A22-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 20, 1988
Gilbert Gummo of Fllmore In Centre County returns to Ag Progress Days for the
new in the old farm equipment. “I’d have to say the old farm machinery and tools are
my favorite. I always go to the museum (Pasto) because every year they change it and I
don’t want to miss a thing.” He and wife Betty and daughter Marlene dairy farm on 250
acres just outside of Bellefonte. Betty said they usually drink milk, but the hot temper
atures Wednesday forced them to the nearest drink stand them came to on Main
Street.
\ ’m ♦ «
Karl Miller of Bangor
enjoyed taking the general
reserach tour. A dairy far*
mer, Miller learned a lot at
the Agway exhibit, where he
discussed field fresh for
alfalfa.
Atlantic Members
SOUTHAMPTON (Berks)
With pen in hand, Ronald B. Reich
carefully placed his signature on
the line. In doing so, he joined
other Atlantic Dairy Cooperative
members in saying “enough is
enough.”
Reich, a dairy farmer from Win
field, Pa., was among hundreds of
Atlantic members who put their
names on the line for their indus
try. What they signed was a peti
tion strongly opposing additional
cuts in the milk price support
program.
Spearheaded by the National
Milk Producers Federation
(NMPF), the petition drive was
part of a campaign to “Stop the
Price Cuts.” NMPF member
cooperatives, such as Atlantic, par
ticipated in the campaign by
gathering signatures from their
own members.
According to NMPF, the peti
tion drive has had a positive effect,
as reflected in the core package pf
the drought relief legislation. The
bill, which President Reagan is
Enthusiasm High As Temperatures Soar
“This Is a great opportunity to see all the new technology
In this country,” said Sebastian Quijada and his wife Iris,
both citizens of Venezuela. Sebastian Is a student of agri
culture at Penn State University. Being a teacher In farm
equipment and machinery in his country, Sebastian’s
enthusiasm and excitement was equalled only by that of hls
two young children. When asked if he could take anything
home to his home in Venezuela what would it be he was
quick to point to a $150,000-plus tractor and disk. “I would
really like to take that home with me.”
expected to sign this week,
includes the repeal of a pending
50-cent cut in the support price.
In signing the petition, Reich
said he believes that “the price of
milk must be increased, not cut,
especially since feed costs are
almost doubling due to the dry
weather.”
The drought of 1988 has placed
additional hardships on an industry
that has suffered financially in
recent years. Since December
1983, the price support for milk
has dropped by $2.50 per hundred
pounds of milk, a 20 percent
reduction.
Park L. Buckwaltcr, a director
of Atlantic, said that lower feed
costs in the past have helped far
mers survive falling milk prices.
But, that has changed. . '
“Now, because of the drought,
feed prices have risen sharply,”
said the Watsontown, Pa., dairy
man. “It is important that milk
prices go up instead of down.”
Increased feed costs brought on
by the drought have already forced
Sign Up To Stop Price Cuts
many farmers to begin culling their
herds. And, fewer cows mean less
milk and less income.
“A lot of young family farmers
will not make it financially if the
USDA Guidelines To Pork Referendum
LANCASTER The U.S.
Department of Agriculture has
issued a final rule governing pro
cedures for conducting the Pork
Referendum as authorized by the
Pork Promotion, Research and
Consumer Information Act of
1985.
Referendum voting in Lancaster
County will be conducted in the
Conference Room at the Lancaster
Farm and Home Center, 1383
Arcadia Road, Lancaster, off the
Manhcim Pike near Jones Pontiac,
during normal business hours
(8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.). Voting will
be conducted on two days, Sep
tember 7 and 8, 1988 in county
-rg, id
Ag Progress Days every year because It Is educational. “We
like to see what’s new. This Is the first time I’ve gone on one
of the research tours and I thought the water quality tour
was certainly worth it,” said Elaine. Challe was Interested In
methods of pesticide application which he has been experi
menting with on their 200-acre dairy farm.
*
Lorrain Raybuck noted
that there were more cattle
and more farm-machinery
exhibits this year as
opposed to last year. A beef
farmer from Punxsutawney,
Raybuck was glad to discov
er that he can get replace
ment blades for his haybine
that are attached with bolts
rather than rivets.
present conditions continue,” said
Reich, who stressed the need for an
end to support price cuts.
This is the message being sent to
Washington through the petitions.
Extension offices. Voting also will
take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on
September 7.
Producers and importers unable
to vote in person may request an
absentee ballot by writing or visit
ing Ken Kcphart, Pork Refendum
Slate Extension Coordinator at 324
Henning Building, University
Park, PA 16802. Absentee ballots
will be available from August 1
until close of business, August 26,
1988. Absentee ballot return enve
lopes, containing ballot and
rcgislration/ccrtification state
ments, must be signed by the voter
and mailed so as to be received in
the county Extension office serv
ing the county of voter residence.
David Glass is the owner
of a farrow-to-finish hog
operation In Birdsboro. He
has been attending Ag Prog
ress since the days when it
was held in Hershey. This
was the first year he and his
wife brought their two child
ren with them. The reason:
no diapers to worry about.
which represent dairy farmers
from across the nation. Atlantic
members signed their names to the
petitions during recent district
picnics.
by close of business on September
1, 1988.
All pork producers who pro
duced (and owned) porcine ani
mals in the U.S. for sale in com
merce and who are subject to
assessment during the representa
tive lime period of November 1,
1986, through September 6, 1988
are eligible to vote. Importers who
imported porcine animals, pork or
pork products during the represen
tative lime period are also eligible
to vote. Also eligible are 4-H, FFA
and other youth who owned por
cine animals and are subject to
assessment during the representa
tive time period.