VOL 32 No. 26 PFU Self Help Programs Proposed MESHOPPEN - Dairy farmers are being misled regarding un proved milk prices for the up coming months, according to Arden Tewksbury, dairy farmer from Meshoppen who also serves as manager of the Northern Tier Farmers Union Milk cooperative. Tewksbury said, “While the whole herd buyout program reduced milk supplies sub stantially, there have been more dairy farmers leave dairying because of poor economic con ditions versus the whole herd buyout program.” The dairy leader said, “The effects of the program are wearing off because of the lower class prices on milk.” While some people are predicting much higher prices for dairy farmers during the last half of 1987; we don't see it that way. The M.W. price series is still declining (Turn to Page A 35) Vegetables Become Cash Crop Option In Lancaster County BY SUZANNE KEENE With the arrival of spring planting time many Lancaster County farmers are putting in a half acre or more of vegetables. Bob Anderson, a nutrient management agent with the county extension office, estimates vegetable acreage in the county could jump anywhere from 25 to 50 percent over last year’s figure. A poor market for the 1986 tobacco crop is one reason for the increased interest in vegetables. “It appears a lot more of them may be growing vegetables this year that had grown tobacco,” Anderson speculates. County extension director Jay Irwin agrees with Anderson’s assessment. “I think there will be a reduction in tobacco acreage,” he says, adding that some tobacco farmers, especially those in the 329 Farms Apply For Dairy Award STATE COLLEGE - The April 15 deadline is past for entries into the Dairy of Distinction Program. And Sue Reynolds, executive secretary, reported this week at the state board meeting here that 329 farms from across Penn sylvania have submitted entries. “It’s an excellent beginning year for the Pennsylvania program," Reynolds said. The state has been divided into 10 districts with each district set to send a team of judges to their local farm entries for a roadside or farm lane inspection during the month of May. The idea is to locate the 10 (Turn to PageAlO) State Grange Master Charles Wismer, Jr., center, presented appreciation awards to Dr. Richard Grubb, past state secretary of agriculture, left, and Dr. Robert Marshak, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pa., right. Also honored but not present for photo was Dr. Richard McFeely, assistant dean at the University of Penn sylvania. Study Shows Value Of Preserve Restrictions BY EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor LANCASTER Lancaster County Ag Preserve Board released a comprehensive farm sales eastern part of the county, may turn to vegetables as an alter native cash crop. However, Irwin would not guess how many farmers will put aside their reliable income source to experiment with vegetables. Since the tobacco market rarely suffers two consecutive bad years, he said, many farmers are hoping 1987 will be brighter. * Anderson said he expects Commodity Marketing Act Amendments Passed HARRISBURG - The Penn sylvania General Assembly passed House Bill 62 Wednesday afternoon which amended the Pennsylvania Agricultural Commodities Marketing Act of 1968. The act created a partnership between the Department of Agriculture and -commodity producers in the development and administration of commodity promotion and research programs. For 16 years the department and represenative commodity producer boards consistently carried out the orginally mtented spirit of cooperation mlhe hiring of ad ministrative personnel and the entry of contracts pursuant to marketing programs. In 1985 the then Governor Thombourgh legal staff issued a legal memorandum opinion that all hiring of administrative per sonnel and all commodity marketing contracts are subject to process of prior approval by the governor’s office. Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, May 2,1987 analysis this week. And with the study they found that after six years of work toward im plementation of agland preser vation in Lancaster County, land tobacco acreage to decrease by about 25 percent this season, continuing a gradual decline that began years ago. In 1960, he noted, 31,000 acres of tobacco were planted in Pennsylvania. By 1985, that figure had dropped to 11,500 acres, with Lancaster County contributing 10,400 of those acres. Elmer Stoltzfus, president of the Leola Produce Auction and a (Turn to Page A 26) The bill was cosponsored by Representatives John H. Broujos (Turn to Page A 27) Beef Check-Off Ruled Legal A decision on the con stitutionality of the Beef Check-off Law U.S. District Court Judge Edward N. Cain ruled Thursday afternoon in favor of the U.S. government and its national beef promotion program. Vintage Sales Stables and owner L. Robert Frame, Sr., had argued against the law in the Allentown courtroom on April 16. Vintage has not been withholding the dollar per head check-off money from farmers, considering the law unconstitutional. But in the ruling that has caught the attention of not only the beef industry, but all other commodity check-off programs in the nation, Judge Cain ordered Vintage to comply with the check-off program. Singel Tells Grange Tax Reform Likely HARRISBURG - The celebration of State Grange Week as proclaimed by Governor Robert Casey was held here Monday with a series of workshops for grange members and nonmembers alike. The celebration also included an evening dinner social. The featured speaker and one of the afternoon seminars was Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel. Singel said that it’s not good enough to have one segment of Pennsylvania’s economy moving ahead while another lags behind. “We cannot ignore agriculture if we are going to revitalize our economy,” Singel said. “It’s values were not decreased either by effective ag zoning or by voluntary deed restrictions. For example, in western Lan caster County where soils are much the same quality, farms in the ag preserve and ag zoning areas sold for higher prices than where no ag preserve programs were in place. A lot of people were saying that ag preservation would ruin land values by as much as $l,OOO per acre. Allan Mussehnan, executive director, said, “But that’s a mistake. We knew it was. Twin Valley FFA Hosts Farm Tour A third grade student tries his hand at milking under the close supervision of Twin Valley FFA'er Dwight StoKzfus. All third grade students in the Twin Valley School District recently toured the Stoltzfus farm in Morgantown. The Twin Valley FFA chapter hosted the tour. Look for more pictures on page A 36. Six Sections agriculture that provides a lot of jobs in Pennsylvania. You know that.” Singel said. “But I wanted you to know that this ad ministration knows that, too.” “In Pennsylvania we don’t focus on one crop. Diversification has helped us cope with past year’s of farm problems. We have 11.6 million people in Pennsylvania, and they are consumers of agricultural products. We want to find out what they need and then help farmers tailor-make products that can capture the markets right here in Pennsylvania.” But now we have some data that shows it better than even I thought possible.” The study divides Lancaster County into what Musselman calls six reasonable definable regions MttMMHN)f economic and cultural farm practices-westem, south western, northern, eastern, Solanco and metropolitan. Farm land sold in rural areas of the county last year was worth $3,522 per-acre according to the study. But the most valuable farm land (Turn to Page A 24) $8.50 Per Year (Turn to Page A 25)
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