OPINION
Favorable Market Prices
This summer’s favorable
market prices for hogs and now the
rise in beef prices could result in
some good profits for livestock
producers this year. All we can say
“It’s about time.” But it certainly
is nice to be able to report some
good news as far as market prices
are concerned.
Glenn Grimes, agricultural
economist from the University of
Missouri, said the profit op
portunities for swine producers
could continue well into next year.
Grimes made the statements at the
Thirteenth American Farm
Bureau Federation Beef Cattle
Hog Cycle Forum held recently in
Chicago.
Ed Uvacek, Jr., an Extension
economist and livestock marketing
professor at Texas A & M
University, said the good market
price news extends to the cattle
sector as well. Uvacek said this
year’s calf crop, the lowest since
1960, is encouraging for beef
producers. And with prospects for
choice fed steers to move into the
mid 60 range during the last two
quarters of 1968, it should result in
some favorable prices this fall for
feeder cattle and calves. “We’ve
got several things going for us this
fall,” Uvacek said. “First of all,
we have a short of supply. And for
the first time in many, many
months, it looks like the com
mercial feed lots are starting to
make money. This could be a very
unusual fall for the cow/calf
operator. And certainly one that
will give him calf prices better
than what he had last year,”
Uvacek said.
Of course a note of caution was
also expressed. The third panelist,
Wayne Purcell, professor of
agricultural economics at Virginia
Farm Calendar
Saturday, September 6
Open House, Sire Power
Headquarters, Tunkhannock;
contact DuWayne Kutz at 717-
836-3127.
District 4-H Horse Show,
Hughesville Fairgrounds, 8:30
a.m.
Pa. Egg Cooking Contest, Lan
caster Farm and Home Center.
Sunday, September 7
108th Annual PennAg Convention,
Seven Springs Resort,
Champion; continues through
Sept. 9.
Monday, September 8
Bellwood-Antis Farm Show.
Bell wood; continues through
Sept. 11.
Green Township Fair, Com
modore; continues through
Sept. 13.
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Tech University, cautioned that
with favorable prices cattle and
swine producers will have the
temptation to rebuild their in
ventories of breeding stock.
On the pork side, Grime said
producers should not make the
mistake of convincing themselves
that there won’t be an increase in
pork supplies in the future. Purcell
cautioned pork producers to not
invest heavily in expansion unless
you are willing to forward price.
Grimes agreed that producers who
cannot stand risk and those heavily
in debt or with other financial
problems should forward price
their hogs.
Seldom have so many factors
turned bullish compared with the
year before as those that have
influenced the hog market this
spring and early summer. Yet
producers should be cautioned not
to make the mistake of assuming
that expansion is not going to
occur. Yet if hog prices are as high
this fall as it seems likely, and feed
prices are as low as now indicated,
the incentives will be very strong
to walk the com off of midwest
farms.
While we have this good news of
favorable prices, it seems certain
that livestock producers must be
continually aware that the demand
side for red meat is a major factor
in deciding price profitability. This
demand problem is caused by a
number of trends including con
sumers changing lifestyles', their
health concerns and the absence of
aggressive product development
for beef and pork.
We need to all work together so
solve these market problems and
supply problems so that this
summer’s favorable market prices
carry over into many years in the
future.
Tuesday, September 9
Claysburg Farm Show, Claysburg;
continues through Sept. 12.
Albion Area Fair, Albion; con
tinues through Sept. 13.
Recreational Vehicle Show, Farm
Show Complex, Harrisburg;
continues through Sept. 14.
Hamilton Bank Farm Ap
preciation Day, Wengers Farm
Machinery, Myerstown, 11 a.m.
Wednesday, September 10
Lebanon County Flower Show, 4 to
10 p.m., Lebanon Valley Ex
position Building, Cornwall and
Evergreen Roads, Lebanon;
continues Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9
p.m.
Greenhouse Growers School,
Lancaster Farm and Home
Center; continues through Sept.
29.
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
September in Lancaster County
is Fair time. It is also a time to be
concerned about the health of show
animals. Fairs should be a place
where we can exhibit our animals;
they should not be a place for
spreading diseases and other
ailments. Be considerate of other
exhibitors and of other show
animals. If your animals have any
infection or contagious problems,
leave them at home; it’s like
keeping a sick child out of school to
protect those who are healthy. If
you do show, consult your
veterinarian about necessary tests
and protective vaccines.
When you return your livestock
Berlin Brothers Valley Fair,
Berlin; continues through Sept.
13.
Williamsburg Community Farm
Show; continues through Sept.
16.
Soil Aeration Technology
Demonstration, Hathorne
Farms, Stanley, N.Y.
Farm City Council Kick-Off
Banquet, Wilson College,
Chambersburg.
York County FFA Market Hog
Sale, York Fairgrounds, 7:30
p.m.
Weekend horse ride in the Blue
Mountains, sponsored by
Central Berks Riding Club. For
flyer call Gene or Beverly at
717-366-1131.
Beaver Community Fair, Beaver
Springs; continues through
Sept. 20.
Oratz Fair, Gratz; continues
through Sept. 20.
Harmony Grange Fair, Westover;
continues through Sept. 20.
Annual Meeting, Allied Florists of
Delaware Valley, Zeigler and
Sons Wholesale, Philadelphia.
Raspberry and Small Fruits Field
Day, Penn State University.
York County 4-H Pork and Lamb
Roundup, Weikert’s Buying
Station, Thomasville, 7 p.m.
Twilight Marketing Meeting,
Whistle Stop Farm and Nur
sery, John Ringoes Road,
Ringoes, 6:30 p.m. Register by
Sept. 12. Call 201-788-1338.
Wednesday, September 17
W. Pa. Flower Growers, Oglever’s
Mercer Greenhouse.
Southern Lancaster County Fair,
Quarryville; continues through
Sept. 19.
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Thursday, September 11
Friday, September 12
Saturday, September 13
Monday, Sepbember 15
Tuesday, September 16
to the farm after the show, isolate
them from other animals on the
farm before introducing them to
their herd mates.
To Install Drain Tile
Farmers who have wet spots in
their fields might use the early fall
months to install drain tile or drain
pipe. These areas will be more
workable now than in the spring.
When the tile is put in place now,
winter grains can be seeded on the
area with little loss of crop
production.
Many farms have one or more
wet spots in crop land that gives
trouble in the majority of crop
seasons. These can be corrected
with tile drainage systems. In most
cases the cost of draining wet spots
in crop land is a good investment.
Under current production costs,
every acre should be managed to
produce maximum yields.
To Check Feed Bins
We are coming into the fall
season where we see considerable
temperature change from day to
night. This causes a lot of moisture
condensation, as we see it on car
windows in the morning. This
same type of condensation takes
place in the bulk feed bins on our
farms. It causes the build-up of
molds on the bins and in the feed.
When feed bins are cleaned out,
they should be inspected
Sinking Valley Community Fair,
Altoona; continues through
Sept. 20.
Thursday, September 18
Lancaster Dairy Goat Meeting,
Farm and Home Center, 7:30
p.m.
1986 Women in Ag Day, Villa Leo
Quality Inn, Harrisburg.
North East Community Fair,
North East; continues through
Sept. 20.
Oley Valley Community Fair,
Oley; continues through Sept.
20.
Penns Agri-Women annual
meeting.
Wayne County Extension meeting,
BEFORETHE
BEGINNING
September?, 1986
Background Scripture; Genesis
1:1 through 2:3
Devotional Reading: Isaiah 45:7-
12.
Many scientists believe that the
universe began with a great ex
plosion of primal elements. This
theory, called “the Big Bang
Theory,” has resulted in math
matical calculations that many
believe pinpoint a relatively
precise moment when the “Big
Bang” took place billions of years
ago. Some scientists have even
constructed a precise scenario of
what happened minute-by-minute.
I am not personally competent to
evaluate this theory or these
computations. I do see in them a
certain logic and I find these ideas
most stimulating and provocative.
Sometimes thinking about the
I WHEN DO
\WE START?
thoroughly, right down to the boot.
Also, when you are taking feed out
of the bin, keep a close watch for
chunks of feed; it will tell you if a
problem is developing.
After cleaning out the bin, it
should be sprayed with a mold
inhibitor and allowed to dry. You
can use calcium proprionate
solution as the inhibitor, at the rate
of 21 ounces per gallon of water for
the spray. One of the best ways to
prevent this condensation problem
is to insulate the bin. The in
sulation will slow down the tem
perature fluctuation.
To Stop Feeding
Trees and Shrubs
The time is here when we should
not be applying any fertilizer to
rose bushes, trees and shrubs. The
season’s growing period is about
over and new growth should have a
chance to harden before cold
weather arrives. When we fertilize
during the fall we encourage new
growth, which will be tender, and
will winter-kill in zero weather.
It is best to wait until early
spring to apply any plant food to
these types of plants. Mulching is a
good practice to help conserve
moisture and control weeds, but
keep the fertilizer in the bag until
the 1987 season.
The Cooperative Extension Service is an at
firmative action equal opportunity educational
institution
7:45 p.m., Bethany Methodist
Giurch Hall. Speaker, Penn
State ag economics specialist
H. Louis Moore.
Saturday, September 20
Pa. State Dairy Princess pageant,
Harrisburg Marriott. Recep
tion, 5:30 p.m. Dinner, 6; 30 p.m.
Little Buffalo Festival of the Arts,
Little Buffalo State Park,
Newport.
Delaware Valley Old Time Power
and Equipment Association
annual show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
LambertvUle, N.J. Working
exhibits, food, hay rides.
Parking - $2 per car. Continues
Sept. 21.
universe and my place in it helps to
put things into perspective.
IN THE BEGINNING
I am also intrigued when these
same scientists confess that,
although they can estimate what
happened in the minutes and hours
following the “Big Bang,” there is
no way of knowing what happened
or was going on even a fraction of a
second before it. If in fact there
was a “Big Bang” that brought the
universe into being, scientists
cannot and probably never will
be able to determine who, what
or why caused the great event of
creation to begin.
It is important for us to deter
mine as well as we can what really
happened when the universe came
into being, not just as a matter of
curiosity about the past, but as a
means of understanding the
present and anticipating the
future. But, if science can tell us
what happened at the beginning, it
is not less important for us to
continue to contemplate what or
who caused that beginning.
“VERY GOOD”
It is at this point that the Book of
Genesis and its early chapters
mean so much to me, for I find it
impossible to think that the world
“just happened,” that there was
nothing or no one who caused it to
happen “Big Bang or no bang at
all. For, if the God had a purpose in
creating the world and Genesis
says this plainly what is his
purpose for humanity in general
and me in particular? Genesis
says, “God blessed them ... be
fruitful and multiply ... have
dominion..
The Genesis story of creation
also affirms something which both
the secular world and Christians
seem to forget from time to time:
“God saw everything that he had
made, and behold, it was very,
very good” (1:31).
Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by the
Committee on the Uniform Senes and used by
permission Released by Community & Suburban
Press