GOP told to pay attention to NE farming SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Billions of dollars in jobs and commerce generated by agriculture in the Northeast is at risk unless the nation’s policy makers pay some attention to it. That was the theme of a statement made to the Republican Party Platform Committee in Dallas on Monday, Aug. 13 by Clyde E. Rutherford, a dairy farmer of Otego, N.Y. Rutherford is President of Dairylea Cooperative, Chairman of the Northeast Dairy Cooperative, Coordinating Committee and Chairman of the New York State Dairy Industry Communications Committee. He was invited to Dallas by the Committee to discuss the needs and problems of Nor theastern agriculture. “There is a growing and in creasingly vocal resentment ex pressed in the Northeast over the fact that agriculture is the largest single industry by far in this part of the country but few people, other than farmers, farm leaders and agricultural economists, seem to be aware of that fact,” said Rutherford. “Neither is there any apparent recognition by the candidates of either party that THE FASTEST MOWER/CONDITIONERS IN THE WORLD. When conditions get tough, the Vicon KM 241, KM 281 the maximum conditioning effect on the entire crop, and KM 321 Mower/Conditioners can get your hay in the Another reason is a new drive system that lets you oper windrow at least 30% faster than any conventional system, ate non-stop. Even taking square comers with no drive line One reason is the unique high-speed Vicon disc-cutting vibration or danger of failure. As a practical value to system. Which won’t plug. And it’s so gentle on the Vicon mower/conditioners are efficient, hay crop there’s virtually no leaf loss. economical and durable. The Vicon eliminates the most common cut- ■ I HMSmMMm I We’d like to show you how to improve your ting and conditioning problems, even if it’s heavy, mowing and conditioning. Just contact the Vicon dew-wet crop. The full-width nylon rollers provides office closest to you. Northeast agriculture, faced with some of the highest costs in the country...is slowly but surely being financially squeezed to the point of no return. This is particularly true of dairy, but it is also true for many crop growers.” Rutherford warned that failure of Republicans to publicly acknowledge the increasingly severe pressures on Northeast agriculture by imported Canadian products...many of them sub sidized...would “raise serious doubt about rural support in traditionally Republican areas.” Farm and agri-business related families may not, he indicated, change their party, but ‘ ‘they could very well not vote at all.” The dairy leader urged that the party platform “contain a clear and specific recognition of the fact that only two percent of the U.S. population are responsible for feeding themselves and the other ninety-eight percent.” He said that the platform should impose on the party a mandate to “set long-range policies that will assure an abundance of food for the for seeable future.” Rutherford cited the dairy in dustry as an example of the nation Vtcm Farm Machinery, Inc IPO Box 6313 S Chesapeake, VA 23123/800/368 3244/804/485 lb(M) w I A playing “Russian roulette” with its food supply. “We have set in motion a program to reduce milk production that is working. Furthermore, the cost of the program (milk diver sion payments) is being 100% paid out of the pockets of dairy farmers themselves. It sounds good...but what are the long range effects? No one knows...and economists are notoriously wrong when they try for long range predictions about the dairy industry.” Rutherford suggested that the Platform Committee should adopt an agricultural policy which; 1) recognizes the critical dependence of our population on the 2% who operate our farms; 2) calls for programs and policies that will assure a long term continuation of the present agricultural abun dance in the U.S.; 3) requires U.S. trade policy be based on fair and economically sound trade relationships, including protection of American agriculture on the same basis as domestic agriculture is protected in other nations; 4) renounces export embargos EXCEPT where the health and welfare of the American public may be jeopardized; 5) calls for main tenance of food reserves to level out the effects of a widespread drought or other adverse con ditions; 6) requires the setting up of a comprehensive “early war ning” system that monitors from government and private sources the rate of sellouts, bankruptcies, loan delinquencies, and other signs that indicate a further reduction in America’s agricultural enterprise. Siegel heads poultry science UNIVERSITY PARK - Herbert , S. Siegel was named head of Penn State’s Department of Poultry Science, effective July 1. He replaces Kenneth Goodwin, who retired with emeritus status after serving in the position for 17 years. As department head Siegel is responsible for providing programs in resident education, research and Extension. “Within the coming year, I hope to extend our relationship with the poultry industry,” says Siegel, “and to attract more research support from government, as well.” “We’ve reached 2% feeding 98%,” said Rutherford. “Do we want to gamble that 1% or less can do the job? Will we forever com plain about the costs of agricultural programs and con tinue to ignore the benefits? Today’s surpluses will disappear like snow in August if we ex perience any widespread poor weather. Let’s have policies that will protect the public against potential disaster.” uetore accepting the position with Penn State, Siegel served as supervisory research physiologist for the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Ga. The laboratory is affiliated with the USDA-Agricultural Research Station. During his career, Siegel has been a convention speaker in Europe and Australia as well as in the United States. His topics have ranged from Environmental Stress and Animal Health to “Im munobiology.” In 1900, he con ducted six symposia-seminars for graduate students, faculty and research personnel at the Agricultural University, Wageningen, Netherlands. Siegel holds three degrees from Penn State, where he completed his Ph.D. in poultry science in 1959. He has authored or co-authored more than 180 publications and is a member of many professional societies, including the World’s Poultry Science Association, American Society of Zoologists, New York Academy of Science, and American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is currently editor-in-chief of Poultry Science journal. 4-H JACOB KOFMAN CO. Route 220 Wingate, PA 16880 Near Intersection of 1-80 & 220 Office Phone 814-355-2422 355-9570 SURPLUS TRUCKS & PARTS USED TRUCKS & AUTO TIRES Heavy Duty Radiator & Cleaning Kits Different Sized Bolts In Stock At Turn Buckels 24"x1 , /«" 36" xl l /«" Herbert S. Siegel *l.OO *.sDlb. *25.00 each *27.soeach
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers