D2-Lancaster Farming Saturday, September 13,1986
Beef Promotion Check-Off To Begin Oct. 1
HARRISBURG The one-dollar
per head check-off assessment, as
prescribed by federal law, under
the 1985 Beef Promotion and
Research Act, will begin October 1,
1986, according to Paul Heffner,
chairman of the Pennsylvania
Beef Council.
“Assessments must be sent to
the PA Beef Council, recently
named the ‘Qualified State Beef
Council’ by U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture Richard Ling,”
Heffner explained. “Assessments
must be sent by the ‘collecting
person,’ who is generally defined
as the person who pays the
producer for cattle purchased.
Beef Council Reorganizes
HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Beef Council, through a revision of by-laws, has reorganized
in preparation for new responsibilities assumed through the 1985 Beef Promotion and Research Act.
Newly elected officers include: Chairman Paul Heffner, Gettysburg; Chairman-elect Conrad
Grove, Downingtown; Vice-Chairman Ray Grimes, McKnightstown; and Secretary/Treasurer
Millie Bunting, Lancaster.
As Chairman-elect, Grove will oversee financial matters while Grimes will advise BPRA
promotion, education and research program activities.
Five new directors were appointed to the board. They are: Ella Roush and Tony Noll as packer
representatives; James DeGaetano, auction representative; Robert Earle, veal industry
representative; and Millie Bunting, general appointee. The Pennsylvania Beef Council Board of
Directors consists of 20 persons representing all areas of the beef industry plus three ex-officio
members: Dr. Max Vanßuskirk, Joan L. Liesau and Dr. Erskine Cash.
Former PA Beef Council treasurer Robert R. Coleman of Harrisburg was appointed to a newly
created position of Executive Director of the state council. Coleman’s principal responsibility will be
implementation of the BPRA program.
Lowell L. Wilson, of State College, long-time secretary of the PA Beef Council declined to seek re
election but will continue as secretary of the PA Cattlemen’s Association.
Paul Espy, a beef cattle feeder from Tyrone and John Cope, a dairyman from Grantham will
represent Pennsylvania on the new Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board which will
control the national budget for promotion programs for the BPRA.
Under the BPRA, the PA Beef Council became certified as the “Qualified State Beef Council” for
Pennsylvania. Through this certification, the state council has agreed to conduct extensive programs
for promotion, education and research of beef; collect and distribute the sl-per-head check-off
assessments; establish procedures to assure assessments are paid; handle requests for refunds and
exemptions.
The PA Beef Council will also be responsible for balancing the accounts for cattle sold in Penn
sylvania and keeping adequate records by working closely with auctions, packers, processors,
dealers and order buyers in accordance with BPRA and its accompanying Order issued July 18,1985.
According to Heffner, “The sl-per-head check-off assessment program will start October 1,1986.
Assessments must be sent to the PA Beef Council by the ‘collecting person.’ The collecting person is
defined as the person who pays the producer for the cattle purchased. This includes auctions,
packers, processors, dealers and order buyers and others,” he explained.
Sensing Poultry Problems
Successful poultry producers are
often credited with having a sixth
sense for flock management. This
may be true but they also rely
heavily on their normal senses,
especially sight, sound, smell, and
touch.
Simple observation will reveal
much about the health status of a
flock. Disease almost always
produces depression and
weakness. Affected birds tend to
sit and stand rather than move.
There may be relaxation of the
neck, resulting in the head resting
on the shoulders. Other observed
traits include drooping of the wings
with exposure of the primary
feathers and drooping of the tail
with loss of upright main tail
feathers. Because birds respond to
an intruder by a change in activity,
the skilled poultry producer
remains motionless for. several
minutes after entering a house.
This allows the birds to relax and
Collecting persons are: auctions,
packers, processors, dealers,
order buyers, and others,” he said.
The PA Beef Council is assisting
these persons and agencies to
develop a uniform accounting
record which meets the Federal
Order. All records of sales must be
maintained.
The state council has scheduled
10 meetings across the state to
discuss the assessment
procedures, as required by law,
including state-of-origin cattle
identification, 10-day exemption
for dealers, producer refund
requests and other information.
Copies of assessment
Forest
On Fowl
by
Forest Muir
Penn State Extension Poultry Specialist
resume their pattern of un
disturbed activity.
Deviation from expected
behavior can be seen by observing
the number of birds eating and
drinking. When the lights first
come on the birds actively eat and
drink. This activity decreases as
the appetite is satisfied. The
starting and running of feeders
normally stimulates the birds to
eat.
The experienced egg producers
observe the eggs on the trays in
front of the cages before the egg
belts are started. Uneven
distribution or sections of cages
with no eggs is an indicator of
problems. Problems can often be
detected by observing egg
distribution patterns before the
problems are spotted by such
indicators as feed and/or water
consumption.
Observations of the htt.r or
diopping boards can be revealing.
procedures, uniform collection
forms and other information
helpful to “collecting persons” will
be distributed at these meetings.
Meetings will be held at county
extension offices at 7 p.m.
beginning September 15.
“We tried to avoid market nights
so market representatives and
dealers could attend without
conflict,” said Heffner, “but this
wasn’t always possible. We hope
mqst, if not aU, people directly
responsible under this new law will
attend and ask questions,” he
added.
The dollar per head assessment
program will help the beef in-
Wet litter or droppings can be an
indicator of excessive water
consumption, high salt levels or
leaking waterers. The presence of
excess feathers can indicate a
partial or light molt. Shell
problems can often be spotted by
observation of the number of shells
and yolks on the dropping boards.
Skilled poultry producers hear
things in the poultry house. They
note the noise of the chickens.
Another indicator of the health
status of a flock is the “talking” by
the bird. Respiratory rales and
snicks are best appraised by
listening to the flock when it is
sleeping. A good listener can also
pick up many equipment
problems. Squeaking bearings,
rubbing collection belts, dripping
cups, binding scrapes and feeders
can be detected.
The poultry producer can
evaluate the ventilation system by
sensing for ammonia. Its pungent
odor causes it to easily be detected.
Feed problems may be detected by
smelling a handful of feed taken
from the bin and troughs.
The sense of touch is useful in
checking water sanitation,
equipment adjustment and egg
shell texture. Drinking cups that
are not maintained properly ac
cumulate a film of slime
organisms on their surface. This
can be detected by rubbing with a
finger. Shell texture can be
checked by touching the surface of
an egg with the tip of a finger.
Successful poultry producers are
often credited with having a sixth
sense for poultry management. In
reality this sixth sense is nothing
more than a reflection of the skill
the producer uses to apply the five
senses - sight, sound, smell,
tou( h, and taste to the
inanagemtn. of poultry
dustry halt the steady decline of
beef consumption and make beef
production once again profitable
for all segments of the beef in
dustry. “This can be done,”
Heffner said, “by using proven,
effective marketing tools
developed by the Beef Industry
Council, based in Chicago, and the
38 state Beef Councils.” Heffner
explained that the promotion
programs will be controlled
nationally by a new “Cattlemen’s
Beef Promotion and Research
Board” whose members must be
beef producers. Representing
Pennsylvania’s interests on this
Board are Paul Espy, beef cattle
feeder from Tyrone, Blair County,
and John Cope, dairyman from
Grantham, Cumberland County.
After 22 months of program
Beef Check-Off Meetings
Date
Mon Sept 15
Tues Sept 16
Wed Sept 17
Wed Sept 17
Thurs Sept 18
Mon Sept 22
Tues Sept 23
Tues Sept 23
Wed Sept 24
Thurs Sept 25
Franklin Co. Steer
Continues Winning Ways
CHAMBERSBURG - With four
shows to his credit, “Benny” has
two grand champion and one
reserve champion trophies thus far
this show season. Owned by
Regina Lebo of Greencastle, the
Angus-Chianina-Limousin crossb
red recently took grand champion
honors at the Northeast Regional
Chianina Steer Show held in
conjunction with the York Fair.
Last month, at a weight of 1185
pounds, the steer was named
grand champion at the Franklin
County Fair. The daughter of Leon
and Judy Lebo, Regina herself did
as well in the show, being named
champion showman.
Miss Lebo’s top beef was pur
chased from Ollie Bennett at the
Piedmont Club Calf Sale held in
Frederick, Maryland last October.
The steer was bred by Bennett and
sired by Nittany Prince.
Curtis Meyers of Greencastle
took reserve honors at the
Franklin Fair with an Angus-
Judge Don Sunday (left) slapped Regina Lebo's steer for
grand champion honors at the Franklin County Fair. At right
is K urt Mpy?rs with hisreservechampion. „
operation, cattle producers across
the nation will vote through a
national referendum on whether to
continue the established program.
“We as beef producers have
been given the best opportunity
ever to compete more equally with
others for part of the consumer’s
food dollar,” Heffner said. “The
PA Beef Council is dedicated to
making this program a success...
carrying out a coordinated
program with the total beef in
dustry’s interests, as first
priority,” he said.
For more information on the PA
Beef Council and 1985 Beef
Promotion and Research Act,
contact Paul Heffner or Bob
Coleman, Executive Director, PA
Beef Council, 4714 Orchard Street,
Harrisburg, PA 17109,717/545-6000.
Time 700 P M (All Meetings)
location
County Courthouse
Indiana PA 15701
County Courthouse
Honesdale PA 18431
Coop Ext Service Center
Mercer PA 16137
Coop Ext Service Center Jacob Guffey
701 South Fourth Street (717)265 2896
Towanda PA 18848
Courthouse Square Rm 601 Edward Woods
Washington PA 15301 (412)228 6881
191 Franklin Farms Lane William Reagan
Chambersburg PA 17201 (717)263 9226
Farm & Home Center
1383 Arcadia Road
Lancaster PA 17601
723 Portland Avenue
Boro Council Room
Huntingdon PA 16652
Farm & Home Center
1383 Arcadia Road
Lancaster PA 17601
County Courthouse
Lewisburg PA 17837
Collection Procedures and Forms to be Used
Will Be Available at Meeting
Chianina cross weighing 1155
pounds.
Steve Clapsaddle, Waynesboro,
won the lightweight class with an
810-pound Hereford, and also
placed first in the fitting com
petition’s intermediate division.
The top steer in the light mid
dleweight class was a 993-pound
Angus shown by Lonnda
Hawbaker.
Champion in the heavyweight
class was a 1310-pound Angus-
Charolais cross shown by Holly
McLaughtlin of Greencastle. Holly
was also the show’s champion
fitter.
David and Eric Sheiss, Cham
bersburg, both took first-place
honors in fitting and showing in the
novice and junior classes,
respectively.
Judging the 26-head Franklin
Fair show was Don Sunday of York
County. The county’s 4-H Beef Club
Roundup will be held Oct. 11, at the
Greencastle Livestock Market.
Contact
Eugene Schurman
(412)465 2666
Edward Pruss
(717)253 5970
Robert Calvert
(412)662 3800
Chester Hughes
(717)464 2697
Byron Gmther
(814)643 1660
Chester Hughes
(717)464 2697
Norman Conrad
(717)524 4461