A2O-Lancast«r Farming, Saturday, May 25,1985 Over-order pricing campaign continues in Pennsylvania HARRISBURG - Charles Wismer, Master of the Penn sylvania State Grange and Chester L. Reed, State Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Farmers Union have announced that they are going to resume their efforts in signing independent dairv farmers First U.S. Dairy Forum stimulates discussion WASHINGTON, D.C. - Lively and spirited debates and for thright discussions were charac teristic of the two-and-a-half-day U.S. Dairy Forum - a first-of-its kind conclave for 275 leaders from all facets of the dairy industry - held outside of Tampa, Florida, early this month. In response to requests for a 1986 forum for discussion, deliberation and debate, Dairy Forum chair man John F. Speer, President of the Forum’s sponsoring organizations, the Milk Industry Foundation and the International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers, reiterated the need for a platform upon which to express differing viewpoints and further clarify positions. “We are anxiously planning to continue looking at these ‘issues of the day’ from, at the minimum, two sides,” noted Speer. “The overwhelming success of this year’s Forum, as expressed by participants, strongly supports the necessity of and the good which Proven Reliability and Efficiency ZWEEGERS The enoromous working capacity of PZ machines is matched only by their reliability. Zweegers combines vast experience, extensive research and the latest manufacturing process to produce dependable, efficient machines - your guarantee of top performance PZ Zweegers - proven working capacity and dependability. ip ii i \ Tsar*# 230 Disc Mower PENNSYLVANIA PZ DEALERS Hepline Farm Equipment Waynesburg, PA 412-852-1474 Keller Bros. Tractor Co. Lebanon, PA 717-274-2693 Sandy Lake Ent. Sandy Lake, PA 412-376-2489 Seiler Farm Equipment Meadville, PA 814-724-1224 Shuey Sales & Service Ono, PA 717-865-4915 Triple H Equipment Peach Bottom. PA 717-548-3775 Distributed by; J.S. Woodhouse Co. r Inc. Camp Hill, PA 413-736-5462 into the Regional Cooperative Marketing Agency (RCMA). During the month of March, the two general farm organizations sponsored over 20 informational meetings for dairv farmers across Pennsylvania stems from this type of dialogue.” The Forum addressed such diverse areas as dairy specific vs. flexible price supports, Class I differentials, impacts of supply controls on production, probable future regions of greatest and least milk supply, marketing barriers imposed by regulations, bovine hormones and embryo transplants and their effects on current national dairy policy, National Dairy Board promotional programs, casein imports and SNF levels in milks. A Saturday morning breakfast session with Secretary of Agriculture Block headlined the closing day, followed by an m- /&&$& gigantic m f \ #,, ■ BCTIO,, THfir z' 1 r Lancaster Farming's CLASSIFIEDS Fanex Tedder The meetings centered around a full explanation of RCMA in cluding the desirability of the bargaining agency to establish over-order prices on Class 1 milk in the eastern part of the United States. sightful discussion of world and domestic agricultural priorities moderated by ABC News correspondent Sander Vanocur. Panelists Congressman E. “Kika” de la Garza (D-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Congressman Arland Stangeland (R-MN), member of the Committee on Agriculture and Secretary Block offered critical comments on world trade and export policies, domestic support levels, and the future of our national dairy industry. Dates and locations of the spring 1986 U.S. Dairy Forum will be released shortly. Several hundred independent producers, cooperative leaders and processing and manufacturing CEO’s are expected to attend. I Reed stated, “Our efforts to sign the independent dairy farmers were placed on hold the last month because of Eastern Milk Producers’ failure to join RCMA. However, during the past week, Eastern has made formal ap plication for membership, which now means that all the major milk cooperatives in Federal Orders #1 and #2 will be members of RCMA.” Wismer stated, “As a result of the previous informational meetings, we have nearly 20 counties organized with dairy farmers ready to aid us in signing the independent dairy farmers.” Wismer further explained that the by-laws of RCMA regarding finances been modified, “ to make the bargaining agency even more acceptable to all dairy farmers.” Both Wismer and Reed are strong supporters of RCMA’s attempt to negotiate over-order prices in Class 1 milk. They point out that prices paid to dairy far mers in Federal Order #2 (New York/New Jersey market) have already dropped $1.15 per hundred weight since January and will drop considerably more before the end of 1985. Arden Tewksbury, a leader in the RCMA movement said, “We really had the momentum going during March and early April. We had support from many farm groups, county agents, news media, and most importantly, many dairy farmers. Now with Eastern involved, it should in crease our ability to sign up the independent dairy farmers.” RCMA was established in the early 1970’5, and in 18 months collected over $2O million for dairy farmers in New England and the western part of New York state. Now with declining prices paid to area dairy farmers during 1985 and with near disastrous prices estimated for the near future, it is all the more important for RCMA to become successful in negotiating for dairy farmers. Meetings are already planned for several counties according to Wismer and Reed, and they intend to intensify their efforts during the up-coming weeks. Any dairy farmer or farm organization willing to help with the project, should contact the Pennsylvania Farmers Union at 1/800/932-4629 or the Pennsylvania State Grange at 1/800/242-9661.
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