.
A weary look in her eyes
following her trek up the steps,
Ada had heard about walking up
hill during her many trips to dairy
shows, but this, in her opinion, was
ridiotfUuti
Not aware of it at the time, Ada
was about to make history. No, she
wasn’t using her pull to become the
first bovine bureaucrat in
Harrisburg, but she was about to
become the first cow ever to set
hoof in the Rotunda.
Of the 730,000-plus cows in
Pennsylvania, Penns Springs
Milestone Ada was chosen for the
honor. A phone call from the
(Turn to Page A3B)
Fred Hughes
Penn State
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 2,1984
Dairy Delight is Pleasurable Suicide 9
It's Dairy Princess Season in Pennsylvania.
Last weekt/id, Joyce Bupp rounded up the newly-crowned princess in York County,
her alternates and court and took the above photo at Rutter’s Dairy Store. And, that
sundae is for real loaded with lots of dairy goodies.
From the left are Lisa Warner, Kelly Kilgore, dairy princess Judy Perry, Karen Klahold
and Darcy Feeser.
Lancaster Farming pays tribute to all dairy royalty in the state those already named
and soon to be named.
For other stories, turn to Pages A 22 and 814.
Congratulations Dairy Princesses
Whatever it holds,
it’s in your hands
week’s issue she sets the stage for
this Special Dairy Report by
talking with Fred Hughes, Ex
tension farm management
specialist at Penn State. Watch for
this special series throughout June
and get an insight into something
on everyone’s mind - THE
FUTURE.)
BY LAURA ENGLAND
UNIVERSITY PARK - It’s a
picture-perfect scene.
The cows stand gracefully
grazing in the lush, green pasture
under a bright, blue sky. Peaceful
clouds float pass the midday sun,
while husband and wife diligently
go about their chores. The
children, oblivious to all the
workings around them, shout and
scream as they play tag in the
yard.
received
JUNB 1984
wv i 4E.CTIOM
I'Al U.t LIBRARY
P£i'iNSXyAW^ ATfc - UMl’/ERSiT <
It’s a picture-perfect scene -
almost.
A closer look at today’s dairy
farming reveals some disturbing
flaws. An oversupply of milk, 14
billion pounds, plagues the dairy
industry. Feed costs and
machinery costs are on the rise. In
fact, farmers can expect to see a
seven to nine percent increase in
input costs this year.
And while the cost of inputs is
increasing, milk prices are
decreasing and money supplies are
in jeopardy. Farmers who
overextended their credit in years
“W e’re going to have a real shakeout
of dairymen in 1985 and into 1986.”
17.50 per Year
when the economic picture looked
bright are now facing the realities
of foreclosure. Dairy farmers, in
general, are being forced to tighten
their belts and watch their
management tactics with a keen
eye.
But despite the very real
problems facing dairymen today,
one farm management specialist is
optimistic about the dairy in
dustry’s future. Optimistic, and
yet at the same time, urging
caution in farm management
practices.
(Turn to Page A 34)