Farm Calendar (Continued from Page AlO) IS, Friday, September 9 Claysburg Area Farm Show, Clay- York Imcr-Slalc Fair, through sburg, runs through September September 17 Thurmont, Emmitsburg Commun- Green Township Community Fair, ity Show. Catoctin High Commodore, runs through Sep- School, Catoctin, Md., through 1 5, I '* „ September 11. Tuesdsay, September 13 Hay Creek Fall Festival, Joanna Holstein Furnace, Morgantown, through p ‘ c,d D;ay ’ ayne * Roger September 11 Sherwood’s Farm. Saturday, September 10 Denver Fair, Denver, runs through PA Holstein Championship Show, . September 17. State College. Ag AreSa. 9:00 ? A 1^ on Fa,r - A,b>on am " through September 17. Schacffcrstown Horse Parade & Si " k^ g Community Farm Harvest Fair. 10:00 a.m. Runs SI T’ Sk ? P ’ mnS thrOUgh Sep ’ through Sunday. ij* * 7 ‘ „ . 1A Autumn Harvest Hereford Classic, Wedriesday, September 14 Spring Bottom Farm, Fairfield, Co ™ & S °y bc T an p,e l d P .^ U 11*00 am Research Lab, Landisville, wood, mm tough September wS,*™ 8 cSL^ftk. r —— | FARM FORUM our readers write J (Continued from Page A 10) either September 7 or 8. It’s a valu able decision that we as pork pro ducers can make which will affect the future of ourjndustry. If you are a pork producer, please walk over to your calendar THE CHECKERBOARD OF HESS MILLS 6 S. Vintage Rd. Paradise. PA 17562 (717) 442-4183 (717) 768-3301 right now and on September 7 or 8, in large letters, write “vote at County Extension Office.” Better still, write “vote yes.” We need your note. David A. Reinecker, President Pa. Pork Producers Council Hess Mills Supports The 100% Checkoff. Vote Yes On September 7th or Bth. kssMius * Unionville, PA 18375 K (215)347-2377 3jc ® Registered trademark of Ralston Purina Company | PURINA CHDWS | NEWS FROM \ REGIONAL COOPERATIVE\ \MARKETING AGENCY INC\ BATAVIA, N.Y. —In response to the deepening economic crisis threatening dairy farmers in the Northeast, the Regional Coopera tive Marketing Agency (RCMA) has launched an aggressive cam paign to help bolster falling dairy farm income. “We will explore every possible way to secure higher over-order prices for our 22,000 dairy-farmer members,” according to RCMA President Bill Zuber. “We will Williamsburg, runs through September 19. Solanco Fair, runs through Sep- tember 16. The Big E Fair, West Springfield, Mass., runs through September Thursday, September 15 North East Community Fair, North East, runs through September 17. Oley Valley Community Fair, Oley, runs through September Friday, September 16 Eastern States Exposition, Spring field, Mass. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 3, 1988-Al9 soon contact governors, state agri culture commissioners and legisla tive leaders throughout the North east, and encourage them to follow the lead of Vermont, Maine and Pennsylvania, who have already taken steps to counter the tighten ing cost squeeze that is forcing family farms out of business at an alarming rate.” According to Zuber, “We are an industry at risk. Seven consecutive years of falling milk prices paid to farmers, combined with skyrock eting costs, have left a lot of family farms hanging on by just a thread.” Although RCMA haws distri buted over $2O million in added income to its members since last September, RCMA officials say additional help is needed on the slate level to keep the Northeast dairy industry alive and healthy. In New York, for instance, RCMA will be investigating the provisions of the “Rogers-Alien Act” which authorizes a role for the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets in securing higher prices for farmers. “Agriculture is our single largest industry,” said Zuber, “And in the Northeast, where the dairy business is the largest component of the industry, we lost over 1,400 farms last year alone. And if we allow this crisis to continue, far mers won’t be the only ones who lose.” Any income that may result from die recent Federal legislation, said Zuber, will not show up in the dairy farmer’s mailbox for almost a year. “There will be a lot of bills due between now and then and many good farms will go under in the meantime.” RCMA officials point to prog rams already in place in certain states that are reducing the severity of the current crisis for some dairy farmers. Maine, for example, has enacted legislation that requires all milk processors in that state to pay the RCMA Class 1 differential and also uses regulatory authority to further increase dairy farm income. Vermont is providing some property tax relief and a direct pay ment to individual dairy farmers provided the farmers take part in a self-help program like RCMA. The Pennsylvania Milk Market ing Board has enacted, with RCMA support, a $1.05 premium on milk produced and sold in the state. This increased income is being paid to farmers depending on how much of their milk is sold as bottled milk. “When the price of feed increases by 15 percent, it’s the same thing as cutting the milk price paid to farmers by 50 cents per hundredweight,” said Zuber. “Feed costs have already jumped 25 to 30 percent due to the drought. Thai’s like the price of gasoline jumping 30-cents a gallon overnight.” Other than over-order pricing (a price paid above the minimum set by the federal government), far mers have no way to recover these increased production costs— except in states where appropriate legislation has been enacted. According to RCMA Executive Director Ed Anna, “Falling milk prices have forced the farmers’ income down, while the drought has driven his costs up and the family farm out of business.” Consumers will also lose if relief does not come soon, Anna said. “The drought of 1988 taught us how fragile our food supply really is. If farmers don’t have adequate income to remain in busi ness, there will be very little we can do once the industry is gone. Then milk supplies will have to come from other regions of the country at higher costs.” Anna emphasized that action must be taken immediately. “The prospect of record numbers of pro ducers dispersing trheir herds this winter and spring should scare the daylights* out of our government leaders,” Anna said, “In the mean time, RCMA will continue its effort to deliver higher over-order premiums to its members.” Corn Growers Enroll (Continued from Page A 1) For participating in the prog ram, com growers arc eligible for a federal target price guarantee ot 52.93 per bushel on their 1988 crop, and price support loans at a national average rate of $1.77 per bushel. Those who diverted the additional 10 percent received land diversion payments at a rate of $1.75 per bushel for com, Lutz said.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers