BY RANDY WELLS Indiana Co. Correspondent Discussions on how to increase membership and how to decrease deer crop damage highlighted the November meeting of the Indiana County Farmers Association. Held at the home of board member Daniel George near f FARM FORUM our readers write *1 Methodist Church. Jefferson County Extension annu al meeting and century farm recognition. Friday, November 18 Shepherd’s Symposium, Chatham Center, Pittsburgh; 11/18-19. Sullivan County Dairy Herd Health meeting, Millview Wesleyan Church, Millview, 1 p.m. Dr. Larry Hutchinson, speaker. Bucks County DHIA annual meet ing, St. Matthew’s Church, Ridge Road, Keller’s Church, 7 p.m. Farm City week begins, runs through November 24. Saturday, November 19 First annual antique model and toy show. Benefit Denver Fire Company, Denver Fire Hall, from 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Berks County 4-H horse club ban quet, 6:30 p.m., Berks County 4-H Center. Lancaster County Farm City Tour runs Saturday and Sunday from Advanced ventilation systems for poultry and livestock The complete air moving system for efficient animal production Advanced Air Systems Designed To Be Reliable, Versatile, RLX Fan Metre Fan Your Authorized SSD, Distributor CHECK OUR WAREHOUSE PRICES 24 Hr. Service Dealer Inquiries Invited Indiana Farmers Hold Board Meeting Brush Valley on Nov. 1, the meet ing focused on appointing a chair man to oversee die association’s annual membership drive, and on how to control the size of the area deer herd, which some board members said is causing as much crop damage as the summer’s drought (Continued from Pago A 10) 1 to 5 p.m. Call the extension office 394-6851 for directions. Monday, November 21 ADA/DC District 18 annual meet ing. Holliday Inn, Grantsville, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 22 12th annual Lancaster Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Indus try Banquet Willow Valley Resort and Conference Center, 7 p.m. Ephrata Young Farmers’ Dairy Management Meeting, Ephrata High School, 7:45 p.m. Annual Forage Conference, Keller Auditorium, University Park, 9 a.m. Crawford County Cooperative Extension annual banquet and meeting at Elk’s Club, Mead- ville, 7:30 p.m, Franklin County. DHIA annual meeting Kauffman’s Commun ity Center, 7 p.m, Saturday, November 26 Mercer County Holstein annual meeting. RLX Fan "c- j .; }'■ . / /Uriah* V (|j|i ■ v . . AHC Fan Cabinet Shutter Fan Swine & Poultry Systems Specialises FARMER BOY AG. 410 E LINCOLN AVE VYERSTOWN, PA 17067 BEST IN DESIGN , PRICE AIVD EXPERIENCE Association president Stan Fabin of Indiana RD 1, said the Pennsylvania Farmers Associa tion’s goal for the county group is to increase its membership from 433 to 437. “We’ve met our memership goal each of the last three years,” Fabin said, “but it’s getting harder each year.” The board members discussed their conversations with potential chairmen, but reported they had been unable to convince any members to accept the leader ship roles of chairman for the membership committee or the womens committee. “The committees are pretty much ready to go, we just need a chairman,” said Peter Schaeffer, the association’s PFA Regional Organization Director. Fabin asked the board members to continue talking with county members who might be persuaded to assume a chairmanship position. In resonsc to reports of severe deer damage in some sections of the state, the board members were asked to complete a “Follow Up to Game Damage Survey” which will be returned to PFA for possi ble policy action. The survey asked county board members to rate their deer crop damage on a scale ranging from non-existent to extensive, and to list crops most damaged, types of repellents which were most effec tive, and the extent of cooperation provided by the Game Commis sion’s District Game Protectors. and Sim , Turnabout Fan Because of the extremely dry weather conditions over the sum mer, deer damage seems to be more severe than usual, several board members reported. George said some of his fields of sweet com yielded only about one-quarter of a normal crop because of the deer. The Game Commission believes crop damages can be reduced by making more land available to hunters who will then harvest a larger number of deer; Fabin said. The August- September edition of the Indiana County Farmers Association newsletter reported A.K. Mack, the Game Commission’s Farm Game Manager, is working with hundreds of landowners who have more than 50 acres, to encourage them to keep their land open for public hunting. In exchange for granting hunting privileges, land owners receive safety zone signs and an allotment of Christmas tree seedlings and other cover shrubs. Fabin said Game Commission officials sometimes ask farmers why they post their land if they have deer problems. But he said the damage done by inconsiderate hunters who drive vehicles through fields and tear down fences is sometimes as bad as the damage done by the whitetails. According to the Indiana Coun ty Treasurer’s office, all allocated doe hunting licenses for the coun ty for this hunting season have been sold through the Game Com mission’s new bonus doe license Keep Your Animals Blissfully Unaware Of What Season It Is Panel Fan INC. PH 717 866-7565 Ijncamr Earning, Saturday, Movwrtur 12, mmtl >/e CL program. The county’s allocation for this year is 11,400 licenses, up from 8,500 in 1987. George, the association’s Gov ernmental Relations chairman, reported on a legislator training session scheduled for Dec. 5 in Clearfield. The session, he said, should be especially helpful for new board members who will need to approach area lawmakers on legislative matters. Indiana County farms have been visited by local legislators on several occasions in recent months. U.S. Rep. Joe Kolter, D-Bcaver County, met with about 40 area farmers and state and local elected officials on July 16 at the Brook side Dairy near Indiana to discuss federal drought relief measures. On Aug. 2, Pennsylvania Agri culture Secretary Boyd E. Wolff toured the Richard Simpson farm near Georgeville to inspect drought-stunted com fields along with Clayton Winebark, the department’s Southwest Regional Director and about 100 local farmers. And two days later slate Rep. Raul Wass, R-Indiana, visited Mr. George’s Brush Valley farm to survey deer damage. Fabin asked the board members for direction on how he should respond to requests for the associ ation’s membership list from three associate members. The associate members are businessmen who want to use the names as a mailing list for advertising flyers. Current policy stipulates the membership list may only be dis tributed to regular members, and not associate members, Fabin said. But it was decided the adver tisements may offer legitimate and useful savings to the members. So the board decided to ask the mem bership, through their newsletter, if they would like to be included on advertising mailing lists from associate members. In other action, board member Dave Boric of Homer City RD 4 was appointed as the group’s new Ag Marketing chairman. Charles Deabenderfer of Indiana RD 3 was reappointed as Member Ser vices chairman, and Robert Came ron of Homer City RD 1 was reap pointed as Members Relations chairman. Fabin reminded the members that by their December meeting the board needs to have a list of the top 10 priority issues they would like the PFA to work on. Possible issues, he suggested, might be water quality, taxes, ani mal welfare and solid waste dis posal. He asked the members to review the PFA 1988 Policy book for ideas.
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