Carl Soisson, Hookstown Grange, Beaver County, fourth;
' Catherine Rabenold, Kutztown Grange, Berks County, third;
Madeline Durbin, Pleasant Hill Grange, Cambria County,
second; and Leonard Gochenaur, Perry Valley Grange, Perry
County, first.
t-l inna ronlrihiif'n*n
iging
State Ag Arena to $48,247 is presented to Dr. Sam Smith,
Dean of College of Agriculture. From the left are Isaac Fox,
state treasurer; Vernon Norris, State Grange Ag Arena
Chairman; Dr. Smith and Linda Blake, Pa. Grange public
relation director.
Community Night winners
Community Night Grange Awards were presented to, from
the left, Robert Hill, South Buffalo Grange, Armstrong
County, first; Tammy Schaeffer, Pioneer Grange, Berks
County, second; and Frances Davis, Ontolaunee Grange,
Berks County, third.
Outstanding public service
Outstanding Public Service Award of Pa. State Grange
went to James R. McMullen, Northeast Area Director, ASCS,
formerly of Indiana County, and his wife, Elaine; flanked by
Marge and Clarence Orndorff, secretary and master of his
home William Penn Grange.
All-Grange Banquet address is given by U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter. To his left is Jeanne
Davies, National Grange Flora and Colorado State Grange Master and her husband,
Miles; and at right is Pa. State Grange Master Charles E. Wismer Jr. and his wife. Jane.
(Continued from Page Al)
merdale, New Bolt cm Center of the
University of Pennsylvania and
Penn State.
Provision for bio-security
facilities to handle live virus
studies will be a continuing major
part of the animal health program.
This effort, brought to the forefront
by the Avian influenza outbreak,
was started during the past year
with allocations going to both Penn
and Penn State.
Dr. Smith outlined renovations
underway in the Avian Depart
ment at Penn State'to make two
rooms bio-secure.
“We want to develop better ways
to detrermine characteristics of
animal disease viruses, study anti
sera and improve diagnostic
methods,’’ Smith said.
The expanded animal health
program would include bio-secure
facilities at Summerdale, as well
as various operational allocations
for the three institutions.
Pseudorabies indemnification
was among the ag legislative
concerns expressed by the Grange
at its annual convention.
Hallowell said that a sup
plementary . request would be
made to the Governor in April for
$200,000, which could be used for
indemnification to hog farmers.
This supplementary request would
replace monies already in the
budget that had been transferred
to the Avian flu effort.
Indemnification is expected to be
a major topic of discussion at a
state pseudorabies meeting
scheduled on Nov. 7.
“We’re going to have the best
Extension computer network in the
nation, with all counties included,’’
Dr. Smith said.
With the funds provided this year
by the State Legislature, Dr. Smith
explained that 65 extra computers
were able to be purchased through
price discounts.
A $700,000 request is expected to
be made of the State next year for
yearly operational costs and
programming.
Demonstration of the system
may be scheduled about March
and the system could be
operational as early as April.
Sunset legislation for PMMB,
which passed the State Senate
recently, stalled in the House
Appropriations Committee when
the Legislature adjourned for the
election. With a brief Lame Duck
session coming up about
Thanksgiving, there are ap
parently some efforts to attach
study requirements to PMMB
Granger
"Granger of the Year” Carl F. Rudy, of Allegheny County, is
shown with son, Fred, Master of Dauphin County Pomona;
and daughter, Janet, who was elected Lady Assistant
Steward.
Resolutions approved
GETTYSBURG Delegates to
the Pa. State Grange convention
this week approved a number of
ag-related legislative resolutions.
Some of the major resolutions
include:
DAIRY
-A letter be sent to the Pa. House
Appropriations Committee urging
prompt passage of Pa. Milk
Marketing Board Sunset
legislation without any change in
its powers to set retail milk prices.
-A National Dairy Price Support
System be devised with payments
automatically tied to a formula
that fluctuates in response to
supply and demand or the rate of
milk purchased as surplus by the
CCC. The National Dairy
Promotion Program be extended
only after a referendum vote and
provisions be made for an
emergency diversion program, if
needed. Also, the present six
month diversion be continued
beyond April 1.
-Prompt payments be made to
dairy producers with payments for
the first 15 days of production in a
month be paid by the 18th of the
current month and the remainder
of the month’s production be paid
by the fifth of the following month.
approval in the House. The study
would look at continuing need for
PMMB powers to establish retail
milk prices.
Without Legislative approval,
the PMMB goes out of existence at
year’s end.
Sec. Hallowell said the Advisory
Board that would approve new
guaranteed loans, with deferred
(Turn to Page A 25)
of Year
FARM PROGRAMS
- Farm program benefits go to
farmers based on need.
-Price supports and diversion
payments be limited to in
termediate-sized farms with $20,00
to $200,00 in annual income.
ANIMAL DISEASES
-Research on the prevention and
cure of Avian influenza and rabies
be funded and the State Grange
promote a program urging local
granges to conduct rabies vac
cination clinics.
-There be federal or state in
demnification for hog farmers who
depopulate for pseudorabies.
ANIMAL RIGHTS
-Animal rights legislation be
passed appropriating money for
research on the economic impact if
farm animals are to be “wild
raised.”
LITTER
-Present Grange policy favoring
a mandatory deposit on bottles and
cans be retained.
MARGINAL LANDS
-A federal program provide
incentives to put marginal (highly
credible) farmland in wood fiber
production using animal wastes
and sludge as fertilizer.