BY MARTHA J. GEHRINGER LANCASTER When Dennis Remsburg brought the hammer down for the final time on the final item he marked the end of the sale and the end of a tradition. Thursday’s Taneybrook Holsteins Dispersal will go down in the annals of the Guernsey Breeders Association as the final dairy sale held at the Guernsey Sales Pavilion. A sales agreement for the famous landmark has been reached; the final signing is ex pected later this month. The new owners plan to demolish the barn and build an outlet mall in its place. Erected in 1947, the sales pavilion has hosted many events and dairy sales for all breeds. The largest sale was the 1976 National Holstein Sale. Horace Backus, who made the announcements at the 1976 sale as well as Taneybrook’s sale, remembers the ease with which the barn accommodated the large crowd present for the sale. He credits the planners of the sales pavilion with a great deal of foresight, “It took a lot of nerve back then to build it this big.’’ The Taneybrook sale marked an alpha and omega for Backus as he also managed the first Holstein sale to be held at the Guernsey bam in 1962. The owner of Hill Girt Farms, Chadds Ford, insisted on dispersing his herd of Holsteins and Guernseys at the sales bam, Backus said. At first they worried about resistance from the Guern sey breeders if they tried to sell Holsteins at the bam. However little opposition was encountered, he said. After a successful sale in 1964, the Backus Brothers decided to permanently move their annual Golden Harvest Sale from the Farm Show building in Harrisburg to the Lancaster sale barn. Backus summed up his feelings and the feelings of the group at the dispersal on the impending sale of ‘Beagle Brigade 9 In War Against Food Pests, Diseases WASHINGTON - Secretary of Agriculture Richard Lyng has announced that the U.S. Depart ment of Agriculture’s “detector dog” pilot project is being ex panded and made a permanent program under a new name: the “Beagle Brigade.” Speaking at a news conference in the USDA Patio, Lyng said the green-jacketed beagles who sniff baggage for prohibited fruit and meat from abroad “will soon be a familiar sight to thousands of air travelers entering the United States.” The Beagle Brigade is a project of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the agency charged with protecting U.S. agriculture against the in troduction of foreign animal and plant tests or diseases. The dogs’ olfactory prowess catches fruit or meat in passenger baggage at some U.S international airports. The beagles are trained to sit when they discover a suspect suitcase, which is then checked by an APHIS inspector for agricultural products that could harbor a plant or animal pest or disease. According to APHIS Deputy Administrator William Helms, the project has been one of the most successful ever undertaken at USDA, both in terms of ef fectiveness and in getting a vital message to the public. “Our present dogs have an average success rate of 80 percent and the more they work, the better they Last Sale Held At Guernsey Bam the pavilion as sentimental. He explained, “It’s hard not to be, it’s a great place. We worked here a long time and it will be hard to replace. It’s the end of an era. That may be a cliche, but it’s true.” John Merryman of Sparks, Md., Guernsey breeder and auctioneer, attended the first sale 39 years ago and the last sale. Merryman, who auctioneered many sales at the pavilion, became a spectator and a buyer' at Thursday’s sale. He purchased the ring and auction box for $135. “I spent enough time in it, I thought I might as well take it home,” he said. Charles McLaughlin, owner of Taneybrook Holsteins, dispersed the herd to allow his hand to heal following recent surgery. He in jured it in a farm accident a year ago. McLaughlin, who worked Guernsey sales part-time for Merryman at the pavilion, wanted to hold his dispersal at the sales bam. He noted the reason for this decision was its excellent location in a good cattle market. However, at the time of his decision he had no idea it would be the last sale. The sale averaged $1,106 on 68 head. Brian Skarka of Westtown, N.Y. bought the sale topper, Brooklandwood Chairman Alice, for $3,800. This 3 year old’s incomplete record stands at 14,590 pounds of milk and 495 pounds of fat in 224 days. The Chairman daughter also has a cow index of +B7O, +23 and 43 percent. She will freshen in December with a Marshfield Elevation Tony calf. Her dam was sired by Eng-Amer Ivanhoe Jerry and produced a top record of 17,970 pounds of milk with a 3.7 test. The next dam’s best effort stands at 28,590 pounds of milk and 1,056 pounds of fat in 365 days. Clyde Plushanski of Kutztown bought the next high animal with a bid of $3,600. Al-Mac Rotate Gala get,” Helms said. “And their presence in airports is a constant reminder to travelers of the im portance of agricultural quarantine laws.” Helms said that by the end of the year, the Beagle Brigade will have 13 dogs working in airports. Three of the dogs will join veteran teams at Los Angeles and San Francisco International Airports and JFK International Airport in New York. Others will go to Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and either Boston or Seattle. Helms called for the support of the public in preventing outbreaks of costly pest infestations and livestock diseases. “Even though hundreds of APHIS inspectors and the Beagle Brigade do all they can to keep out agricultural con traband, we need every in ternational traveler to be aware that a single orange innocently carried into the country could have caused the Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak in California a few years ago.” He said it cost taxpayers $lOO million to eradicate the Medfly, and that it could cost billions to eradicate a foreign livestock disease. The dogs have played a major role in another recent addition to the agricultural quarantine program, according to Helms; Fines imposed on travelers who fail to declare prohibited agricultural products now total more than $1 million. Brooklandwood Chairman Alice topped the Taneybrook Dispersal Thursday with a price of $3,800. This was the last dairy sale scheduled for the Guernsey Sales Pavilion. On hand for the final sale were, left, Jay Howes, John Zimmerman, Dennis Remsburg, buyer Brian Sharka, and herd owner Charles McLaughlin. In the box, left, Charles Myers, Mike Weimer, Mindy McLaughlin and Horace Backus. Jeff Staner, superin tendent of the barn, is on the halter. will freshen later this month with a Bell calf Her dam, classified EX-91, has an incomplete record of 26,300 pounds of milk and 878 pounds of fat in 271 days as a 7 year old. Also selling for the $3,600 price tag was Konigswinter Rotate Lana. Timothy Raynes of Bealeton, Va. purchased this Rotate daughter. She will freshen in March 1987 with a Bell calf. Her dam, an Arlinda Jet Stream daughter, classified Excellent as a 3 year old and produced four records over 20,000 pounds of milk. The next dam classified VG-87 and produced two records over 25,000 pounds of milk. Backus Associates managed the sale, Mike Weimer and Dennis Remsburg auctioneered. The final chapter of the Guern sey barn is almost complete. When the buyer signs on the dotted line, the chapter will be closed. STEER FEEDER LOANS New Holland Farmers National jf Bank EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LENDER NEW HOLLAND SMOKETOWN INTERCOURSE, EDEN RD, LANCASTER MEMBER FDIC Lee Yost, Pat Harr, John Merryman and Jeff Staner were present at the barn when the final bid at the Guernsey Sale Pavilion was accepted. Merryman bought the ring and box for $135. 90/ If you need a loan to purchase steers, m\ come and check out our 12 months, 9% /CJ fixed rate loan. Annual Loan and interest P a V men t terms to match Percentage Rate y° ur sa l es cycle.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers