AlO-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, August 1, 1987
OPINION
Quoted Out Of Context
When you consider that about
four billion chickens are consumed
in the United States each year, the
eight or nine salmonella cases
linked to poultry in a 10-year span
seems minuscule. But like any
thing else, when you put small
things under the microscope, they
become enlarged to the public eye.
That’s what has been going on
lately in the poultry industry.
Media reports of salmonella
contamination of chicken, particu
larly a segment last springpn CBS ’
“60 Minutes,” frightened the publ
ic and called into question the
Agriculture Department’s inspec
tion program. Most of the reports
seized on a 1979 survey, published
in the 1982 Poultry Science jour
nal, that said 37 percent of raw
chickens, 5 percent of raw beef and
12 percent of raw pork had sal
monella contamination.
But poultry experts say those
numbers, applied against the num
ber of actual outbreaks of illness,
indicate how easy it is to kill the
bacteria by normal sanitary and
cooking practices.
The federal Centers for Disease
Control says the number of
reported salmonella poisoning
outbreaks has increased from 1980
to ’B4 but those linked to chick
en decreased. Of the 39 total
Farm Calendar
Saturday, August 1
Pa. Simmental Field Day, G and J
Valley Farm, Spring Grove, 9
a.m.
Berks County Dairy Festival,
Grings Mill.
York County 4-H Horse Roundup,
8:30 a.m.. Spring Valley Park
Animal Arena.
Ram Lamb Sale, Meat Evaluation
Center, Penn State, 1 p.m.
Somerset County Holstein Picnic.
Adams County 4-H Dairy
Roundup.
Monday, August 3
Eastern Shore Championship
Holstein Show, 10 a.m.. Queen
Anne’s County 4-H Park, Cen
treville, Md.
Penn State 4-H Week, Penn State
University Park campus; con
tinues through Aug. 6.
Tuesday, August 4
Fayette County Holstein Show,
Fayette County Fairgrounds,
Umontown, 9 a.m.
Pa. CMA Dairy and Nutrition and
Herd Heath, Lancaster Farm
and Home Center, 10 a.m.
Butler County Holstein Twilight
Meeting.
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reported outbreaks in 1980,18 per
cent were linked to poultry: of 55
outbreaks in 1982,11 percent were
linked to poultry; of the 82 total
outbreaks in 1984, 1.2 percent
were linked to poultry. The 1984
figures were the latest available.
“What’s even more amazing is
the numbers of cases are dropping
while the consumption of chicken
is rising every year,” said John
Barnes, a veterinarian at the Uni
versity of North Carolina. Bames,
a recognized expeiton poultry and
food processing, testified before
the House subcommittee on lives
tock, dairy and poultry in June
about what could be done to
improve meat inspections.
Consumption of chicken has
risen about 10 percent each of the
past five years, he said. “Instead of
a kick in the teeth, the poultry
industry deserves a pat on the back
for cleaning up its act.
“I don’t disagree with most of
the facts ‘6O Minutes’ used. It’s
just that they picked and chose
only the bad things. They never
said anything about all the
advances the industry has mad '
sanitary conditions, flock health
and decreasing drug use.”
No question about it. Poultry
gets a bum rap when facts are
quoted out of context.
Northumberland Woodland Tour,
6:30 p.m., Paul Kline,
Greenbrier.
Ephrata Young Farmer Tour,
Ephrata Junior High School.
Wednesday, August 5
Lancaster County Conservation
District Meeting, Farm and
Home Center, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 6
Lancaster County Holstein Club
Field Day, Harold and Cindy
Shellenberger, Mt. Joy.
Pa. Christmas Tree Growers Meet
ing, State College: continues
through Aug. 8. ,
Farm City Day, Penn Square,
Reading, 10:30 a.m.
Central Jersey Holstein Show, Flc
mington Fairground, 10 a.m.
Friday, August 7
Friday, August 7
Mercer County 4-H Roundup, 6-8
p.m., 4-H Park.
Lancaster County Poultry Queen
Contest, Lancaster Farm and
Home Center, 6:30 p.m.
Clinton County Holstein Show,
Mackeyville, 10:30 a.m.
Cumberland County 4-H Dairy
Roundup, Carlisle Fairgrounds.
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Observe Poultry Health
The Lancaster County Commis
sioners have proclaimed August at
Poultry Month. So, this is a real
good time to reflect on the impact
this important industry has on the
economy of Lancaster County.
Poultry products in Lancaster
County provide nourishment for
over 6 million people. The value of
the poultry products sold totaled
over $176 million. It is estimated
that nearly 10,000 people are
employed in the many different
areas of the poultry industry in
Lancaster County.
The industry is strong because
of the dedicated, well managed
poultry farms along with a highly
efficient and supportive allied
industry. Eggs and poultry meat
are two of the most nourishing
foods in your health diet. Let’s be
supportive of this important part of
Morrison Cove Holstein Show,
Martinsburg, 9 a.m.
York County Potato Tour, Exten
sion Service, 9 a.m.
Saturday, August 8
Fox Hill Angus Lawn Sale, Ken
nett Square.
Eastern Pa. Championship Hols
tein Show, Kutztown, 10 a.m.
American Association of Meat
Processors Convention, Louis-
INVISIBLE MEANS
OF SUPPORT
August!, 1987
Background Scripture: Romans
8:28-39.
Devotional Reading: 1 Peter
3:3-9.
A few weeks ago, a friend
attempted to take his own life. At
first, none of us could believe it. It
seemed impossible to us that he, a
Christian of resumably deep faith,
had grown so desperate and
despondent. But apparently he
had.
Although I cannot see myself
ever making such a choice (as per
haps he couldn’t either), I can
understand how people can
become so dispairing of life. The
disappointments, the tragedies, the
hurts and pains, the frustrations,
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our agricultural economy during
Poultry Month.
To Attend Ag Progress Days
Most farmers do not need much
prodding to visit an agricultural
show whether it is in the county or
half way across the state.
Each year thousands of people
have jammed Penn State Universi
ty’s Rock Springs Agricultural
Research Center, nine miles west
of Boalsburg on Route 45, to
attend the Annual Ag Progress
Days. The dates are August 18-20.
Activities will start at 9:00 a.m.
and end at 5:00 p.m. each day.
This year’s show should be one
of the biggest and best ever. The
theme of this year’s event is “The
Agricultural Scientist: Working
For A Better Tomorrow.” Come
to Ag Progress Days and see how
agriculture research affects your
life. This year’s Ag Progress Days
will celberate the 100th anniver
sary of the Pennsylvania Agricul
tural Experiment Station.
More than 300 commercial
companies will be exhibiting their
products for home, farming and
country living. Take a day out of
your busy schedule (you’ve earned
it) and plan to attend Ag Progress
Days. There is no parking or
admission charge.
To Flush Ewe Flock
Sheep producers in this part of
the country should be planning for
the 1987 lamb crop. The starting
place is to have healthy ewes and a
good ram. The practice of “flush
ing” the ewe flock several weeks
prior to the breeding season is
ville, Ky.; continues through
Aug. 11.
McKean County 4-H Horse Show/
Roundup, Fairgrounds, East
Smethport.
Bradford County Holstein Picnic.
Chester County 4-H Market Hog
Sale.
(Turn to Page A 32)
the sense of betrayal, helplessness
and futility any and all of these
are experienced by nearly every
one at some time or another. Furth
ermore, as we get older, we find
that we have been subjected to
more and more of these
experiences.
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Sometimes, when they come
upon us, we have sufficient sup
port to meet them loving fami
lies, supportive neighbors, a caring
church, concerned fellow workers,
good health, money in the bank
and so forth. But there are those of
us who find that our challenges arc
greater than our visible means of
support or that our once-adequate
resources have been dissipated.
There have been a few times in
my life when I have felt that way.
But, it is precisely then that I have
always discovered, eventually at
least, an invisible means of sup
port, finding thus a hope that saw
far beyond the apparent hopeless
ness of my present circumstances.
I particularly remember the prayer
that St. Theresa of Avila prayed
repeatedly: “My God and my all!;
my God and my all!” By these
recommended in order to get more
twin lambs.
This refers to the feeding of
extra grain, or the ewes having
access to lush grass-type pasture in
order to bring them into a gaining
condition. Ewes that are not thrifty
at breeding time will be more like
ly to throw only a single lamb. The
control of internal parasites should
be given attention prior to the
breeding season.
To Be Aware of the
Pollen Count
The “hay fever” season is here.
Despite its name, “hay” is not
normally the cause of hay fever.
Ragweed is the chief cause. Ninety
percent of all allergic reactions to
grass and weed pollens are due to
ragweed.
Hay fever is a seasonal disease.
It’s a disease that many people
tend to minimize despite the fact
that one out of every three suffer
ers develop its serious form
chromic asthma.
In Lancaster County it is wide
spread form early August through
September when the weed flowers.
The best way to destroy ragweed
over large areas is by the use of a
weed spray such as 2,4-D. Cutting
the plant low, near the roots is
recommended for small areas. The
best way to prevent the spread of
ragweed is to keep idle land cov
ered with grass.
The Cooperative Extension Ser
vice is an affirmative action, equal
opportunity educational
institution.
words, this great saint acknow
ledged that ultimately there is no
other reality for us but God. When
I pray these words, I see myself
and God and nothing else; no
home, no friends, no job, no pos
sessions, no problems, no dangers
nothing, but God and me. My
home will some day belong to
someone else; my friends will
move away and die (as some
already have); my job will some
day be over and there will come a
day when I will no longer write this
column; I will take no more trips,
no more walks, eat my last food
and have opened my last piece of
mail! Only God will remain.
IN THE END
Furthermore, I know that,
although many good causes have
failed, many good people have
died unfulfilled, and have many
hopes will not have been realized,
still, in the end, God’s will and pur
pose will be fulfilled and this is
what really matters. I will no lon
ger care that the dollar is weak, that
the Cowboys have lost, and that
they’re raising taxes again. God’s
purpose alone will prevail.
If the end is secure, I can thus
find the faith and strength to perse
vere in times of great stress and
distress. I will be able to say with
Papl: “in everything God works for
good with those who love him”
(Romans 8:28), realizing that even
m the midst of tragedy, God is
working towards his unalterable
purpose. Knowing that, I can also
confess my reliance upon his invis
ible support and say: “For I am
sure that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor
things present, nor things to come,
nor power, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the
love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord.”
NOTE: Rev. Allhouse will lead
,a 9-day tour to the Holy Land,
March 11-20, 1988. If interested
write him at: First United Method
ist Church, Ross & Harwood Sts.,
Dallas, TX 75201.
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