Testimony unanimously favors BY KATHY GILL HARRISBURG The only thing unexpected about Thursday’s hearing on resale milk pricing was that no one testified in opposition. “It was the most unified testimony at any resale pricing hearing in my 15 years ex perience,” commented Earl Fink, executive vice-president, Penn sylvania Association of Milk Dealers. Fink was Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board executive secretary for 12 years prior to joining PAMO. “Usually, Common Cause, or an ambitious politician testifies that the resale price provisions” should not be part of PMMB respon sibility, he said. Eleven persons testified before Rep. Carmel Sirianni, chair of the joint study committee on resale pricing. The committee was established in 1984 Sunset legislation extending the life of the PMMB. One party, representing the Teamsters’ Union, entered a statement but did not present oral testimony. Comments focused on price stability for farmers, consumers and milk dealers. Testimony also emphasized Pennsylvania’s low milk prices in relation to prices Steiger 4-Wheel Drive Tractors Are Built For Years And Years Of Reliable, Trouble-Free, Productive Fanning. But Many Eastern Farmers Wouldn’t Consider Owning A Steiger Because It Just Didn’t Fit Into Their Operation. That Is Over, Since Steiger Introduced The All New COUGAR 1000 Row Crop Tractor With: Q ROW CROP BAR AXLES The Cougar 1000 has adjustable bar axles which can be truly centered on 30” rows because wheel settings are as narrow as 60” or as wide as 130”. The turning radius is only 15.5 ft. HCLOSED-CENTER, LOAD SENSING HYDRAULICS Variable displacement piston pump provides flow and pressure on demand to the remotes. Flow control ranges from 2-30 GPM. THE COUGAR 1000 IS A STEIGER BUILT FOR YEARS AND YEARS OF TROUBLE-FREE FARMING! across the nation. And most ad vocates noted that Pennsylvania’s system keeps grocery stores from using milk as a loss leader. All statewide farm organizations PFA, the State Grange, PFU, and the Pa. Association of Farm Cooperatives testified for continuing PMMB resale pricing authority. Charles Wismer, master of the State Grange, said, “Assuring the price at the farm level is not enough.” Jim Fraher, economist for Inter- State Milk Producers’ Cooperative, testified for PAFC and five of its dairy co-op mem bers, representing 6,800 producers and 4.3 billion pounds of milk annually. He echoed Wismer’s point and acknowledged that Pennsylvania is “one of only a handful” of states which establish milk prices. However, he pointed out that at least 20 other states have some measure to regulate milk pricing. Gene Gaymen, PFA vice president, added that the stable economic environment has developed “positive consumer attitudes (toward milk), found in few other areas of the nation.” The most powerful testimony, however, came from the milk AND BEST OF ALL See It In The Field At AG PROGRESS PAYS 'STEIGER. 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David McCorkel, Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, said that the state’s grocery and con venience stores like the current system. if! TcSpuituC i») u uucv * QV IUOn PFA backs continuation HARRISBURG - The Penn sylvania Farmers’ Association (PFA) is recommending that the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board continue to have authority to set minimum retail prices for milk. D. Eugene Gayman, a Franklin County dairyman and vice president of PFA, explained the statewide, general farm organization’s position during a hearing in Harrisburg by the Joint Study Committee on Resale Pricing of Milk in Pennsylvania. Gayman said the Milk Marketing continue Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 17,1985-A37 resale milk pricing Dairy Marketing from Sirianni, he said his organization would not benefit from using milk as a loss leader. JSirianni, confirming that no consumer groups testified, an nounced that interested consumers would be allowed to testify at the Sept. 19 meeting of the committee. She placed the burden for ob- to set minimum prices at the farm, 1 wholesale, and retail levels to assure an adequate milk supply for consumers and to maintain economic stability in the milk industry. PFA represents the views of 23,313 farm families.. The Joint Study Committee, representing consumers, dairymen, milk dealers and legislators, was created during the Sunset Review re-authorization of the Pa. Milk Marketing Board last year. It will report to the General Assembly later this year on whether or not the Milk Marketing Board should continue its price- taining consumer testimony on the consumer members of the com mittee. However, comments from the audience summarized the feeling that, with milk prices dropping 14 cents in western Pennsylvania this year, con sumers are probably content with the system. of Board setting functions. Gayman told the committee, “Consumers are generally unaware of the actual benefits provided for them under Penn sylvania Milk Marketing Board pricing activities.” Consumers benefit because prices are stabilized over periods of time and because prices are kept lower than average, Gayman said, noting, “According to the most recent survey of Super market Milk Prices (July 1-5, 1985) conducted by the In ternational Association of Milk Control Agencies, prices in Penn sylvania were below the national average, being in the bottom 25 percentile nationwide. “Further evidence of consumer benefits is the new ‘unit costs’ prices for milk marketing Areas 5 and 6 which took effect Aug. 1 of this year. The new price orders, while increasing whole milk prices slightly, lowered prices on almost all other lowfat and skim milk products, some by over 20 cents per gallon.” j USSINGEI.S 1 J JUILITY ST VES| Expert Guidance & Installation BEAUTIFUL FIREPLACE STOVE Sal* Priced 5499 1 for Fire V..w.ng • Quality Crafted [33ln Cast Iron Amity I > Cast Iron Hearths Parlor i, r i f io-8, w is io-s Wood & Cool * ky * pl Stoves t Inserts 2533 014 Phils Pk Rt 340 AcCCSSOfIQS & Smokelown P, 17576 Uni que Glass Ent l osures (717) 397-7539 ■ [i. • CERT BARSOY • CERT MAURY • CERT POST WHEAT • CERT. HART, REDCOAT, TYLER POTOMAC & SCOTTY RYE • LARGE OR SMALL GRAIN • TIMOTHY SEED AVAILABLE ON THE FARM SEED CLEANING SERVICE AVAILABLE RYE CLEANING SERVICE ON OUR PLANT See Us For The Best Prices On Alfalfas FREE INNOCULATION REIST SEED COMPANY Finest Seeds (Since 1925) Mount Joy. PA 717 653-4121
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