Delaware residents want farmland preserved
DOVER, Del. An over
whelming majority of
Delawareans believe that the
present Route 13 should be
upgraded to protect the maximum
amount of farmland according to
the results of a recent statewide
survey.
The survey was conducted by the
University of Delaware’s College
of Urban Affairs using a scien
tifically selected sampling
representing Delaware’s adult
population. The results have an
accuracy of plus or minus 7%.
300 Delawareans, ranging in age
from 20 to 86, were asked a series
of questions concerning the loss of
farmland in the First State. Their
responses show farmland
preservation is no longer just a
cause of concern for farmers in
Delaware, according to Michael H.
McGrath, Aglands Manager with
the Delaware Department of
Agriculture.
“The people of Delaware clearly
are concerned with the loss of
farmland and they agree that some
attention should be given to the
problem. Farmland preservation
is no longer just a farmers issue,
but an issue for everyone,” said
McGrath.
“A perfect example of this is the
Meet a few of the people that are on
“The New Shenk’s Farm Service” team
. I
fact that 93% of the people sur
veyed said that they agreed that
the present Route 13 should be
upgraded to protect maximum
amounts of farmland. Those who
say our residents want Route 13
improved regardless of the impact
on farming obviously don’t reflect
the overwhelming opinion of our
people.”
Survey respondents were also
asked their feelings on con
struction of a new North/South
highway that would take
productive farmland out of
production. 72.9% of those
responding disagreed that a new
North/South highway should be
constructed regardless of the
impact on farmland, while over
68% said the new construction
should minimize the impact on
Delaware farmlands.
82% of the respondents said the
loss of farmland is a serious
problem in Delaware.
Donald J. Lynch, Delaware
Agriculture Secretary, says the
survey results will add weight to
the department’s farmland
preservation efforts.
“The farmers of Delaware have
raised their voice in the past. Now
we can see that everyone is con
cerned, and the farmers represent
Rick's main function is to
a majority when they speak on this
issue. Hopefully these figures will
impress on the planners of Route
13 improvements that farmland
preservation is a serious issue to
Delawareans, and it should play an
important part in any future
decisions,” he said
Questions
Dairy advertising seen as help
UNIVERSITY PARK - Now
that a stepped up milk advertising
and promotion campaign is about
to begin, many dairy farmers and
government officials are won
dering if this will help solve
problems within the industry.
Looking at past studies and the
attitudes of people in the dairy
business, the future looks a little
brighter for dairy farmers, say
Jack Kirkland, Penn State Ex
tension agricultural economist.
The advertising and promotion
campaign, part of the Milk
Diversion Bill passed in November
1983, calls for a deduction of about
15 cents per hundred-weight or two
cents per gallon from all dairy
farmers. This money, about $l4O
agricultural lands preservation
methods were also asked, and
again the results were surprising,
according to department officials.
Creating agricultural districts
received the most favorable
response when compared to using
State monies to purchase
development rights and using
concerning
million, will finance the ad
vertising and promotion.
This money could help close the
gap between what the dairy in
dustry spends to promote its
product and what other beverage
manufacturers, including soda and
beer makers, spend to promote
their products, says Kirkland.
With the dairy industry spending
$6O million a year, as it is now,
other industries are outspending
the milk promoters $47 to $l. If the
dairy industry increases the
amount is spends to $l4O million,
other companies may feel more
competition.
Increased spending may also
help to reduce the large surpluses
the industry is now suffering.
exclusive zoning to forbid other
development.
The survey was conducted for
the Delaware Department of
Agriculture by the College of
Urban Affairs and Public Policy as
part of the 1984 Delaware
Household Survey.
According to a study conducted a
few years ago where 15 cents per
hundredweight was spent on fluid
milk promotion in six milk
markets, sales increased by 4.5
percent. An increase of this size, if
achieved nationally, could remove
about 2.4 billion pounds of milk, or
about 12.5 percent of the surplus in
1983.
Another more recent study using
data from July 1980 to June 1962
shows that for each $1,000,000
increase in generic advertising
and promotion of cheese, sales
would increase by 22.7 million
pounds.
These very positive research
findings indicate that much can be
accomplished to increase the sale
of milk products through ad
vertising and promotion, Kirkland
says.
Members of the industry are also
very positive about what ad
vertising can do for sales of milk
products. Some feel that a
nationwide advertising campaign
would be very effective and may
even work so well that it will get
rid of the surplus entirely.
“Surely an increased ad
vertising program for dairy
products will give a much needed
boost to the industry and will go far
in solving the surplus problem,”
says Kirkland.
Better milk group
plans picnic
HAMBURG With their main
reasoning that a better glass of
milk will mean more per capita
consumption, a new type of dairy
organization is emerging.
The new group, with no official
name as yet, is currently looking
for interested breeders in Berks,
Lehigh, Lebanon, and surrounding
counties to support their efforts to
improve milk. To further these
efforts, a picnic and meeting is
scheduled for next Saturday, June
16, at the Longmeadows Farm of
Dr. and Mrs. Robert C. Dreisbach,
Hamburg, Pa. Starting time is 11
a.m. and a covered dish will be
appreciated.
Headed by President William
Zollers, R 1 Mertztown, the
organization is seeking ways to
increase milk quality, increase
consumption, and provide fair
payment to dairymen willing to
produce an excellent product.
Convinced of the marketing ad
vantages of a higher protein
product and the fairness of a
protein pricing system, the group
consists of breeders of each dairy
breed of cattle.
The featured speaker at the
picnic will be Mrs. Betsy Booth,
Green Dream Farm, New Hamp
shire. Mrs. Booth and her husband,
Bud, milk registered Jerseys and
currently receive protein
premiums for their milk. She will
also have a jetshake machine
along to demonstrate how it is used
in schools to improve the product
and increase consumption of milk.
All interested breeders are in
vited. For more information please
contact Helene Dreisbach at (215)
562-3966.-R.P.