VOL- 29 No. 38 Paul, left, and Mark Welk stand with' Lancaster County Holstein grand champion Welk- View Valiant Tiffany. Direct marketers to be surveyed BY DICKANGLESTEIN UNIVERSITY PARK - A comprehensive fact-finding survey will be sent out by Penn State researchers during the coming week to direct marketers throughout the Commonwealth. The survey is the first phase of an extensive three-year Penn State study of the direct marketing of ag products throughout the Com monwealth being funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in consultation with the Pa. Farmers' Association and the State Grange. Survey forms will go out to about 400 direct marketers whose operations are known to the PDA. They range from large farm market operations to smaller roadside stands. Coordinator tor the study is Total of million cows still must be eliminated BY JACK HUBLEY HARRISBURG “Our current dairy policy favors continuation of a basic price support program with the support level automatically indexed to Commodity Credit Corporation purchases,” said the American Farm Bureau’s Michael Durando. Durando addressed members of the press and Pennsylvania Farmers’ Association staff con cerning the 1985 Farm Bill during a meeting at PFA headquarters on Tuesday. Following this initial session, the spokesman for the country’s largest agricultural organization met with Pennsylvania ag organization leaders in an effort to inform them of the Bureau’s policy as well as to obtain feedback concerning the Farm Bill. Four Sections The Penn State Roadside Direct Marketing Survey is being sent to as many operators as are known to the PDA. But it is expected that many will still be missed -- particularly the operators of smaller stands who sell a limited number of products off the farm. Harry Vroomen, of the Depart ment of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at Perin State - “In this Tirst phase, we want to find out as much as we can about the present status of roadside direct marketing in Penn sylvania,’’Vroomen explains. "The survey is designed to tell us what we have today.” Farm Bill review Turning to the subject of the diversion program, Durando noted “a bit of dismay” among producers over the program. “I don’t see a strong movement to continue the diversion program,” he observed. “The ether side of the coin is the need for funding such a program, which would require some form of assessment.” PFA president Keith Eckel acknowledged the lack of support for the program, stating that his organization’s voting delegates would most likely not be sup portive. “The key to agriculture’s suc cess has been the farmers’ willingness to compete and not a willingness to find a place for everyone in the industry,” Eckel (Turn to Page A 35) Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 21,1984 If you’re missed in the study... Researchers would like to have their opinions, too. So, if you’re a direct marketer and don’t receive a survey in the next week or so, you can get one by writing to: Harry Vroomen 104 A, Weaver Bldg. University Park, Pa 16802 A second survey to be made in the near future will be directed at consumers who buy at roadside markets, testing their attitudes (Turn to Page A 32) Vo-ag to stress legislative goals BY DICK ANGLESTEIN STATE COLLEGE - Calling for more active involvement in the legislative process, Gerald Strickler, of Eastern Lebanon County, began his term this week as president of the Pennsylvania Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association. “We have three main areas in which we want to stress our priorities to the State Legislature,” Strickler said as he assumed the presidency at the Annual Professional-Technical Education Institute for Vo-Ag Teachers held at Penn State. These three areas include; Field Consultants - The vo-ag teacher group wants concentration placed by the Bureau of Vocational Education of the Pennsylvania Department of Education on ag backgrounds for the area con sultants positions, in which a retirement turnover will occur in the near future. Length of Employment - The vo ag group wants a return to em phasis on 12-month contracts so (Turn to Page A 22) Premiers-Fultonway & Con-Noil Welk entries sweep Lane. Holstein Show BY LAURA ENGLAND QUARRYVILLE - The Lan caster County Holstein Dairy Show, held Thursday at the Solanco Fairgrounds, was a clean sweep for the Paul and Mark Welk family of Peach Bottom. Placing well in their individual classes, the Welks were rewarded with both the grand championship and reserve grand championship honors. The winners placed first and second in the 3-year-old class and were named the senior class champions. The grand champion, owned by Paul and Mark Welk, was Welk- View Valiant Tiffany. Sired by SWD Valiant, Tiffany received the best udder award in her class. The reserve champion, owned by Paul Welk, was a Sharclale Arlinda Cheif Jemmi daughter, Welk-Crest Jemini Belinda. In junior class competition, a senior heifer owned by Karen Kauffman was named grand champion junior heifer. The winning heifer was Sukavin Persuzdar Holly. An entry owned by Jennifer Stoltzfus, Kinzers, was named reserve grand champion junior heifer. An intermediate calf, Dunon-Acres Simon Kathy took the title. Futurity show winners, all 3- year-old cows, were also named. The champion futurity entry was Con-Noil Superior Olivia, owned by Nathan E. Stoltzfus, Gap. Taking second was Con-Noil Marvex Shawna, also owned by Stoltzfus. Named the show’s premier breeder was Con-Noil Farms, Gap. Fultonway Farms, Willow Street, was the premier exhibitor. Gerald Strickler, Eastern Lebanon, president of Pa. Vo-Ag Teachers Association. $7.50 per Year Judging the show was A. Doty Remsberg, of the Remsberg Auction service, Maryland. 4-H photos , story on Page A 36 Following are the top three finishers m each class: Lancaster Holstein Show Junior Heifer Caff I Sandra Kauffman 2 Susan Barley 3 None Wiveli Intermediate Heifer Calf 1 Jennifer Stoltzfus 2 Susan Barley 3 Cindy Barley Senior Heifer Calf 1 Karen Kauffman 2 Fultonway Farms 3 Brent Brubaker Junior Yearling Heifer 1 John Burkholder 2 Penn Springs Holstems 3 Bright Meadows Farm Intermediate Yearling 1 Stonehurst Farms Inc 2 Nathan Stoltzfus 3 Daniel Welk (Turn to Page A 36) Look for Blue Mold BOWMANSVILLE - Blue Mold has been confirmed in a tobacco field at Bowmansville, according to John Yocum, of the Penn State Southeast Research Farm. A fungicide was not used in the field in which it has been con firmed, Yocum said. Air-borne spores have ap parently blown into Pennsylvania and the damp weather has con tributed to the first confirmed infestation. It is believed there may be other instances in the area. It was reported a week ago in Maryland and North Carolina. Yocum recommended that tobacco growers check their fields and utilize Ridomil where necessary.