NEW YORK Farm input costs for the upcoming year—pre viously predicted to mcrease by two to three percent will hold steady compared to 1987 input costs, according to industry experts. " “Fortunately, some of the inputs we anticipated to increase have either held steady or increased only slightly,” says Richard Brock, president of Brock Associates, a farm marketing/management firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “Land rental and fertilizers are up a bit, but labor, seed, equip ment, chemical and insecticide costs are down,” he says. Brock expects some individual inputs, such as fertilizer and equip ment maintenance, to increase slightly. Most other costs will remain about the same or decrease from 1987 levels. ‘The greatest increase in crop input prices in 1988 is expected to be in fertilizers, particularly pot ash,” he says. “The primary reason is the result of duties and trade dis putes with Canada. This problem, however, has now been resolved and, consequently, no more price increases are expected.” According to Royce Hinton, University of Illinois extension We Specialize In Aerial Work Using Our Twin Bucket Boom Truck N \ Extends / CONTRACTING \ 56 Ft I Specializing In \ \ ' AGRICULTURAL \ J WIRING ' / Also Residential Industrial J And Commernal Work / Free Estimates / #■ We Have Poles In Stock 25 30 35 445 CONFINEMENT EQUIPMENT U /V ■ :kcts, and Accessories, Post, Brad GESTATION STALLS All Stabling & Penning Is Available In: FARROWING CRATES Farm Input Costs Holding Steady For 1988 agriculture economist, production costs in 1987 were the lowest they had been since before 1980. “Farmers have been reducing production costs in recent years,” Hinton says. “They’re not spend ing as much on seed, fertilizer, herbicides or insecticides. Much of the cost reduction is due to a lower investment in machinery. Depre ciation charges are going down because, rather than replace their machinery, growers are maintain ing the equipment they already have.” Farm chemicals also have come down in price in the last few years, according to Bill Jacobs, product manager for ICI Americas Inc., the fourth largest agricultural chemi cal company in the U.S. “The easiest cost savings for far mers come when manufacturers reduce prices on inputs,” he says. “Sutan+ herbicide, for example, now costs about 10 percent less than it did several years ago.” Generally, 1988 herbicide and insecticide prices are expected to remain relatively level, Jacobs says. The failure of the OPEC nations to reach an agreement on reducing output levels has resulted in lower C. M. HIGH CO. 320 Kinf St Myerstown PA 17067 Phone 717 866 7544 Tf- b Lower Prices SERVING THE FARMERS FOR 116 YEARS HAMBURG SAYINGS FDIC and —— m —- TRUST CUMPANY Hamburg, PA Phone: 215-562-3811 A FULL SERVICE BANK HOG Discounted Factory Direct Prices VERTICAL BAR PENNL SYSTEM Pre-nursery mi • Hoi-Dipped Galvanized • Painted • Black Iron • 8 ga. Steel Tubing 1” Solid Steel 'ft FARMER BOY AG. 410 EAST LINCOLN AVE. MVERSTOWN, PA 17067 PH: 717-866-7565 crude oil prices on the spot market, putting costs in the area of $l7 per 42-gallon barrel. “Consequently,” Brock says, “the petroleum-based fuels such as gasoline, diesel fuels and kerosene probably will not increase in 1988. In fact, I think we’ 11 sec a softening of fuel prices,” he says. Seed costs should remain at 1987 levels with the possible exception of some of the newer hybrids. Some discounts may be available for early orders, early payment or quantity orders, Brock says. These discounts can keep seed costs at or below last year’s levels. Smart Operating Beyond simple price reductions, however, it pays to look for new ways of operating that can create additional savings. Bulk handling of herbicides is one good example. “Herbicides cost less per gallon in bulk because it’s the most effi cient way of storing and moving herbicides,” Jacobs says. “Farm suppliers in most of the Com Belt can now sell you herbicides in 110-, 175- or 250-gallon mini-bulk tanks.” “Once you own a tank,” he adds, '.‘you can save even more by hav ing it refilled from a dealer’s bulk facility. The price per gallon of herbicide will usually be lower, and in most cases you’ll be able to Nursery t „ , I ■ I * w r STAINLESS STEEL FEEDERS • 100% Welded Construction • Comes Fully Assembled • Crafted of 304 Alloy • Unique Top Adjusting Feed Gates - With Locks Swine & Poultry Systems Specialists buy the exact amount that you need. You won’t have to round out your order with smaller containers.” Weed-n-Feed Another potential money-saver is combining your herbicide with fertilizer for a two-in-one application. “Combining field operations is a practice that more and more grow ers are taking advantage of,” says Douglas Duey, University of Nebraska-Lincoln agricultural economist. “Reducing the number of trips over the field saves on time, labor and fuel.” Any field that gets a spring application of herbicide and fertil izer is a potential market for weed ’n feed, he adds. Weed-n-feed became common many years ago with liquid fertiliz er, Jacobs explains, but price reductions last year created a boom in weed-n-feed with dry fertilizer. Herbicides are impregnated onto the dry granules, spread onto the field, then incorporated. Most dealers now charge only a few cents more per pound of N for urea than anhydrous ammonia, too, could be found unconstitu tional in her court. USD A was sued over the mar riage regulation by the Family Farm Defense Fund (FFDF) on behalf of Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE). The FFDF is the only public interest law firm serving farm families and has provided legal assistance to farm families involved in disputes with Farm Credit System institu tions, agencies of USDA and appeals of bankruptcy court deci sions. The FFDF takes on cases Gestation ishing Fini Wod&HVcflg. dy4tem4~t Lancaster Farming Saturday, April 30, 1988-D9 Court (Continued from Page D 7) Also - Steel Roof Trusses for Buildings - Portable Hog Buildings - Bucket Elevators - Grain Augers Distributors - Flow Pipes & Accessories Jacobs says. You can have your N applied free by adding urea to P and K in a dry blend, eliminating a cost of about $5 an acre for apply ing anhydrous. Add herbicides to the blend and you cut out another separate appli cation. “By impregnating herbi cides on an N-P-K blend, you can get everything applied in one pass over the field for roughly $3 to $6 per acre,” Jacobs points out. “Then you just incorporate and plant.” Time Is Money Weed-n-feed saves time as well as application costs, and this can lead to earlier planting and higher com yields. “A long-standing rule of thumb says that for each day planting is delayed after May 10, you lose about a bushel per acre,” says Duey. Earlier planting also allows more time for field drydown in the fall, which saves on bin drying or elevator dockage costs. “It may be worth trying to set dollar values for time factors like these when you evaluate any prac tice that can save you time in the spring,” Jacobs adds. ecision expecting to set important legal precedents in both state and federal courts. The FFDF also has pub lished a handbook, “A Farmer’s Guide to Chapter 12 and Other Farm Bankruptcy Options,” to help farmers in financial trouble assess their options. Their Farm Women’s Law project specifically develops cases and distributes information to assure farm women equal access to credit and other farm program benefits. Former National Grange Master Edward Andersen is chairman of FFDF’s Board of Directors. CUSTOM MADE FEED BINS FOR FARMS FEED MILLS • Made of 13 gauge Steel • All welded seams • Gravity Flow or Auger Free Estimates We Sell, Service & Install Ph; 717-345-3724 STOLTZFUS WELDING SHOP Owner - Samuel P. Stoltzfus RD3, Box 331 Pine Grove, PA 17963
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers