VOL. 31 No. 11
70th annual Farm Show opens Sunday
An empty arena awaits the crowning of the new Farm show champions this
week. On the sides are last year’s champions, top left, Holstein reserve
champion Scott Fisher, left and grand champion winner Donald Hostetter with
state Dairy Princess Lynette Loper. Bottom left, Margaret Herr of Lancaster
HARRISBURG - The 70th
Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show
will open Sunday in Harrisburg
and continue through the week.
Featuring a host of contests,
exhibits and foods, this event seeks
Avian influenza outbreak reported in Snyder County
BY JACK HUBLEY
HARRISBURG - For the first
tune since the final quarantine was
lifted on Oct. 4, 1984, the avian
influenza virus has surfaced in a
Pennsylvania poultry flock, ac
cording to the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture’s
Bureau of Animal Industry.
Discovered in a Freeburg-area
(Snyder Co.) broiler flock, the
Farm Show highlights
Agribusiness Award A 24
Master Shepherds AZB
Spickler’s Ayrshires A3J
SpringGlenFarm Kitchen 814
Jerry Barker’s Trees gib
| Superstock Tractor Puller BZZ
Shenksister’s §26
| Ethel Zimmerman §*<>
Kohr’s twin entries 828
| Ken Walker . - C 2
Pa. Kevstone Winners
Farm Show Schedule • pJ*
Farm Show Map
John Eaton E 32
Nissley Family * °
Visit the Lancaster Farming booth (No. 274) at the Farm Show
Six Sections
to promote Pennsylvania
agriculture by recognizing the
outstanding achievements of the
state's largest industry.
With the theme “Pennsylvania
Agriculture Growing Ideas for
virus was first diagnosed at Penn
State’s diagnostic laboratory by
Dr. David Kradel shortly after an
inf&ted sample of birds arrived on
Dec. 30. Samples were then sent to
the USDA’s National Veterinary
Sendees Lab in Ames, lowa, and
Kradel reports that he received the
test results on Jan. 8.
“At this point we do have a
confirmed diagnosis of avian in
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 11,1986
the Future,’’ this year’s show will
emphasize the accomplishments,
leadership and technological
impact of Pennsylvania
agriculture.
Farmers, agricultural and
fluenza,” Kradel said during an
interview on Thursday. “And
based on blood serology, it does
appear to be H5N2.” The label
HSN2 refers to the same type of
virus that decimated flocks of
laying hens, broilers and turkeys
in southeastern Pennsylvania
beginning in the spring of 1983.
The veterinarian stressed,
however, that officials do not know
just how virulent the current
outbreak is. Mortality in the in
fected flock reached about 18
percent before the flock actually
returned to a “basically normal”
condition, he said.
“Not all HSN2’s are highly
pathogenic,” Kradel pointed out.
According to one USDA report,
avian flu virulence was highly
variable during the original out
break, with death losses ranging
from five percent of infected flocks
early in the outbreak, to losses in
excess of 90 percent beginning in
Oct. 1983.
Although the origin of the
current outbreak is unknown,
officials may have a lead. “The
initial information I have suggests
that a possible source of in
troduction could have been some
interstate haulers who had been
there on Dec. 16,’’ Kradel said.
According to the veterinarian, a
County with her grand champion market lamb. Top right, Kelly Rohrer of
Manheim is congratulated by then-Ag Secretary Penrose Hallowell, after winning
the Grand Champion Junior Beef Steer competition. And bottom right, veteran
Landrace exhibitors Harold 11, Barbara Sue, Barbara Ann and Johm Mummett
pose with their champion gilt.
agribusiness leaders from at least
20 states, Canada and several
other nations, as well as visitors
from cities and suburbs around the
state flock to the Farm Show
Complex every January for this
truck from New Jersey had
arrived at the farm to pick up a
partial load of birds bound for New
York.
According to BAI director Dr.
Gehringer named
to Lancaster Farming staff
LITITZ Lancaster Farming is
pleased to announce the ap
pointment of Martha J. Gehringer
as dairy editor.
Gehringer grew up on her
family’s farm in Bally. There her
father and uncle maintain a herd of
Holstein and Brown Swiss. She
gained her interest in the dairy
field through numerous 4-H dairy
projects. She continues to work
with 4-Hers in the role of leader
with Montgomery County.
Gehringer attained her
bachelor’s degree in dairy
husbandry from Delaware Valley
College in 1963. While there she
served as a feature writer for the
college newspaper as well as editor
of the college magazine. For the
past five years she has worked
with Lancaster Farming as a
correspondent.
Previously she was employed by
$7.50 per Year
unique event.
Events open to the public begin
at noon on Sunday with grand
opening ceremonies conducted by
Governor Thornburgh in the large
Turn to Page Al 9)
Max Van Bus kirk, the flock of
about 8,000 seven-week-old
roisters was scheduled to be
destroyed yesterday. (“Roaster”
;Turn to Pag* *22)
Martha J. Gehringer
Atlantic Brteders Cooperative as a
roving sales technician traveling
throughout the state breeding
cows.