End of price supports could disrupt dairy economy ITHACA, NY - President Reagan’s plan to eliminate the dairy price-support program would cause severe disruption to the nation’s dairy industry, says a Cornell University agricultural economist. “It would set in motion a barrage of new free-market forces in an industry which has been largely protected from such things,” says Andrew Novakovic, an assistant professor of agricultural economics in the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell. The Reagan administration proposes ending the government’s current practice of buying surplus dairy products by October 1987 and replacing the traditional support program with a direct payments program. Reagan’s plan has been received cooly by ’ both congressional agricultural policy leaders and dairy farmers. Currently, surplus milk can be processed into cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk - products which the government stands ready to buy at preset prices if they are not sold otherwise. In turn, these government purchase prices support farmers’ milk prices. In THE VICON SYSTEM. MAKE IT WORK FORM Sometimes it seems we spend half our lives fighting the system But there’s one system that’s always on your side—the Vicon Haying System. With a Vicon KM Mower/ Conditioner, one of our heavy-duty hay rakes or ted ders, and a new Vicon Square Baler, you can make hay faster, better and more economically. The KM 321, for instance, is the fastest mower/conditioner in the world. It’s 30 percent faster than conventional mower/ conditioners. A new drive unit lets you operate non-stop. Take square comers without drive line vibration or danger of And even if you , dew crop, le KM 321 won’t Plug, and leave you worrying about leaf loss. The Vicon line of tedder/rakes are just VICON FARM MACHINERY, INC.. RO. Box 6313, Chesapeake, VA 23323 804/485-1600 1987, under Reagan’s plan, the government would cease being a buyer. “Long before October 1987 arrives, cheese and butter manufacturers would begin scrambling, trying to line up new buyers for their products, because the federal government would no longer be a buyer,” Novakovic says. “Some would find new markets, but at lower prices since other processors would try to do the same thing. It would become a buyer’s market.” “If dairy product manufacturers earn less for their products, naturally the milk price would fall, too,” Novakovic notes. This decline in farm milk prices, however, would be somewhat offset or limited by a new gover nment program of direct payments based on a target price. Under this new program, dairy farmers would receive a direct subsidy if farm prices fell below the target price. The Reagan plan calls for target prices substantially lower than current support levels. So, farm prices might have to fall from the current $l3 per hundredweight to won’t would be made. In addition, total payments to each farmer would be limited to $20,000 per year in the first year and wouiu decline to $lO,OOO per year on October 1,1989. This target-price program would begin on October 1,1987. “Critics of this proposal have charged that the proposed target prices and payment limits would be so low as to be meaningless and ineffective,” Novakovic says. “The administration defends the aproach by arguing that a farm economy without heavy in tervention will be a healthier in dustry in the long run.” Established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the milk support price places a floor price under the farm price for 100 pounds of milk (approximately 11.6 gallons). Recently farm prices have been supported at levels that have resulted m more milk being produced than can be consumed commercially. The government has purchased the excess in the form of manufactured dairy products, thus holding farm prices up. The milk diversion program, which had no effect on the support price itself, was instituted in as efficient in their own right. They’re versatile, ideal for short crops and eco nomical, too. They rake or tedd quickly and cleanly. Available in two working widths to fit any farm. With easy tine replacement. And best of all, Vicon tedder/rakes are gentle on your crop. Last but not least, you’ll find that Vicon SP Square Balers give you the convenient range of bale sizes and weights to meet your haying needs. All have a combina tion auger/feeder fork which moves the crop evenly into the full width of the bale chamber. So you get consistent bales of even density, time after time. The Vicon is also available with a hydrau lic bale thrower. For more in formation on Vicon Haying Systems, or the name of your closest Vicon dealer, just call or write. We think you’ll see that when you can’t beat the system, there’s only one thing left for a grower to do. Join it. . Jain the (jfii) revolution Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 6,1985-AI7 January 1984. It pays farmers $lO per hundredweight for decreasing the amount of milk they market relative to what they had marketed in an earlier base period. In ad dition, the government collects a 50 cents assessment per hun dredweight of all milk sold; assessments of one form or another began in April 1983. In April 1985, the milk diversion program will end; farmers will no longer be paid for reducing milk sales. The 50 cent assessment is also ending at that time, and with it a reduction by USDA of the milk support price from $12.60 to $12.10 per hundredweight is expected. For dairy farmers, the dropping of the assessment on their milk will balance the decrease in the sup Broiler chicks need more vitamin D 3, study says COLLEGE PARK, MD - How much vitamin Ds should broiler producers feed their young chicks? According to a new study from the University of Maryland’s department of poultry science, Sudenga ELECTRO ® COMPUTA-BATCH THE TOTALLY AUTOMATED . 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Nonetheless, getting production back in line with consumption may necessitate further price cuts. “Any new method of settmg dairy price supports should be flexible, perhaps equipped with upper and lower limits, and it should reflect changes in supply and demand conditions," Novakovic emphasizes. they should get twice the amount recommended by the National Research Council. “Our data show that feeding the current NRC recommendation of 200 IU of vitamin D 3 per kilogram of diet results in lower overall performance of newly-hatched to eight-week-old broiler chicks,” says Jimmy T. Lofton, the prin cipal researcher in the study. Lofton and his graduate advisor, Dr. Joseph ff. Soares, Jr., recommend instead a dose of 400 IU per kilogram of diet to produce optimal results in young broiler chicks. Some commercial producers feed their young chicks five to 10 times the NRC requirements, anticipating greater than optimal results. While the practice does not seem to cause adverse effects, Lofton and Soares’ data show that such “overdosing” of vitamin Da produces no beneficial effects in young broilers. Broilers fed less than 200 IU of vitamin Da per kilogram of diet may suffer from lower body weight, take in less food, and lose strength in the bones in their legs, according to the study. Low Cost Computorizod Food-Mill With 99.9% Accuracy For More Inforamtion Clip & Send To NATURAL DRYING SYSTEMS. INC. Box 599 Brownstown, PA 17508 CALL: 717-696-6519
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