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Dairy
■|y Business
\*\ Newton Bair
Lock The Door
The history of the world is
dominated by hindsight. It’s just
about as smart to lock the empty
stable door as it is to point our
finger backward to any action that
brought sorrow or disaster.
As Omar Khay’yam said-” The
moving finger writes, and having
writ, moves on,- and all our
wisdom and our wit,- cannot erase
a word of it-”. The past is indelibly
written and can’t be erased, but we
still like to lock doors on empty
stables, and play the game of
“what if-”, with our yesterdays.
If only we could go back to the
mid 1970’s and re-play some of the
political games that looked so good
then. We were implored to feed a
starving world, and we tried, God
knows we tried. And we almost
succeeded, except that the
economics of the whole process has
blown up in our face. The grain
bins are bursting, the milk tank
overfloweth, and the sherriff is
pounding on the door. More
production has not relieved or
solved world famine, but it sure
has placed farmers in an odd
position. The whole world needs
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and wants our plentiful supply of
dairy products, but no one wants to
pay the cost to produce it.
Meanwhile, the games continue
in Harrisburg and Washington,
with a dubious and arguable
outcome. Will the re-plays be able
to change the outcome? Hardly,
but we can hope that they won’t
repeat the same mistakes that
brought on the present fiasco.
Supporting the price of milk at
high levels will only encourage
more production. Lowering them
may have the same effect, since
producers will work harder to
increase production in order to
maintain cash flow. M qoaraatood
market tor at mem prototo wit ooror
coro the prekhm of too mock milk.
HOW WILL YOU
REACT TO NEW
LEGISLATION?
While we watch the players in
Congress battle to Save
Agriculture from the Threatening
Doom, we had better think about
the way we plan to react to the new
legislation. If Congress decides to
support the price of milk at $11.60
with unlimited expansion, will you
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continue to expand? Can you af
ford to expand at that price? If
you, and a thousand of your fellow
dairymen all expand production,
will the support price be dropped
even further? (The Senate Dairy
bill proposes to reduce the support
by 50 cents per hundred when CCC
purchases exceed five billion
pounds, and even more for each
additional increase in production).
The alternative being considered
in Washington is the Whole Herd
Buy-out. This plan would remove
600,000 cows plus calves and
heifers from the national herd.
They dare not be only the culls,
because the remaining cows will
be fed and managed better,
breeding will continue to improve,
and new techniques like isoacids
and growth hormones will cause
another surge in milk production.
The incentives to sell the whole
herd for beef will have to be pretty
attractive. How will you react to
this one? Would a herd sell-out
solve your fiscal problems? It
might, if the subsidized incentives
are attractive enough.
You can bet your bottom dollar
that any new legislation passed
this winter will be aimed at nd*d*t
milk production. And Congress is
looking for a long range plan to
accomplish it. But the only way
that can ever work is if you and
every other dairy farmer resolves
to make it work.
How you react to the economy of
the times and the alternatives set
by legislation, will determine the
outcome of the present dilemma of
Too Much milk for Too Little
Money. Sooner or later, some of us
will have to let go of the bull’s tail.
Some will sell out, some will wait
until the bank forecloses, and some
will simply cut back into a safer
position. Some who always have
been conservative will continue to
operate conservatively and sur
vive. Will you be a survivor, or will
you be one of the ones who ducks
over the fence to safety?
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 14,1985-A37
Extension group
honors Winebark
LEBANON - Kenneth L.
Winebark, Agriculture Extension
Agent in the Lebanon County
Office of the Penn State
Cooperative Extension Service has
been recognized for outstanding
achievement as a new worker. The
Alpha Omicron Chapter of Epsilon
Sigma Phi, national honorary
Extension fraternity, annually
awards the “Rookie of the Year”
honor to an Extension Agent in
Pennsylvania who has demon
strated outstanding program ef
forts and accomplishments during
the first two years of employment.
Citing activities and ac
complishments since he began
working in Lebanon County in June
of 1984, Alletta Schadler, Lebanon
County Extension Director
nominated Winebark.
“His interest, enthusiasm,
tireless work and expertise have
caused him to be accepted as a
leader among his peers and within
the agriculture community much
earlier than one might expect,”
she said. “He has sought and
received support and assistance
from volunteer advisory com
mittees, business and financial
leaders, 4-H leaders and teens to
plan, develop and implement
Extension programs that meet the
needs of the County.”
Working closely with 4-H
Livestock and Dairy leaders, he
has helped increase participation
of 4-H members in educational
activities such as judging
workshops, fitting and
showmanship and breeding
projects. He organized the state
Yorkshire/Duroc 4-H and FFA
livestock contest in Lebanon
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County for more than 100 youth.
Winebark also organized the
Pennsylvania Dairy Cattle
Association Judging School held
for more than 100 adults from
across the state. A local advisory
and planning committee helped
select and prepare animals, host
participants, provide publicity and
food service.
Manure and Nutrient
Management test plots were
established to demonstrate the
importance of nutrient
management on crop production.
Winebark uses computer analysis
to assist farmers in decision
making for nutrient management.
He has also provided farmers
with information and assistance in
making decisions to improve
profitability of livestock and dairy
fanning.
Winebark serves as advisor to
the Board of Directors of the Dairy
Herd Improvement Association in
Lebanon County, works with
Extension Agents in Dauphin,
Schuylkill, Berks and Chester
Counties to provide programs in
dairy and livestock for County
farmers.
Lebanon County farm families
have been quick to appreciate
Ken’s interest in youth and his
enthusiasm for agriculture ac
cording to Schadler. “Ken
Winebark is a valued member of
the Extension team, an out
standing Extension worker in the
best tradition.”
A native of Indiana County,
Winebark received his B.S. and
M.S. degrees from Penn State. He
lives in the Myerstown area with
his wife Janet and daughter
Jamne.
WESTFALIA
SVSTEMAL