A26-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 8,1986
Scranton
MILLERSVILLE - Citing the
need for continued funding for
conservation measures to control
soil and nutrient loss from Penn
sylvania’s farmland, Lieutenant
Governor William Scranton 111
today announced that Penn
sylvania’s proposed 1986-67 budget
contains an additional $2 million
for Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake
Bay program, bringing the total
state and federal commitment
over the past three years to more
than $8 million.
Scranton, who was accompanied
by Environmental Resources
Secretary Nicholas Deßenedictis,
made the announcement following
a tour of the Wilmer and Arlene
Rohrer farm in Lancaster County
on Wednesday. The Rohrer’s, who
recently received an initial
payment of $lO,OOO, were the first
landowners in Lancaster County to
receive funds through the cost
sharing program to install nutrient
management practices on farm
land in the lower Susquehanna
River Basin. When all aspects of
the management contract are
completed, the Rohrers are ex
pected to receive a total of $30,000.
“Pennsylvania is committed to
the cleanup of the Chesapeake
Bay,” Scranton said, “but, more
importantly, we are dedicated to
the support of agriculture, the
Commonwealth’s number one
industry, and our farmers’ efforts
to improve production and
preserve our natural resources for
future generations.”
Scranton noted that the Rohrer’s
356-acre dairy farm is an excellent
example of effective conservation
practices. Through the
Chesapeake Bay program, the
Rohrers are installing 23,000 feet of
terracing to control soil and
nutrient loss from their rolling
farmland. The terracing installed
under the cost-sharing program
will complement more than 7,000
feet of terracing which was in
stituted over the past five years.
In 1972, the Rohrers constructed
a 184,000 gallon underground
manure storage system, which
permits the storage of mapure
until field application is required,
thereby eliminating the possibility
of overfertilization. To control
runoff and erosion, the farm’s
entire acreage is covered with a
rye grass cover crop.
In addition to the terracing work
underway through the Chesapeake
Bay cost-sharing program, the
GIGANTIC
£ ? 9 SILKCTION
.*• j Loncoster
Farming's
CLASSIFIEDS
I
FINEST QUALITY „ I
AT BEST PRICES
ALFALFAS
WL 316 Big Ten Vernal
WL 320 Magnum Buffalo
Cimarron
CLOVERS
Arlington Medium Red
OATS
Larry Porter
VORIS SEED CORN
reaffirms commitment to Chesapeake cleanup
farm has also developed a con
servation tillage, strip cropping
and contour farming system and a
fertilizer management program.
The Lancaster County Con
servation District, which is locally
responsible for the implementation
of the cost-sharing program,
estimates that conservation
methods instituted on the Rohrer
farm have reduced annual soil loss
from 27 tons-per-acre to 4 tons-per
acre, substantially lower than the
Lancaster County annual soil loss
average of 9 tons-per-acre.
“Although the Rohrer’s con
servation practices have resulted
in a substantial reduction in soil
loss, the most impressive figures
involve the farm’s substantial crop
yields,” Scranton noted.
Over the past several years, the
farm has averaged 180 bushels
per-acre for com, compared to 130
bushels-per-acre average for all
Lancaster County farms. In 1984
and 1985, the Rohrer farm has been
UDIDIIy
ranked second and fourth in the
state, respectively, in alfalfa yield
per acre.
The cost-sharing program was
initiated in 1984-85 with $1 million
from the state’s initial $2 million
Chesapeake Bay program. This
year, an additional $2 million was
allocated for the cost-sharing
program as part of the Com
monwealth’s current $4 million
program.
The program is administered by
the Department of Environmental
Resources, in conjunction with the
State Conservation Commission
and county conservation districts.
Under the cost-sharing program,
farmers may receive 80 percent of
the cost of implementng an ap
proved nutrient management
program, up to $30,000. Approved
practices include reduced tillage
systems, animal waste handling
and storage facilities, contour
farming and stream protection
measures.
By helping the 4-H and ITA,
we’re helping all of us.
In the Agri-Finance Department of
Hamilton Bank we finance projects for
active 4 -H and FFA members
That’s because we believe that helping
preserve the family farm is one of the best
ways to insure a better future for us all
And that involves working with our young
people
It's important to give them guidance, instill
the proper values, and help them acquire
the skills they need to be successful
farmers
I races I andis with her steer and Oehra Martin with her tamh both which were purchased h\ Hamilton Bank at the
Southeast District a H Babe Beef Show in \os ember I9HS and donated to the lancaster ( ount\ Red Rose a H Babe
Beet and Sheep C lub Banquet held at the Farm and Home ( enter on Kbruan 6 Vt ith Traces is Damn T Bind Vice-
President and Director of the Hamilton Bank Agn Finance Department Iraees is the daughter of Mr and Mrs lames
fc I andis R D #2 ( edar Hill Road Quarrssille D-hra is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Mels in H Martin R D #1
Box SBO C onestoga
Glenn Rohrer explains the soil conservation measures
currently in place on the Rohrer dairy farm to Lt. Gov. William
Scranton 111.
The 4 -H and FFA are working toward these
goals And so. we support their efforts
If you, or someone in your family needs
money for a project, stop by and see us
It just might help us all
Hamilton Bank
A CoraStatas Bank
Mwntwr FOIC