* AlO-UncMtar Fanning, Saturday, August 3,198!
Guest Editorial:
Generic versus branded:
Will dairy promotion pay its way?
By Kathy E. GUI
Executive Secretary
Pa. Assn, of Fanner Cooperatives
Three days into the voting period
for the national dairy promotion
program referendum is a good
time to ask: “Does advertising
pay?”
The easy answer is, “Of course,
look at all the money that Coke,
Pepsi and Anheuser-Busch spend
on advertising. They wouldn’t have
such large budgets if advertising
did not pay!”
However we all know that dairy
farmer-funded advertising differs
greatly from that of the firms
named above. Why? Primarily
because it is generic, that is, not
brand-specific.
That very difference has
sparked debates across the
Commonwealth and the nation.
Generic versus branded. Which is
better?
Generic gets nod
The traditional generic has been
that generic advertising increases
the market for a product, whereas
brand advertising increases that
brand’s share of the market.
A July 1 report to Congress
confirms that view. In it, Arthur D.
Little Inc. states, “brand ad
vertising of cheese compliments
generic advertising more so that
vice versa.” That is, generic ad
vertising exerts a greater impact
on cheese sales than brand ad
vertising, according to a 1984
NOW IS THE TIME
To Attend Ag
Progress Days
Most farmers do not need much
prodding to visit an agricultural
show whether it is in the county or
halfway across the state.
And, since 1976 tens of thousands
of people have jammed Penn State
University’s Rock Springs
Agricultural Research Center,
nine miles west of Boalsburg on
Route 45, to attend the Annual Ag
Progress Days. The dates are
August 20-22. Activities will start
at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. each
day.
This year’s show should be one of
the biggest and best ever. More
than 300 commercial companies
will be exhibiting their products
for home, farming and country
living. Take a day out of your busy
schedule (you’ve earned it) and
plan to attend Ag Progress Days.
There is no charge for parking or
admission.
W ELL RALPH, CAN YOU TELL
ME WHAJ'S WRONG- W/7H
. MV TRACTOR ?, -r
study.
“Generic advertising (of cheese)
is found to be 7.1 times more ef
fective than brand advertising in
expanding cheese sales in the
market,” the report states. The
report credits generic advertising
with increasing the market for
cheese by nearly eight percent.
Thus dairy farmers, whose main
goal is increased raw milk sales,
should continue funding generic
cheese advertising. Those farmers
that market branded cheeses
should also be funding branded
advertising, remembering that
generic increases the size of the
cheese “pie” for all dairy farmers.
In general terms, dairy farmers
spent $33.5 million to advertise
fluid milk in 12 specific markets
from August 1984 to August 1985.
That includes regional and
national actions. Remembering
that economists sometimes turn
things around, the Arthur D. Little
Inc. report says that with no ad
vertising at all, fluid milk sales in
these markets should have been
751.8 million pounds less than with
the $33.5 million.
In the logic of the rest of the
population, we can deduce that
$33.5 million invested in fluid milk
advertising increased fluid milk
sales 751.8 million pounds in those
12 markets. Blend prices are about
$l4 in Federal Order 4, so, using
that figure, the increased com
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
The Lancaster County Com
missioners have proclaimed
August as Poultry Month. So, this
is a good time to reflect on the
impact this important industry has
on the economy of Lancaster
County. Poultry products in
Lancaster County provide
nourishment for over six million
people. The value of the poultry
products sold totaled over $174
million. It is estimated that nearly
20,000 people are employed in the
many different areas of the poultry
industry in Lancaster County.
The industry is strong because of
the dedicated, well managed
poultry farms along with a highly
efficient and supportive allied
industry. Eggs and poultry meat
are two of the most nourishing
foods in your health diet. Let’s be
support of this important part of
our agricultural economy during
Poultry Month.
IMPtfMfNT
REPAIR
Fluid increases
To Observe
Poultry Month
mercial sales have a farm value of
$105.2 million.
In simpler terms, one dollar in
fluid advertising resulted in three
dollars in fluid sales in these 12
markets. However, if you want to
really stretch the implications, you
could double that figure since the
12 markets represent only 43
percent of the US population. But it
is even more important to
recognize that these sales mean
less milk manufactured and sold to
the government.
Without a doubt, the fact that the
milk would have sold in any case
colors the valuation process. But
also without a doubt, generic fluid
milk advertising pays.
Does it pay?
It is important to keep in mind
that this recent analysis is only a
first step. With a limited amount of
data, economists hedge when
asked to make specific promises.
These economists will say,
however, that generic advertising
has a “positive and statistically
significant effect on fluid milk
sales.”
With that fact in mind, when you
vote on continuing the advertising
program, remember that your 15-
cent advertising investment can be
translated loosely into a 45-cent
increase in fluid sales and an eight
percent increase in the cheese
market.
Where else can you get that kind
of return or investment?
To Be Aware
of the Pollen
Count
The “hay fever” season is here.
Despite its name “hay” is not
normally the cause of hay fever.
Ragweed is the chief cause. Ninety
percent of all allergic reactions to
grass and weed pollens are due to
ragweed.
Hay fever is a seasonal disease.
It’s a disease that many people
tend to minimize despite the fact
that one out of every three suf
ferers develop its serious form
chronic asthma.
In Lancaster County it is
widespread from early August
through September when ragweed
flowers. The best way to destroy
the weed over large areas is by
using a weed spray such as 2, 4-D.
Cutting the plant low, near the
roots is recommended for small
areas. The best wqy to prevent the
spread of ragweed to keep idle land
covered with grass.
VLOBFA
ER 1F ...
Wi
Background Scripture
habakkuk
Devotional Reading;
Habakkuk
“How long, 0 Lord? How long?”
asks the prophet Habakkuk. And
from time to time when we are
particularly honest within our
selves, so do we.
To some, it might sound
arrogant, perhaps even
blasphemous; “0 Lord, how long
must I call for help before you will
listen? I shout to you in vain; there
is no answer” (1:2). Habakkuk’s
words are both a question and
complaint.
CRUEL & VIOLENT
The prophet does not try to hide
his true thoughts and feehngs-for
God knows them anyway. And
because he is willing to bare his
heart to God, the Lord reveals to
him what would have probably
remained hidden if he had been
more timid: “Look and be
amazed! You will be astounded at
what I am about to do” (1:5).
Sussex County Farm and Horse
Show begins; continues through
Aug. 11.
Pa. Simmental Association Field
Day, Baker’s Simmentals,
Buffalo Mills. Contact Bill
Shoemaker, 412-262-4486.
Clinton County Fair, Mackeyville;
continues through Aug. 10.
Pa. Mountain Dairy Goat
Association meeting, 1 p.m. at
Winkerberry Farm near
Moscow.
Butler Farm Show, Butler; con
tinues through Aug. 10.
Lebanon Area Fair, Lebanon;
continues through Aug. 10.
Sheep producers in this part of
the country should be planning for
the 1986 lamb crop. The starting
place is to have healthy ewes and a
good ram. The practice of
“flushing” the ewe flock several
weeks prior to the breeding season
is recommended in order to get
more twin lambs.
This refers to the feeding of
extra grain, or the ewes having
access to lush grass-type pasture
in order to bring them into a
gaining condition. Ewes that are
not thrifty at breeding time will be
more likely to throw only a single
lamb. The control of internal
parasites should be given attention
prior to the breeding season.
I TOLD you WHAT‘S>
NOT WRONG- WITH IT
STILL I REJOICE
August 4,1985
Farm Calendar ;/
Saturday, August 3
Sunday, August 4
To Flush
Ewe Flock
Perhaps one reason many of us do
not receive God’s revelation is that
we fail to ask him the hard
questions that bother us.
The answer that God gave to
Habakkuk was not what he wanted
to hear: “I am raising a new force
on the world scene, the Chaldeans,
a cruel and violent nation who will
march across the world and
conquer it” (1:6). Although the
worship other gods and
are ignorant of the Lord, he will be
using them to accomplish his
divine purposes.
Though many of us would be too
timid to press further, Habakkuk is
not satisfied with this answer:
“...Should you be silent while the
wicked destroy those who are
better than they?” (1:12,14). The
Lord seems to be doing something
that is out of character with the
prophet’s understanding of who
and what God is.
JUST BE PATIENT!
And, once again, because
Habakkuk is willing to raise the
hard questions, God is able to give
him some new understanding:
“Slowly, steadily, surely, the time
approaches when the vision will be
fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not
despair, for these things will surely
come to pass” (2:3). These things
are all part of God’s larger plan.
With this greater, fuller un
derstanding of God’s purpose
even though he doesn’t understand
just how or why-Habakkuk can do
what all of us must leam to do if we
are to live by faith: to praise God
in the midst of adversity.
Union County West End Fair,
Laureiton; continues through
Aug. 10.
Dover Area Young Farmer’s
family picnic, Kohlers
Lutheran Church picnic
grounds; 12:30 p.m.
Eastern Apicultural Society
Conference, Franklin and
' Marshall College; continues
through Aug. 10.
Monday, August 5
State 4-H Achievement Days, Penn
State University.
Great Bedford County Fair,
Bedford; continues through
Aug. 10.
Greene County Fair, Waynesburg;
continues through Aug. 10.
Warren County Fair, Pittsfield;
continues through Aug. 11.
Wayne County Fair, Honesdale;
continues through Aug. 11.
Tuesday, August 6
Harrold Free Fair, Greensbury;
continues through Aug. 10.
Dairy Issues and Outlook Meeting,
Lancaster Farm and Home
Center, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, August 7
Lancaster Conservation District
monthly board meeting, Farm
and Home Center, 7:30 p.m.
Farmer’s Field Day, Eodale
Research Center, Kutztown,
9:30 a. m. and Ip.m.
Carlisle Fair, Cumberland
County; continues through Aug.
10.
Tioga County fair, Whitneyville;
continues through Aug. 13.
Potter/McKean Farmers
Association, Holstein Club
Annual Picnic, 7:30 p.m., 4-H
Center, Fairgrounds.
Thursday, August 8
Researcher’s Field Day, Roflale
Research Center, Kutztown, 10
a.m. to 3 p.m.
Farm City Day on Penn Square in
Reading, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lancaster Holstein Field Day,
Nelson Wenger Farm,
Manheim, 10:30 a.m.
0
Friday, August 9
Montgomery County 4-H Fair,
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