VOL. 31 No. 37 Four Sections National Farm Leader Says Get Into Farming Now BY EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor CAMPHILL The new president of the American Farm Bureau Federation told news reporters this week that he believes farm prices have bot tomed out. Speaking at a news conference here that was called by the Pennsylvania Farmers Association, Dean Klechner said that while we will not likely see prices as high as in the peak back in the 70s, we will see farming becoming profitable again. “I see this as the most opportune tune for young people to get into farmmg-the most opportune time we’ve seen in many years,” Klechner said. “With the depressed prices, machinery can be bought with 30 cents on the Lancaster Farmer Stops Developers With As Preserve BY SUZANNE KEENE WILLOW STREET - The building business is booming in Lancaster County. Where corn and wheat once grew, residential developments, office buildings and parking lots now stand. But thanks to a gift from Ben jamin and Ruth Kendig of Willow Street, 56 acres of prime farmland will remain in fanning forever. The Kendigs have donated the development rights to their farm to the Lancaster County Agricultural Preserve Board. A perpetual deed restriction has been placed on the farm, ensuring that the land will always be used for agricultural purposes. ‘‘The Kendig family is honored with the board’s decision to accept OPINION More Than Crabgrass In the current issue of a major national magazine, the County Cooperative Extension Service offices are listed number eight in a list of “Uncle Sam’s ten worst taxpayer npoffs”. The writer, a so called top expert on government waste, suggests that about all county agents do for farmers these days is dispense information about how to eliminate crab grass. We suppose this expert thinks he can pick on our county agents because only 2.2% of the nation’s Population are farmers But he doesn t seem to understand that while we may be few in number, °ur efficiency, technology and the sweat of our brow produces an unprecedented abundance of food supply The benefits to the nation and the dollar and land rental in many areas is low enough for the young farmer to rent and make a profit. It’s much better to get into something when the cycle is at the bottom,” he said. “Then you can get in and ride it up instead of getting in at the top and trying to maintain a continuing profit. Even college students for the first time m many years say that they can see possibilities in farming. Like many of my fellow farmers, I bought some land and have locked in some debt that limits me now. But if you can start now with a clean debt load, you have a great opportunity to begin farming,” the national farm leader said. Sharing the platform with Klechner was PFA state president, Keith Eckel. Eckel said we don’t the preservation deed restriction,” said JoAnne Myers, the Kendig’s daughter who initiated inquiries about preserving the farm on her parent’s behalf. She said her parent’s decision about the farm was made partly out of concern about development pressure. “It’s getting too com mercialized in this area. Everything is building up,” she noted. Another 30 acres were not ac cepted into the program because they were was already zoned residential/commercial Mrs. Myers said. Because the Kendig farm is located in an area under intense development pressure, the family’s donation is especially world are immeasurable. How much is it worth for city experts not to need to go to bed hungry. We suppose the elimination of crab grass has a lot to do with producing an abundant supply of cheap food. At least Extension, working in cooperation with other agencies and with ag industry, helps to maintain the economic viability of local agriculture and helps to keep it competitive with agriculture in other parts of the country and in other countries. In working with farmers, Ex tension is not serving just 2 2% of the national population. By helping to improve the efficiency of local agricultural production it is ser ving the remaining 97% of the population that is very dependent (Turn to PageAlO) Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 12,1986 expect the buyout program to reduce milk production over the long term. “We as an organization were against the buyout program from the beginning. But on the positive side because of the dairy farmers who have financed a huge dairy promotion program, we have seen a dramatic increase in retail sales of milk and other dairy products. We have shown that milk can compete with other beverages in the market place. While most of the promotion has been generic in nature, individual companies are making large investments in brand advertising. And the ice cream industry has joined the milk marketing boards with $6 million of complimentary promotion of ice (Turn to Page A 34) A perpetual preservation deed restriction on the Kendig farm near Willow Street guarantees that it will always remain in agriculture. important to the land preservation effort in the county. “It is one of the most significant in the deed restriction program,” preserve board administrator Alan Musselman said. The Kendig farm is located off Route 272, just south of Willow Valley, a rapidly expanding commercial complex. Last fall, a new housing development, Man chester Village, was started across the road. The land is close to water and sewer hookups; it is ripe for development. “The development pressure is very intense,” Musselman stressed. The land has a fair market value of $557,600, while the ag use value is substantially less at $334,600. The difference between the values, or the deed restriction value of the farm, is $223,000 or $3,982 per acre. Any way you look at it, the Ken dig's gift was a generous one. However, Musselman cautioned, “This is not what can be expected as a deed restriction value on other farms.” An average deed restriction value of land in this area would be $l,OOO an acre, Musselman said. “The location and circumstances of this property are unique,” he continued, explaining why the Kendig’s property was valued so Farm Bureau President Dean Kleckner speaks at press conference. Keith Eckel, President, PFA, (seated) also participated. much higher. The Kendig farm preservation deed restriction includes some unique historic preservation provisions which will protect the two homes on the property. One is the John Kendig Mansion, a If room Victorian-style home built in the late 1800’s. The large home features 12-inch walls, original Irish Dairy Cooperation Withdraws Georgia Plans WASHINGTON D.C. - Masstock International withdrew plans to build a 10,000 cow dairy in Georgia in response to the Senate Finance Bill. The recently adopted tax legilation denied the cor poration from using tax exempt bonds to finance the construction. Both, the entire Senate Finance Bill and the House bill caused the Irish corporation to reconsider their building plans, Robert Frederick of the National Grange explained. The House bill, sponsored by fony Coelho, D-Calif., prohibits milk to be sold as Class 1 or Class 2 if the dairy is foreign owned and Fr nnr ._, $8.50 per Year/ marble fireplaces in almost every room and original woodwork. Mrs. Myers said her great grandfather built the home for about $20,000 somewhere between 1874 and 1886. The other, smaller home on the property, dates back even further to the period between 1711 and 1798, she said. The two-story log (Turn to Page A 39) financed by Industrial Develop ment Bonds. The Senate bill removed the tax sheltering possibilities which allowed Masstock to take ad vantage of the system. This legislation was intended to force the international dairy corporation to make it in the marketplac e like any other farmer Many agriculture groups were highly critical ol this venture -\mong them was the Grange "We are pleased with our legislative accomplishment which has stopped Masstock International from building in the US" said Charles Wismer. Pennsylvania State Grange Master
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