AlO-Lmcaster Farming, Saturday, November 15,1986
OPINION
A Time To Merge
Merger. The name means a blending or a
loss of identity. To some, merger implies a
passing of an era.
In southeast Pennsylvania Inter-State and
Lehigh Valley Farmers are tabulating votes
for the proposed merger of the two financially
strong dairy cooperatives to form a stronger
cooperative, Atlantic Dairy.
Members often consider merger talks with
trepidation, until a presentation of the facts.
The merger will create operational and
hauling efficiencies and increase the
bargaining power of cooperative members on
the milk market.
Additionally, members will realize an
immediate increase in cash with the return of
equity to members of both co-ops.
Atlantic Dairy Cooperative will provide a
new strength, not only in the marketplace, but
in researching new products and developing
new marketing strategies to increase daily
product consumption. By pooling their
resources and management, the two
cooperatives will be able to withstand com
petition from other milk marketing agencies,
independents or cooperatives.
The move strengthens the entire dairy
industry in the Northeast through the
reduction of destructive competition. Com
petition for the dairymen’s milk supply still
abounds in the field, providing ample
alternatives for the dissatisfied individual.
Dairymen Inc.’s merger with Maryland
Cooperative in 1982 stands as a model for the
success and growth possible for the proposed
merger.
Dairymen in the two co-ops face a new
beginning; a means to face the future with
confidence.
Dairy marketing observers have en
thusiastically supported the merger, labeling
the union overduehy a decade.
Historically a friction has existed between
the two groups stemming from the different
philosophies used in marketing their mem
bers’ milk. Lehigh Valley was a bottling co-op
and Inter-State was solely a bargaining co-op.
This stigmatism appears to be the largest
hurdle for some co-op members on both sides
of the fence. Once these feelings are placed
aside, the proposal can be viewed for what it
is a sound economical decision which will
provide the general membership with a new
organization they can proudly identify with.
To everything there is a season; a time for
every purpose under heaven for Lehigh
Valley and Inter-State members, it is a time
to merge.
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Control Winter Alfalfa Weeds
Winter weeds in our alfalfa fields
are every bit as predictable as
summer weeds are in corn and
soybeans.
Colder weather is here and hay
fields are dormant. We now have a
choice to use different herbicides,
depending largely on the kinds of
weeds present. The most com
monly found winter annuals in
alfalfa at this time include
chickweed and the four mustard
weeds shepherds purse, pep
perweed, pennycress and yellow
rocket. Also, expect to see
seedlings of other weeds plus some
r ih
Farm Calendar
Saturday, November 15
Md. Food and Wine Celebration, 11
a.m. to 8 p.m., Baltimore
Museum of Industry,
Baltimore, Md. Continues Nov.
16, noon to 6 p.m.
Flemington N.J. County Board of
Ag annual dinner. Social hour, 6
p.m. Dinner, 7 p.m. Quaker
town Fire House. For reser
vations call 201-788-1338.
Farm Toy Show and Sale,
Americana Host Farm Resort
Hotel, Rt. 30 East, Lancaster, 9
a.m. to 3 p.m. Auction, 5 p.m.
Grand Squares Square Dance,
East Petersburg Fire Hall, 8
p.m.
Sunday, November 16
North American International
Livestock Show, Louisville,
Ky.; continues through Nov. 18.
Annual Meeting, Pa. Farm and
Power Equipment Dealers
Association, American Host
Resort, Lancaster.
Monday, November 17
Annual Meeting of Pa. Association
of County Ag Agents, Penn
State University; continues
through Nov. 18.
PFA Annual Meeting, Hershey
Lodge and Convention Center;
continues through Nov. 19.
N.J. Farm Bureau Convention,
Sheraton Post Inn, Cherry Hill;
continues through Nov. 19.
Huntingdon County Holstein
Directors Meeting, Harpster’s
Cabin, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 19
Sire Power Inc. Annual Meeting,
Tunkhannock.
Thursday, November 20
Lancaster County Poultry
H4ERE IT 15
. A&A IN/
old, tough perennials, too. It pays
to know your weeds present before
selecting the herbicide.
Check the “Agronomy Guide"
and read the label on the container
or package. There are directions
and limitations to get the job done
right... in the next six weeks.
To “Push The Pencil”
Farm records are a very im
portant part of modern farming;
they are needed for tax purposes
and for the benefit of farm plan
ning. Since we are at the end of the
cropping season, and the end of the
calendar year, it might be a good
time to do some office work and
determine the best enterprise for
the past year. You’ll need to
consider any unusual cir
cumstances, such as the Tax
Reform Act of 1986, and how it will
affect your operation.
Time spent in analyzing farm
records and in planning the future
based on these records should be
very worthwhile. Major decisions
are hard to make but are very
important in today’s farming. We
hope that good farm records can
contribute to these decisions.
To Plan Ahead For
Machinery Repairs
Most of the outside field work is
finished for this year. I also know
that every farm has machinery
that needs repair and service. If
you are planning to have this done
Banquet, Olde Hickory Inn, 6:30
p.m.
Lancaster dairy goat meeting,
Lancaster Farm and Home
Center, 7:30 p.m.
Lebanon County Farm-City
Banquet.
Inter-State Milk Producer’s Co-op
Annual Meeting, Host Farm,
A PROMISE
OF RETURN
November 16,1986
Background Scripture: Zechariah
8:1-17.
Devotional Reading: Jeremiah
29:10-14.
There are two ways for the
modern reader of Zechariah to
regard the eighth chapter and the
assurances that the people of
Judah will return from captivity.
On the one hand, you may regard it
as an account of a restoration that
happened more than two thousand
years ago. As such, it is an in
teresting perspective on the
history of Israel and her history.
But, apart from what we as
Christians inherited from Israel, it
would appear that the story has
little to do with us today.
I WILL RETURN
There is, however, another way
at your machinery dealer, it would
be wise to contact him in the near
future so it’s on his work schedule.
I’m aware of the spring rush next
March and April; and I know your
local service man will appreciate
the work during the fall and into
the long winter days. It can also
save time if parts need to be or
dered to complete the job. The
objective is to be planning for this
repair work now. Have it done so
your machinery is ready to go
early next spring.
To Order Small Fruit
Plants Early
This may strike you as
premature, but now is a good time
to order small fruit plants for next
spring. Although you won’t put
them in the ground until April, you
should be flipping through catalogs
now. Ordering early assures you of
a wide selection of the best
varieties. Companies begin filling
orders with their best stock...if you
delay, you could be stuck with
what’s left over. Ordering early
also means you’ll get your
strawberries or raspberries or
whatever at the best time to plant.
So, dig out those catalogs now...
get your order in... and be
prepared for delicious fruit from
your planting.
The Cooperative Extension Service is an
affirmative action, equal opportunity
educational institution
Lancaster; continues through
Nov. 21.
Annual Meeting, Pa. Association of
Extension Home Economists,
Penn State University.
Women’s Ag Forum, Annapolis,
Md., 9:15 a.m., Holiday Inn,
Riva Road. Contact Pat
Stabler, 301-948-6744. $lO
registration fee.
Friday, November 21
Annual Farm-City Week begins;
continues through Nov. 28.
Bucks County DHIA banquet, 7
p.m. St. Matthews Church
(Turn to Page Al 6)
of responding to this ancient
history: we may regard the
promise of return as applicable to
us as well as to Judah. I am not
therefore indicating that I believe
we are likely to be carried into
physical captivity as were the
people of Judah. Nevertheless, we
can experience spiritual exile just
as the ancient Jews suffered
political captivity. In fact, I would
submit to you that we are in
spiritual exile whenever we allow
ourselves to be separated in any
way from God and his will for our
world.
One of the things that the prophet
Zechariah proclaimed to the Jews
in exile was that God’s purpose
cannot be thwarted, regardless of
what transpires on the stage of
history. It was God’s purpose to
restore Jerusalem and Judah and
so it would come to pass not
because the Jews deserved it, but
because he purposed it. Likewise,
today when we find ourselves in
spiritual exile, we too need to be
reminded that God’s purpose will
be accomplished even though we
have thrown some barriers in his
way. We may be humiliated, but
God’s will remains intact and we
take our hope for the future in that.
A SOWING OF PEACE
We are constantly called to faith
as they were: “For there shall be a
sowing of peace; the vine shall
yield its fruit, and the ground shall
give its increase ... so will I save
you and you will be a blessing”
(8:12,13).
But there is one additional facet
to this message of hope: we are to
live rightly if we hope to be saved.
“Speak the truth to one another,
render in your gates judgements
that are true and make for peace,
do not devise evil in your hearts
against one another, and love no
false oath, for all these things 1
hate, says the Lord' ’ (8; 16,17).
Two thousand years has not
changed those requirements one
bit.
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by the
Committee on the Uniform Senes and used by
permission Released by Community & Suburban
Press