PENNSYLVANIA C LIS°A VOL. 33 NO. 22 By Karl Berger Special Correspondent WASHINGTON, D.C.— The National Commission on Dairy Policy today recommended a more market-oriented federal dairy program, suggesting major changes in milk price supports and rejecting broad use of production controls. Bradford Co. Dairy of Distinction is also a Century farm for Shirley and Ray NorconK, Dushore. See story of page A3l. Dairy Of Distinction Entry Deadline Near WILLIAMSPORT You nev er have a second chance to make a good first impression. And in the case of milk drinkers who drive past your farm, you may never get the chance to make a second impression at all. That’s why for the first time last year the Pennsylvania Dairy of Distinction Program was started by a group of volunteers to provide recognition to dairy farms that were the most beautiful in the stale. Thus these farms made the best impression on the public who may equate a good-looking farm with the clean wholesome milk they buy in the dairy section of their local supermarket. In addi tion the program was meant to pro vide incentive for farmers to clean up the looks of their farms so that a negative kind of impression was not carried to the store dairy case. The program was new for Pen nsylvania last year, and State Pres ident Everett Newswanger said no 'I I‘EK fUHICAI n HIVTSfON Ztt'-'-y? PAULtJ [W It would only be natural then for farmers to insure their crops against diaster, right? -Wrong. NY vm Vollars To Target Issues ROME, NY The New York Beef Industry Council has com mitted $50,000 from the Beef Checkoff to a national issues man agement plan developed by The Veal Committee of The Beef Industry Council in Chicago. “I believe this is the best way we can spend veal dollars here in New York,” says Floyd Many, Veal Representative on the eleven member state council. “Controver sial issues, such as animal welfare and food safety are difficult for producers to face all alone. We now have a Veal Issues Manage ment Action Plan to help the veal industry effectively respond to these issues.” The plan involves a veal issues management team, information resource materials, media-trained (Turn to Page A 22) Peace and Plenty on the Lancaster Holstein Tour provides a scenic portrait as * you drive in the farm lane. ' t 50c Par Copy unique opportunity for the dairy industry to unite behind a proposal for changes in federal dairy programs. “This report is the first unified proposal from the dairy industry in more than a decade,” Rutherford said. “It’s a far-reaching, long term program that all milk producers- large and small- can embrace.” Rutherford said enactment of the Commission’s recommenda tions would continue the trend According to John Gartside, Northeast regional director for Federal Crop Insurance Corp. (FCIC), only 4 percent of farmers in Pennsylvania had crop insur ance. In Maryland the number was the same, while in New Jersey and New York, a limited number of farmetf- participated in the .grain coverage and a more significant number" were insured for peaches and ln Dela ware, 14 to 15 percent of farmers were covered with insurance and most of them grew fruit or vegetables. Up until last year not having crop insurance wasn’t a big liabili ty. While the 1980 Farm Bill changed crop insurance and phased out disaster relief, the Sec retary of Agriculture could, and did in 1983 and ’B6 due to drought, exercise an option to reinstate dis- Lancaster Holstein Breeders Visit Friends In Maryland BY EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor LANCASTER Even though .it was still March (the last day of), many farmers were home hauling manure and plowing in the warm spring weather. And some of the farmers along on the Lancaster County Holstein Tour to Maryland $lO.OO Per Year toward sharply reduced dairy program costs. ‘The taxpayer’s bill for the dairy program has been reduced from $2.3 billion four years ago to less than $1 billion this year,” Rutherford said. “Recommenda tions of this Commission would continue that trend.” The Commission-proposed pricing formula would replace 1985 farm bill provisions that tie cuts in the mijk support price to the (Turn to Pago A2l) aster relief. Many fanners didn’t feel crop insurance was necessary. In 1987, however, farmers didn’t receive any money for damaged crops unless they carried insurance. Those Pennsylvania farmers with coverage and having a damaged crop received a $6 return on their $1 investment. That money could mean die difference betwMM farming another year or bang forced to sell out. And this is the thrust of the Crop insurance. “We’re offering grow ers protection that would recoup their production expenses,” explained Gartside. “There is no profit for us. We’re helping the far mer stay in business another year.” Purchasing crop insurance is a management decision. ‘3The. far mer should determine what- his (Turn to Pago A 22) were saying they should have been home working too. But this busload of local Holstein breeders will likely soon forget the lost day of labor but not their visit to four successful dairy operations. My Lady’s Manor Farm, Monk ton, featured a DHIA average of 21,500 lbs. of milk and 832 lbs. of (Turn to Page A2O)