OPINION
You May Want To Call Your
Congressman About This
While the sponsor of Veal Calf
Protection Act of 1987 that has
been introduced in the U.S. House
of Representatives may have the
welfare of animals in mind, the
implications of this legislation are
extremely serious. This bill would
make it unlawful for any person
who raises a calf for the production
of veal to prevent the calf from
having physical contact with other
members of the same species. We
would assume you cou!d a not just
raise one veal calf. You would
need at least two calves in the same
pen. In addition, you must feed the
calf solid food after it’s more than
two weeks old. Farmers know that
ruminating animals that receive
hay or grain aren’t very good for
veal anymore. So we really
couldn’t keep our veal calves on
milk replacer for more than two
weeks.
The fine for violating this act is
$5,000 for each calf kept, fed,
transported, sold or purchased.
| FARM FORUM our readers write J
Editor:
The summer of 1987 has been
extremely dry in small areas across
the United States. Though these
pockets of drought have been
diminutive in total geographic
size, the severity of the crop condi
tions and economic impacts will be
felt by many farmers. There is a
group of fanners in Jackson Coun
ty, Michigan that is trying to locate
these pockets. Through their
efforts we have found large areas
. in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Mary
land, Delaware, New Jersey, Vir
ginia, West Virginia, North Caroli
na, and others that have been
affected by drought. The sad cir
cumstances of this are that most of
these areas were hit hard two of the
last three years.
The “Food Security Act of
1985” has made qualification for
emergency loans or disaster assis
tance unavailable to farmers,
unless they are covered by the Fed
eral Crop Insurance Corporation
(FCIC). The USD A has been tell
ing the farmer that he needs to
r »■
Farm Calendar
Sunday, December 6 Maryland Farm Bureau Conven-
Faith & Fanning IV, Laurelville lion, through Dec. 9, Ocean
Mennonite Church Center, ML City
Pleasant, 12/6-8
OTIS, THIS IS AAR. LEJEN SKI... HE 'S
VISITING OUR COUNTRY TO DO A STDDV
ON AMERICAN FARM LIFE >
Wow! What a large fine. But here
is the real kick in the overalls. Any
person may bring an action to com
pel enforcement of this act. And
any person who brings an action,
which results in the imposition of a
penalty, is entitled to half of that
$5,000 per calf. Can’t you just see
people who know nothing about
farming and the difference
between a veal and a herd replace
ment sneaking around farms to
report where calves are located in
the hope that they might reap
$2,500 for each calf the govern
ment decides is in violation of this
act. From there it would be easy to
get the same kind of law enacted
for swine and chickens and dairy
cows.
The prospect for harassment of
farmers with this kind of act that
lets an interment share in such a
large potential fine is incredible.
You may want to write your
U.S. congressman about this.
become more responsible for the
crop he plants by using crop insur
ance as a management tool in his
operation. That would be fine if the
yield base they use to calculate
benefits on were realistic yields
produced by today’s farming prac
tices. As it is now, when a farmer
buys crop insurance, he feels as
though he is buying a dead horse.
The “1986 Disaster Payments
Program” was made possible by a
special act of Congress. This gave
eligible farmers for their 1986 crop
losses “Commodity PIK Certifi
cates” as a form of disaster assis
tance. This gave those farms some
relief, but with a drought again this
year, the devastating economic
ramifications without some assis
tance are going to be mere than
some farmers can withstand.
What this committee has set as a
goal is to organize enough support
to get legislature to pass a special
act of Congress, or amend the 1986
disaster payments program, to
make PIK certificates available as
(Turn to Page A3l)
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Obtain Farmer’s
Tax Guide
We don’t like to talk about taxes
but it’s a way of life. The Farmer’s
Tax Guide, for use in preparing
your 1987 returns, are now avail
able at the Extension Office. The
Guide is extremely valuable when
preparing your return. I realize that
many farmers rely on an accoun
tant or tax practitioner to file their
return, so be sure to pick up a copy
and give it to them. There are a
number of changes in the tax reg
ulations. It would be well to study
them, so your records are accurate
when you review your accounts
with your preparer.
A few important tax dates for
farmers. You may elect to pay your
1987 estimated income tax with
Form 1040-ES by January 15,
1988. You can then file your 1987
Federal Income Tax return, Form
1040 by April 15. If you do not pay
with Form 1040-ES at this time,
your return will be due March 1,
1988.
To Protect Christmas
Trees From Thieves
Many Christmas tree growers
become concerned at this time of
year about the possible loss of val
uable evergreens to Christmas tree
“thieves.” There is a solution; Cor
nell Plantations gardener, Gerardo
a form of assistance to farmers in
need of relief for 1987 crop losses.
Also we are asking Congress or the
Secretary of Agriculture to waive
the crop insurance criteria for
emergency loans until FCIC starts
using realistic yields of today’s
production as a yield base in calcu
lating disasters payments.
In order to accomplish this, we
are asking for your support to help
the farmers in need so they may
regain some of their operating los
ses. We ask you to call your legi
slative leaders and give support in
this goal. Those of you that are
willing to work with us, we ask
that you write us at, Cooperative
Extension Service, 412 Erie Street,
Jackson, Michigan 49202, or
phone 517-788-4292 or
517-529-9032.
We have a good start in Michi
gan, and with help from other
states, the accomplishment of this
goal can be achieved. Can’t never
did anything, but with hard work
and determination we think we
can.
Hank Choate
Committee for Crop
Disaster Assistance
WE'RE REALLY LUCKY
TO HAVE - SEEN VDO
THIS AFTERNOON, OTIS
WHY THIS
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PARTICULAR
AFTERNOON?
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Scum, has developed an “ugly
mix.” This casy-to-make concoc
tion is designed to temporarily ren
der treated trees unsightly. Here is
the recipe; Pour 2 gallons of warm
water into a large bowl. Mix sepa
rately 20 ounces of hydrated lime
with 4 ounces of Wilt-Proof® or
another anti-dessicant until a uni
form paste is produced. Slowly
pour this mix into the warm water
while stirring constantly. When
the mix is an even, light milky col
or, add 2 bottles of pink or brightly
colored food coloring. Blend until
the mixture is a uniform color.
Then spray, brush or splatter the
material on the trees you wish to
protect. The weather should be
mild and dry at the time of applica
tion. Rains will gradually wash the
“ugly mix” off.
To Be Patient
With People
Farming in the best of times is a
very stressful occupation. Than
add to that reduced yields due to
weather, low returns and high
expenses.
I point this out so that people
working with our farmers under
stand the needs and cares of others.
We all need to be patient and
understanding and look at the
many good things we have to be
thankful for... our families, free-
COMING, READY
OR NOT
December 6,1987
Background Scripture: Matthew
3:1-12.
Devotional Reading: Isaiah
40:3-11.
This has not been a good year
for American Christianity at
least, not in terms of public image.
This was the year of fallen idols in
religious television and rampant
scandal in local churches and
denominational bodies alike.
Christian groups have made the
headlines, not with their good
works, but their internal conflicts
and external entanglements.
A number of groups are tom
between support for and condem
nation of their fallen leaders. Lots
of people have been trying to
determine if these various person
alities are innocent “good guys” or
guilty “bad guys.” It would appear
that the ranks of the “good guys”
have been substantially thinned
since January 1, 1987.
COME BACK!
It is appropriate, then, that we
bring this year to a close with the
invitation for renewal that Advent
always brings us: “Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
(Matthew 3:2). Literally, “repent”
means to return, to comeback to
the covenant way of life to which
we originally committed
ourselves. Although some of us as
'CAUSE THIS IS ThIE
AFTERNOON Ti-l/KT I
WAS OUT SHOWING- .
HIM SOME OF OUR
OLD FARM RELICS
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dom and the ability to come back
after being down. Take time to talk
with your friends and neighbors
and share the many good times
you’ve had together. Let’s enjoy
the holiday season and be thankful
for all the good things in life.
To Be Aware of
Fertilizer Value
of Manure
The 1987-88 Agronomy Guide
lists, on page 72, the real fertilizer
value in our livestock and poultry
manure. As fertilizer costs con
tinue high, we need to make every
effort to use and preserve these
manure fertilizer elements. On the
basis of the fertilizer content at
current fertilizer prices, cattle
manure has $3.80 worth of fertiliz
er elements per ton, swine manure
contains about $5.00 worth and
poultry manure contains about
$13.00 worth of fertilizer ele
ments. This will vary depending
on the moisture and bedding con
tent. In addition, all types of man
ure and organic matter to the soil
which is needed on most farms.
For best results manure should be
either incorporated into the topsoil
or stored in a water-tight pit until it
can be spread and mixed with the
topsoil.
The Cooperative Extension Service is an
affirmative action, equal opportunity educa
tional institution
Christians may have consigned
these “fallen” Christian leaders to
the trash heap, we need to remem
ber that the invitation to “come
back” is open to all who have
sinned and fallen short of God’s
plan and purpose. In other words,
whether we are “fallen” or “still
standing” in the Christian faith, the
call to repentance comes to all of
us.
John the Baptist is pretty harden
the Pharisees and Sadducees who
came out into the wilderness to
receive baptism from him: “You
brood of vipers! Who warned you
to flee from the wrath to come?”
(Matt. 3:7). But note that John does
not tell them they came for baptism
in vain. If they are truly repentant,
they can be baptized. The key, of
course, is repentance. And, if they
are repentant, they shall show it:
“Bear fruit that befits repentance”
(3:8).
Perhaps you’ve noticed that, of
all the headliners who have gotten
into trouble this year religious
and secular figures alike almost
none, if any, have said publicly
that they were wrong and are sorry
for it. For the most part, they have
claimed to be misunderstood, the
victims of lies and distortions, oral
worst “mistaken.” Nobody has
said “I was wrong and I am sorry
for it” or “Yes, I lied and I regret
it.”
UNFRUITFUL TREES
Yet, if we are to respond to the
challenge of Advent, God’s annual
“Coming, ready or not!”, we must
all take seriously the call to repent,
to come back to what all of us have
in some way forsaken even we
“good guys” who have not made
the headlines and the nighdy TV
news. With the coming of Advent,
this challenge comes to each of us
anew to “bear good fruit.” “Even
now the axe is laid to the root of the
trees: every tree therefore that does
not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire” (3:10).
This is the time of the year when
we will hear over and over again
that haunting question: “Are ypu
ready for Christmas?” More to the
point, we should be asking
ourselves whether we’re ready for
the coming of Christ. The first step
in getting “ready” is to hear the call
fo “repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand!”
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced
by the Committee on the Uniform Senes and
used by permission Released by Community
& Suburban Press)
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