VOL 32 No. 17
Boyd Wolff and Mrs. Wolff (left) share the spotlight this week in the governor's office
as Wolff was sworn in as Pennsylvania’s new Agriculture Secretary. Administering the
oath of office is James J. Haggerty, Secretary of State. Governor Robert Casey is on the
right.
Snider, Sands Join Holstein Hall Of Fame Ranks
WILKES-BARRE - Two more
Pennsylvania dairymen were
named to the Holstein Hall of
Fame here Thursday night as
Ralph Sands of Wyoming and Obie
Snider of Imler were honored for
their contributions to the state’s
dairy industry.
Snider, owner-operator of
Singing Brook Farms, is well
known in the dairy community as a
successful Holstein breeder. He
served as president of the Penn
sylvania Holstein Association and
as national HFA director for two
terms.
Internationally known as a
professional judge of registered
Holsteins, Snider has served as
president of the Pennsylvania All-
American Dairy Show since its
establishment in 1963. He is also a
member of the Pennsylvania Milk
Promotion Board.
In 1958, Snider was designated
Outstanding Pennsylvania Young
Farmer and the following year he
Also In Lancaster Farming Territory This Week
Md, Holstein Convention: 812 -16
Del-Myr Gold Holly sold for $ll,lOO, the top price at the
Maryland Holstein Convention Sale. She sold to Pintail Point
Farm, represented by Dan Vosburg (second from right),
Maureen Vosburg, Louis Schaefer and Jean Schaefer. Holly
was consigned by the Myers family, represented by Roger
(left) behind Krista and Kelli and Jason and Donna Myers.
Also pictured are Denny Remsburg (left in box) and Norman
Hill Billy Heath holds the halter.
received Master Farmer
recognition. He also was honored
with the Progressive Breeders
Registry Award for eight years.
A graduate of Penn State
UnimjgjbLhe continues his in
terest in ras alma mater as
praatfto)tof>the university’s board
of trustees. A firm supporter of the
school’s college of agriculture,
Tobacco Growers Eye Processing
BY JACK RUBLEY
LANCASTER - With the 1986
tobacco buying season coming to a
close, Lancaster County farmers
are finding themselves with a shed
full of Maryland Type 609 tobacco
and depressed prices.
Last year marked the first time
in 40 years that Pennsylvania
growers marketed their tobacco
through an auction system, and
prices averaged $1.15 a pound for
609, the tobacco commonly used in
the manufacture of cigarettes.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 28,1987
Snider served as chairman of the
Ag Arena Fund Campaign which
raised $1.7 million for the new
building.
Snider has served on the board of
directors of the Chestnut Ridge
School District for 28 years and is a
founding member of the East
Freedom Chapel where he serves
as Sunday school teacher and
This year the top grades have been
averaging about half of last year’s
prices, with outgrades selling in
the 12-to-15-cent range.
Plummeting tobacco prices are
generally blamed on a supply of
processed burley tobacco being
offered by the federal government.
According to Ken Brubaker of
Keystone Tobacco Marketing
Group, a marketing company that
represents the county’s auctions,
about 75 million pounds of
(Turn to Page A3B)
And There
Is Much,
Much More
To See...
Wolff Sworn In
As Ag Secretary
Boyd E. Wolff, a lifelong farmer
from Westmoreland County, was
sworn in as Pennsylvania’s
Secretary of Agriculture in
ceremonies in the capital.
“We want to assure legislatures
representatmg rural Pennsylvania
that their voices will be heard,”
Governor Robert P. Casey said in
remarks at the conclusion of the
ceremony.
“We want to make it clear to
people who live in rural areas that
we care about them as in
dividuals,” Casey said. “These are
the concerns of this administration
and of Secretary Wolff.”
As secretary, Wolff, 55, oversees
elder.
Snider and his wife, Mary Ann,
have recorded several albums of
Christian music. The couple has
four children and seven grand
children.
Wyoming dairyman Ralph Sands
is owner/operator of Sandsdale
Farms. Sands and his wife,
Marion, farm 206 acres (90 are
rented) with a helping hand from
daughter Harriet.
In February 1985 Sands sold the
majority of his dairy herd to
Laverne Herr of Gettysburg, but
retained a few younger animals
which he is using along with new
stock to build another, smaller
champion herd.
An active member of the
Columbia-Luzeme Holstein Club,
Sands is past and current president
of the organization, a past state
director and, for the past 15 years,
has served as sales representative.
An official cattle judge, Sands
has presided over shows in six
Pa, Cattlemen 9 s Conference: D 2
Three prominent beef industrymen were honored at the
Pennsylvania Cattlemen's Association annual conference at
Boiling Springs last weekend. Honorees were Leon Falk, Jr,
Seedstock Producer award; Norman Painter, Commercial
Cattleperson award; and Walt Keister, Industry Services
award
Five Sections
the commonwealth leading in
dustry-a source of more than $35
billion in economic activity and
jobs for one out of every five
Pennsylvanians.
“I expect agriculture to play an
important roll in this ad
ministration revitalization of the
state’s economy,” Wolff said after
taking the oath of office from
Secretary of State James
Haggerty.
“It is an honor to serve in the
Casey administration for an in
dustry I know well and love,” said
Wolff, a full-time farmer and
leader in the local and state
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states and has been helpful in
selecting cattle for export both
nationally and internationally.
A Holstein breeder for 38 years,
Sands has raised numerous Ex
cellent cows. In the local club, he
bred high cow for type in 1983 and
again in 1984. At the latest
classification, his herd scored 106.5
BAA.
Sands has shown the grand
champion Holstein at the Penn
sylvania Farm Show several
times, and took home the top honor
from the State Black and White
Show, and Bloomsburg and
Hartford Fairs as well. He also
earned several “All-PA” awards
and several of his cows were
nominated for “All-American.”
Many of the bulls bred by Sands
have been purchased by Western
Cattle Breeders, Ontario,
Hamilton Cattle Breeders, On
tario, Tn-State Breeders, Wise.,
Eastern Cattle Breeders, Ithaca,
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$8.50 Per Year