VOL 31 No. 51
A Blueberry Omelet?
Park City shoppers Danielle and Lisa
Ayers (left front to rear) stoppfgEnty 'the Lancaster County
Poultry Federation stand on Thursday to help celebrate Park
City's Farm City Week. Culinary whiz Shirley Pflieger served
up a blueberry omelet that left smiles, rather than egg, on
everybody's faces.
4-H Agents Convene In Hershey For National Conference
BY SALLY BAIR
Lancaster Co. Correspondent
HERSHEY - Over 1,200 4-H
Extension agents from across the
United States and Canada are
meeting at the Hershey Convention
Center this week for their 40th
annual conference. “4-H Keystone
of the Future” was the theme of
the conference and set the tone for
the five-day event.
Dr. Samuel Smith, president of
Washington State University and
former dean of the college of
agriculture at Penn State
University, told the agents that
they are an integral part of the
land grant system and reminded
Nation’s Pork Producers Begin Checkoff
BY JACK HUBLEY
LANCASTER - While cat
tlemen have been fattening '’the
promotion and research kitty at
the rate of $1 a head since Oct. 1, a
similar pork checkoff program
begins next Saturday, Nov. 1.
Like the beef program, the pork
checkoff is mandated by Farm Bill
’B5. There are some differences
between the two programs,
though.
While the beef checkoff is |1 a
head, hogs will be checked off at
the rate of one-quarter of one
percent on the gross amount
received for any hog sold. The
producer is responsible for paying
that amount, while the buyer must
collect it.
The 15-member National Pork
Board will be responsible for
administering the funds. Earlier
this year, delegates from each
Four Sections
them that 4-H and the land grant
universities have grown up
together since they were signed
into law by President Abraham
Lincoln.
“We are unique and will never be
duplicated,” Smith told the
delegates, adding, “No one does a
better job of serving our society
than our land grant system.”
Smith states, “You are part of a
vibrant system. We are not just
educators; we are ‘life-changers.’
We are involved m a truly won
derful business.”
Challenging the agents to have a
“continuing commitment,” Smith
reminded them that as 4-H youth
professionals they are role models
state were responsible for
nominating board members.
Pennsylvania’s delegates are Phil
Frieling of Begins and Dave
Reinecker of York Springs.
While most of the checkoff funds
are earmarked for national
promotion efforts, a portion will be
returned to each state, based on
the state’s annual hog marketings,
according to Eugene Wingert,
Pennsylvania’s representative on
the National Pork Producers
Council’s board of directors.
“There’s a good possibility we’ll
go to 33 percent (return),” says
Wingert, pointing out that two
other states, Kentucky and Ten
nessee, fall into this category.
States producing small numbers of
hogs, such as New Hampshire, will
realize a 39-percent return, while
major producers, such as lowa,
with 11,000,000 head, will receive
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 25,1986
Agway President Sees Positive
Signs For Northeast Farmers
BY EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The leader
of one of the nation’s largest farm
cooperatives stated that there are
several positive signs for northeast
fanners in the midst of the farm
crisis that continues to affect rural
America.
Agway President William Hiller,
speaking at the 22nd Agway An
nual Meeting here Thursday,
stated that despite significant
current problems for individual
farmers, a diversified agriculture,
nearness to affluent markets and
increasing per capita consumption
of dairy products offer bright spots
in the troubled farm economy.
“The fundamental problem is
one of surpluses, low prices and
high debt levels,” Hiller said. “The
farm crisis can provide op
portunity for farmers and their
cooperatives who manage their
resources well, to adopt proven
new technology and market
aggressively.”
The Agway president reported
consolidated earnings of $16.6
million for the fiscal year, which
ended June 30, 1986. This was up
from $14.1 million last year con
Dr. Samuel Smith
for youth. He added, “You can
never underestimate what you can
16.5 percent.
Wingert estimates that Penn
sylvania will generate $250,000 in
checkoff monies the first year,
based on annual marketings of 1
million head, that means 33 per
cent, or $82,500, would be returned
to the state.
But don’t expect an additional
$82,500-worth of results right away,
says Wingert, pointing out that
Pennsylvania already has a
voluntary checkoff of its own in
force.
Wingert explains that the state’s
NPPC delegates adopted a three
tenths-of-one-percent checkoff two
years ago, which actually exceeds
the new rate. Since the program
was voluntary, though, about 80
percent of the hog producers
participated. Pennsylvania’s
return through this voluntary
(Turn to Page A3B)
tinuing a four-year trend of im
provement. Consolidated sales
volume was $3.5 billion, down from
$4.1 billion last year. Most of the
sales decline was attributed to
falling petroleum prices.
The Agway leader reported the
farm cooperative ended the year in
a strong financial position with an
excellent balance sheet.
LF Editor Wins Journalism Award
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The
annual meeting of the Nor
theast Farm Communicators
Association met here Thur
sday morning in conjunction
with the Agway Annual
Meeting. Newspaper persons,
TV and radio personnel,
cooperative, corporate,
university and government
media representatives from
all across the northeast at
tended.
In the election of officers,
Richard Arnold, manager of
corporate communications for
Agway was elected president.
Elected vice president was
accomplish, and never pass up an
opportunity to let people know
about what you do.”
' He suggested to the agents that
they should develop more in-depth
relationships with their local
media and explore new avenues of
promoting themselves and their
land grant institutions. “No idea, if
positive, is too radical to con
sider.”
“Your initiative can help
strengthen and expand the role of
4-H in land grant institutions.”
Smith also urged the group to
develop better internal com
munications, noting that it is
important for them to become
known on their home campuses,
and for them to establish contacts
with a variety of departments.
Keeping programs current is an
important part of the agents’
contribution to strengthening 4-H,
Smith said. “We must learn from
youth and parents and learn what’s
affecting them now. What are their
needs and concerns?” He said
agents have an obligation to offer
programs in the areas of illegal
drug use and personal computers,
and pointed out that most
Turn Clocks Back
Farmers will have to get up
an hour earlier to beat the
rooster out of bed tomorrow
morning. Starting at 2 a.m.
Sunday, Eastern Standard time
begin.
That means you’ll need to
turn the alarm clock back an
hour before you hit the sack
Saturday night. If you forget,
$8.50 per Year
NEW DAIRY RESEARCH
ANNOUNCED
In addition, President Hiller
announced that the farm
cooperative has entered into a
contract with the Upjohn Company
to conduct dairy cattle research on
the practical effects of bovine
somatotropin. The study is being
(Turn to Page A 39)
Anthony Schlesier, manager
of corporate relations Eastern
Milk Producers. Vanna
Guldenschuh, advertising
manager New England
Farmer, was elected
secretary-treasurer and
Everett Newswanger, Lan
caster Fanning editor, was
named a director.
In the annual jounalism
contest, Editor Newswanger
won the photo/joumalism
division with one of his “site
seeing” photo stories. Lucien
Laliberty, Jr., managing
director Farm Resource
Center, was named Farm
Communicator of the Year.
universities have staff members
available to present programs on
these topics.
An international emphasis is
also important in 4-H’s future,
Smith said. “The global com
munity has become a point of in
terest. The United States must
move out of its insularity.” He said
it is easy to add an international
dimension to many programs.
4-H agents are valuable to their
land grant institutions as potential
recruiters and can help univer
sities become aware of course
offerings they will need in the
future. He said, "No group is more
expert than you are.”
A full program of seminars and
workshops designed for
professional improvement was
also offered through the con
ference.
In a 4-H showcase, 4-H members
from Pennsylvania will highlight
their programs. Giving presen
tations will be the Lancaster
County 4-H Seemg Eye Puppy
Club, the Lebanon County 4-H
Consumer Demonstration Team
and the Dauphin County 4-H
doggers.
listen for the rooster’s crow as
he announces the dawn, an hour
earlier.
The time change signals the
end of outdoor evening activites
for many as darkness will fall
early in the evening. The good
news for early risers it won’t
seem like the middle of the
night when alarm sounds.