(Continued from Page A2O)
some segments of agriculture.
q. So we could say Extension in a
way helps city and urban people
become more aware of
agriculture? Another area is the
whole idea of textbooks, either
giving an antiquated idea of
agriculture or they give problem
examples where agriculture is not
in the text at all. Is there some way
that we can get ag in the classroom
through our textbooks? Is there
some way Extension or Penn State
itself can work on that?
A. I think there are ways that this
can be done. I think this is cer
tainly not one where all the ideas
have been expressed. We all have
to think creatively. The ag in the
classroom concept makes a lot of
sense to me in terms of getting in
the hands of our science teachers
examples and materials that they
can utilitize in their classroom
setting. For example in the food
science area, there is a workbook
that has been put together. It’s
made up of experiments for junior
high school and high school level
students that science teachers can
utilize in their science laboratory.
These are experiments on food.
One has to do with the jellying
phenomenon that occurs when you
make jello. That’s something that
we all take for granted. But there
is some very interesting chemistry
involved there. One has to do with
bread baking. And that’s a very
interesting process as well. So if
we begin early, I think we can help
students make that connection
between the food that they eat and
the interesting science behind it.
And they will, then as they are
looking at career opportunities and
career possibilities, make that
connection. And food science is in
agriculture. The same thing can be
said for some of the other fields in
agriculture.
Q. So they pick up some of the
ideas about agriculture by
osmosis?
A. Yes. It’s sort of by association.
I think the word agriculture, quite
honestly, except for those of us who
are immersed in it, sometimes
hurts us more than it helps us
because of the narrow definition
most people assign to it. Some are
suggesting we ought to change the
name of our college. I’m not about
to jump into that one in my first
year. But it’s an interesting
thought, because agriculture
implies farming. It ought to be food
in agriculture or agricultural
sciences. Again the kids that are
looking out there at a career, find it
a bit misleading. Also don’t forget
the Governor’s school for
agriculture which we had for the
first time this summer. That was a
case where we had 65 of the
brightest, young high school
students from around the state and
28 or 29 of them came from one per
each one of the intermediate units
around the state. The other 35 or so
came from across the state on a
competitive basis. But in that five
week period those kids had an
opportunity to work with our
faculty in laboratory settings, in
field settings, in a whole variety of
experiences. The enthusiasm it
generates has come not only from
farm kids where you would have
known it would have been
generated. But also for kids who
came out of urban and suburban
settings. I just had a letter last
week from one of the people from
Allegheny County talking about
how they had formed a local
alumni group for the school. They
want to have an alumni get
together next year when the group
is back. I think again we have been
able to do something innovative.
Q. Let’s jump a bit to the subject
of biotechnology. Again it goes
back to the production end of it.
-What ramifications do you see
biotechnology having in
agriculture? Whether it be in
plants or dairy. It all has its im
plications on agriculture to some
degree.
A. I honestly believe, Everett,
that biotechnology is going to allow
our producers, growers and
processors to be more efficient in
the long run. Now we are just at the
beginning of time, if you will, as
far as biotechnology is concerned.
I think there are an infinite
number of possibilities. For
example, we now have the ability
to move genetic information,
pieces of genes, from one cell to
another. That’s simple
biotechnology. The neat thing
about that is that if you can
identify what piece of a gene in a
particular plant is responsible for
resistance to a particular disease
then you can transfer that gene
into a plant that doesn’t have that
resistance. What that means is
that you no longer have to spray
for that disease. So this not only
has the saving economically, but
tremendously impacts en
vironment. They are now breeding
new varieties of fruits and
vegetables and field crops with
disease resistance built in. We’ve
been breeding for disease
resistance for a long time. But it’s
the old trial and error method. This
one is resisted and this one isn’t.
And if we cross it maybe we’ll get
one. It’s a very random type thing.
But with biotechnology we have
the techniques where we can
identify that segment of the gene
that’s got that resistance in it.
Then you can move it around into
anything. You can move it from
bacteria into plants into animals.
That’s a very exciting kind of
thing. What that means is lower
costs. And it’s environmentally
attractive. You can alter
nutritional quality and so on. On
the animal side. The work that’s
going on in our dairy and animal
science department includes
feeding growth hormone to pigs.
What we are able to show is that we
can produce leaner pork by the use
of this growth hormone. You have
much less fat and you don’t have to
change the feed. It doesn’t alter the
Performance you can bank on.
A number of
risk-reducing
characteristics.
You can count on G-4626 in your well-balanced corn
program. Top-notch plant health makes this hybrid an
ideal choice wherever disease pressures are common.
But the good news doesn’t stop there. The yield poten
tial you get with G-4626 makes it an excellent selection
for many areas.
You’ll also reduce risks at harvest time. G-4626
dries down fast so you can get it out of the field right
on time! And its full-season, high-yielding ability lets you
push for high returns per acre.
Plan on planting plenty of G-4626. Call your Hoffman
representative today.
Hoffman Seeds, Inc.,
Landisville, PA. 17538
The limitation ol warranty and remedy
on the lag attached lo each hag ol
Funk s G Hybrids sold is pan ol the
terms of sale thereof
Funk s is a brand name
Numbers identity varieties
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 4,1986-A2l
eating quality. And the consumer
wants less fat. Let’s face it. We do
need to be thinking about what is
attractive to the consumer, not
what we think is good for
agriculture. This is what
biotechnology can do. And what
that means then is that we can
tailor make our products.
Therefore, presumably make them
more marketable. So I think it has
tremendous marketing potential in
agriculture.
Q. How would you assess the
future of agriculture?
A. We have today in spite of all
you hear, some incredible op
portunities in the food agriculture
Lancaster Farmers
to Meet Oct. 13
LANCASTER - The 35th annual
meeting of the Lancaster County
Farmers’ Association will be held
Monday evening, October 13, 1986,
at 7 p.m., at the Country Table
Restaurant, Route 230 East, Mount
Joy.
Purpose of the session is to elect
officers and adopt policies for the
general farm organization, which
has 1,187 farm members.
The terms of seven Board of
Director members expire at this
annual meeting, including Issac
Geib, Manheim; Earl G. Martin,
Ephrata; Dennis Weaver, Lititz;
Earl Newcomer, Washington
Boro; Paul Hartz, Morgantown;
Gordon Hoover, Gap; and James
Hess, Quarryville.
The farm group has been ac
tively gathering policy suggestions
from its membership, which will
be submitted to the total mem
bership for its consideration. Once
policies are adopted they remain in
force for one year.
Funk s G-Hybnd and
design are trademarks of
Ciba-Getgy Corporation
and forestry sectors. I think we’ve
just got to identify and define those
sectors. Address them vigorously
and not ring our hands about what
has been or what might have been.
Let’s be positive. Seek out op
portunities. A friend of mine said,
“There are no problems. There are
just opportunities.” I think that’s
true in agriculture. Agriculture
defined in a broad sense. The
importance of research and Ex
tension to identify and explore
these opportunities is an incredible
opportunity. But we are not going
to make advances if we don’t have
those good research and Extension
programs.
Delegates to the annual meeting
of the Pennsylvania Farmers’
Association, which will be held
November 17,18, & 19, at Hershey
Lodge Convention, Hershey, are to
be chosen also.
President Donald Ranch,
Paradise, will give his annual
report along with several standing
committee chairmen.
Tickets for the county annual
meeting are available from any
board of director member, or can
be paid at the door Monday
evening.
Entertainment will be provided
by the LANCO LADDS, a bar
bershop quartet from Lancaster.
Their routine includes classic
ballads, comedy, and beautiful
harmonizing.
The Lancaster County Farmers’
Association is active in community
affairs and is a lobbying
organization working to secure
favorable legislation for the rural
community. It also offers business
services to its members.
6105 H