(Continued from Page Al)
with the kids. Of course, we do not
campaign on Sundays. That is a
family day. And although that rule
may get broken a time or two
between now and November
elections, Sundays have been very
sternly kept private through my
political career. I read to the kids,
at night and we have a wonderful
family life. I don’t think could
maintain the demands of public
life without the support of my
family.
Q. Let’s go a little further into our
introduction in your relationship to
agriculture. I know you have been
chairman of the Governor’s energy
council and that has given you
some contact with agriculture.
Would you relate some of your
experiences with agriculture?
A. Actually my contact with
agriculture comes from a lot of
different areas. One is the
government’s energy council
where we have worked with a lot of
farmers to develop interesting new
techniques to generate energy
from methane gas and manure. I
also work with fanners on the
Chesapeake Bay program, which
is very important both from the
farmer’s standpoint and from the
environment standpoint. As you
likely know, I have been one of the
lead people in this administration
in regard to that effort. Beyond
that I am vice-chairman of the
economic devlopment committee
of the cabinet. And since
agriculture is the number one
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industry in this state, I have had a
real interest in ag issues. Some of
these issues include preservation
of farm land. The real opportunity
I see of increasing markets not
only within the state but also
regionally and abroad. Everything
from direct marketing to in
ternational marketing has been,
important to me.
Q. Much has been reported about
the national farm cirses. How do
we deal with the economic crises in
our own state? And how important
do you really think agriculture is to
the welfare of Pennsylvania?
A. Well we are luckier than many
states in that we have a small farm
system and diversified ag base.
But still we are being hit hard. But
I guess really the point I want to
make is that as someone who is
interested in government and
society, agriculture is the great
civilizing force in history.
Agriculture makes our society
what it is. And if you neglect
agriculture and its affect on
culture, you really are neglecting
the roots of society. It’s not only a
business, but it’s the roots of our
culture.
Q. Let’s expand a bit on the ag
preservation issue. The farmers
now really have a conflict within
themselves. Deep inside they want
to keep the land in agriculture. But
economically they feel the need to
keep their option open to sell their
land to a developer if that op
portunity arises. What can we do
about this?
A. That’s right. I think the whole
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issue of ag preservation is very
complex. There is not one solution.
It comes from a variety of angles.
It comes from the sensitivity of the
state as well as the counties as far
as what is prime agricultural land.
We need to look at agricultural
land as a natural resource if
nothing else. Lancaster county is
the most productive non-irrigated
farm land in the world. To lose that
wholesale to development would be
a real tragedy. Secondly, we need
to consider the ability of a farm
child to inherit a farm without the
burdensome tax implications. This
is very critical. To discourage
farming from being passed on to
the next generation or to make it so
expensive so that it is not possible
to do so is not only an economic
tragedy but also a social tragedy
as well. There clearly must be an
economic substance for the
preservation of farm land. That’s
why marketing in my view must be
a very important effort undertaken
by the state. I think also the state
has a role to play in making
agriculture as cost-efficient as
possible. We need to reduce the
cost to the farmer for imputs.
Whether fertilizer or gas or any
other cost he has there is a lot we
can do. When you talk about
preserving ag opportunities, you
are talking about preserving
markets, protecting fertile land
and reducing the cost of imputs.
All these things must be attacked
at once. And state government
without mterferring and without
dictating clearly has a supportive
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Q. Along those lines it seems like counter-balancing each other or
marketing and biotechnology that (Turn to Page A 35)
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