lin™v - ~-'^ :^^^BiHfe^Hll^l<^^^^K VOL. 30 No. 51 The Pennsylvania Poultry Federation honored its In dustrymen of the Year Wednesday evening. From left are Egg Industryman Glenn Smith, Broiler Industryman Paul Whipple and Turkey Industryman Herb Jordan. Research yields effective avian flu vaccine BY JACK HUBLEY GRANTVILLE - Should another lethal strain of avian in fluenza virus* ayy aftqjto beseige the poultry will be much betMNtyUlpped to avert a disaster. This was the message delivered by the University of Penn sylvania’s Dr. Robert Eckroade during a seminar on avian in fluenza vaccination delivered at the Pennsylvania Poultry Federation’s fall conference at the Grantville Holiday Inn on Thur sday. Following the completion of a series of experiments at the University’s New Bolton Center, researchers report the develop ment of a safe and effective avian flu vaccine. According to Eckroade, several groups of birds were innoculated with an inac tivated (killed) vaccine, and then challenged with the “hot” strain of avian flu virus. Only one of the 35 vaccinated birds died, while mortality in an infected control group that had received no vaccine reached 75 percent. “It’s very clear to us that the vaccine works well,” said Eckroade, “even with only one Bidding was heavy as the State's No. 1 dairy herd went on the block in Lancaster County. For more, see page A2B. Four Sections vaccination.” One of the major concerns about the use of vaccine during last year’s outbreak centered around the vaccinated birds’ ability to survive exposure and then become carriers and shedders of the virus. But, according to Dr. Eckroade, New Bolton studies have shown that vaccinated birds shed no virus by the 14th day following exposure. In other experiments to deter mine the long-range effects of the so-called “low-path” (less virulent) strain of the disease, birds infected with this milder form were studied for 40 weeks following infection. Extensive tissue examinations turned up no virus after this period, and lab reared, unvaccinated birds placed with the infected birds failed to contract the disease, Eckroade said. Although the University’s data indicate that depopulating flocks infected with low-path virus was probably unnecessary, Eckroade stressed that none of this in formation was available when decisions had to be made. “If we’d have had this information then, we could have argued with the (Turn to Page A 24) INSIDE this week’s Lancaster Farming lancasterFarming, Saturday, October 26,1985 Senate delays Farm Bill % J ' as Block lobbies for votes BY JAMES H. EVERHART WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate once again delayed con sideration of the 1985 Farm Bill, postponing debate until early next week, Congressional officials said. Some preljjmnary Farm Bill action was late Thursday or Friday, but theSper house was not expected to rake up the measure- in kpeflt until the beginning of tb^Rek. Now that its Work on the federal deficit package is virtually complete, the Senate is expected to devote its full attention to 1985 agricultural policy legislation over the next two weeks. Meanwhile, the various interest groups were moving into position, polling Senators on a variety of topics, including commodity support measures and the con troversial dairy diversion proposal included in the House of Representatives' version of the bill. Perhaps the No 1 lobbyist was USDA Secretary John Block, who, aides said, was meeting with Senators through the week to assess their sentiments. According to Deputy Press Secretary Dave Lane, USDA senior staff members were planning to touch base with vir tually all of the 100 Senators, with Mr. Block meeting with about 20 himself last week. Specifically, said Lane, the Administration is testing support for the Hawkins-Moynihan Amendment, which, among other things, would implement a 50-cent reduction in dairy price supports on Jan. 1. Lane said he did not know Block’s exactly tally on the con troversial amendment. But he added that the idea had gained considerable support over the past week, following the release of September milk production figures which document an 11 percent increase in milk output over September 1984. "We’re pushing real hard for the 50-cent cut m 1986,” he said. The Administration was also making known its opposition to the dairy diversion plan contained in the House version, noting that it is one of the key items President Reagan told Block he would find unacceptable in farm legislation. Grange parley opens Monday in Warren WARREN About 1,500 Grange members from throughout the state will converge on this nor thwestern Pennsylvania com munity for the Annual Grange Convention which opens Monday. The mdff!WtssJl3tjCbnsider more than 100 issues submitted by county and local (Grange groups, and hear a variety of speakers including Governor Dick Thorn burgh, Auditor General Don Bailey, Ag Secretary Richard Grubb and Congressmen Bill Clinger and Curt Bowley. Of those attending the four-day event, 800 will be voting delegates representing the 552 local and 54 county Grange units from thoughout the state. With their votes, the delegates will set Grange positions on a wide range of issues. The organization’s policy stances begin at the local level, through actions taken by community and county Grange bodies. Some of the resolutions approved at this week’s meeting may be submitted to the National Grange Convention in Eugene, OR next month. Major agricultural topics to be discussed at the cbnvention in clude: I • A producer checkoff on livestock and eggs to fund animal Farmers interested in saving soil, water, time and money ought to consider no-till cover cropping. See page A 22 for details. $7.50 per Year “We’re telling them, ‘You might as well work something out in the Senate and in the conference committee,’” said Lane. “It’s one of the things the President will be looking for in the bill.” He noted that the growing milk surplus is “having an effect” on (Turn to Page A 24) disease eradication and indemnity programs. • A proposal to ban use of a new growth hormone in dairy cattle until more research is done. • A plan to pay an indemnity for crop and livestock damaged by wild coyotes. • A resolution requiring that Farmers Home Administration programs be implemented equally across the nation, and not be up to county or district discretion. • A call for increases in the size of the staff of the state Department of Agriculture. Non-farm issues include a resolution calling on the federal government to relax its regulation of small owner-operated coal mines, repeal of “unisex” auto insurance rates for men and women, and proposals concerning the location of landfills and hazardous waste disposal sites. Clinger will give the address at the All Granger Banquet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, while Grubb and Thornburgh are on the agenda for the 7 p.m. Wednesday banquet. Bailey will speak to the group at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, while Bowley will make his presentation at 2:20 p.m. Wednesday. Other speakers for the event include State SCS Director James Olsen and National Grange Lec turer Kermit Richardson.
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