Extension Tour Showcases Multi-County System At Work
BY CRAIG BINGAMAN
Snyder Co. Correspondent
BEAVER SPRINGS - The
multi-county Extension Service in
the couhties of Snyder, Union,
Northumberland, and Montour is a
one-of-a-kind operation in the
state. To show other Extension
personnel and interested parties
the efficiency of such an operation,
the four-county service presented
a tour and an educational program
on July 16 in Lewisburg. Dan
Spangler, chairman of the tour,
said the program was to show how
the unique system works in this
area.
Three different areas were on
the agenda for the tour;
McEwensville sewage treatment
facility, Mertz Greenhouse, and
Wehr Dairy Farm. All three
operations were examples of how
Eckel Reports No
Dairy Quotes In Sight
GETTYSBURG - A Penn
sylvania farm leader has received
assurances that there will be no
dairy quota system established in
theU.S.
Keith Eckel, president of the
Pennsylvania Farmers’
Association (PFA), reported the
news to a meeting today of the
organization’s Board of Directors.
Eckel said that during a recent
meeting of farm leaders in
Washington D.C., USDA Secretary
Richard Lyng personally assured
the group that no dairy quota
system would be put into effect as
long as he is in office.
Eckel said Lyng offered his
remarks to discourage any
dairyman who might be pushing up
his herd’s production in hopes of
getting a higher base in the event
of a quota system.
“Boosting production on the
chance of a quota system is
counteiproductive to the aims of
the Dairy Termination Program,
nationwide dairy promotion
campaigns and other efforts to rid
the dairy industry of costly
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the multi-county system provides
better service though specialized
assistance.
On a pilot basis, the multi-county
program was initiated in 1967. The
system works by placing in each of
the four counties a Cooperative
Extension Service office with
county agents representing their
specialty. These agents serve the
four county area by assisting the
public in dairy, clothing, taxes and
other areas.
Calling himself an “old timer” in
the multi-county system, Richard
Little, dairy agent in Montour
County, praises the program. “We
have a chance to be innovative,”
he said. “We can also divide up the
areas of specialties.” Russ
Hummel of Snyder County, one of
the founders of the program, also
agreed that the system is efficient
and economically feasible.
oversupplies,” Eckel told the
board.
Noting that discussions of dairy
issues are expected at PFA’s
annual meeting in November,
Eckel reminded the state board
directors that PFA’s present
policy recommends, “That we
oppose milk production quotas or
controls of the nature of Class I
Base Plan proposals.” Eckel said,
“Our members have expressed
through their voting delegates
their belief that dairy supply and
demand can best be balanced
through a market oriented
program.”
He added, “Controlling the
amount of surplus government
dairy purchases by adjusting the
support price is the most effective
and efficient way to provide
stability for our dairy industry.”
PFA is a voluntary, general
farm organization representing
over 23,300 farm families. It is a
part of the nation’s largest farm
organization, the 3.3-million
member American Farm Bureau
Federation.
•Hi
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The first stop on the tour, the
McEwensville sewage treatment
facility, demonstrated the use of
aerobic activity to dissolve waste
solids. Guy Temple, the com
munity resource development
agent in Union County, stressed
the advantage of a lagoon system
whereby raw sewage is processed
in 2%.weeks by transfer through
four modules, then into a
chlorinator. The facility presently
handles 260 people and was
initiated by the Extension Service.
Mertz Greenhouse in Nor
thumberland County was the next
stop on the agenda. The Nor
thumberland business raises
mostly tomatoes with an additional
2,000 hanging baskets. Ninety
percent of the tomatoes are grown
in troughs or raised beds.
Jeff Mizer, horticultural agent in
Snyder County, said that owner,
master farmer Boyd Mertz, uses a
double poly sheeting over the roof
instead of just glass. This provides
an insulator and creates better
heat retention. The seven
greenhouses used for the tomatoes
are able to produce two crops a
year with their 28,000 square feet in
trough culture.
The final stop on the tour was the
Wehr Dairy Farm near Mif
flinburg. Allen Wehr said that his
farm is a two-century farm, being
that it has been in the family since
1774. He also stated that his father
was one of the pioneers in artificial
insemination use in the state.
The 195-acre farm in Union
County raises 150 acres of com and
alfalfa for their 75-cow herd.
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Touring the Wehr dairy barn were (left) Richard Little,
Montour County agent; Dr. Lamartine Hood, Dean of Penn
State’s College of Ag; Dan Spangler, tour chairman; Guy
Temple, Union County agent; and Don Evans, assistant
director of Extension.
Averaging 19,000 pounds of milk,
the Wehrs utilize DHIA services
and assistance from Extension
programs.
Another program utilized by
Wehr is the Crop Management
Association. Originally started in
Centre County In 1978 by Mel
Brown, the association now boasts
14 such programs statewide. Bill
Donmoyer, representing Snyder
and Union Counties, says his duties
as technician entail soil and tissue
testing as well as insect and
disease control on 4,500 acres for
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farmers belonging to the
association. This enables farmers
to gain greater efficiency in their
operations.
The summer tour was concluded
with a program on the community
living and 4-H programs. It was
evident from the size of the group,
which included Dr. Wayne Hinish,
Penn State Dean of Extension, and
Dr. Lambert Hood, Dean of the
College of Agriculture, that this
type of multi-county system may
well be considered for other areas
of the state.
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