AlO-Lincaster Fanning, Saturday, December 10,1988
OPINION
Think Again!
Now that the Massachusetts referendum related to animal
rights has been defeated, it’s easy to relax. Relax preparation for
new attacks on our animal production methods. And relax on
the research needed to make sure we provide the best possible
accommodations for the livestock and poultry on our farms.
After eleven months of hard work and a cost of over half
million dollars by Massachusetts farmers, spearheaded by the
Massachusetts Farm Bureau, we now know a lot more about
what it takes to get the farm story across to the public. In this
state referendum non-farm voters outnumbered farmers by
about 1000 to one. Yet, even with these great odds against them,
450 farm families adopted state assemblymen-took them out to
their farms and explained how well they care for their livestock.
Steve Kopperud, executive director of Animal Industry Founda
tion, Arlington, VA, credits this grass roots efforts for the over
whelming 71 percent “no” vote. When people get first-hand
facts about agriculture, they respond favorably.
And this need to give people who live in the city these facts
continues to be needed everywhere in the country. Unfortunate
ly, many farmers think the animal welfare issue will go away if
we just don’t talk about it. But if that’s your thinking, think
again.
When animal welfare people called the state farm bureau
office after the vote, they offered congratulations and reported
that legislation would be introduced in the state to accomplish
what was defeated in the referendum. So, the conflict continues.
Dr. Richard Barczewski, extension agricultural agent, Uni
versity of Delaware, said in his swine management column this
week that the animal rights groups arc determined to condemn
intensive animal rearing. Some groups arc against any animal
agriculture altogether. “It’s high time that we as an industry start
to realize that the issue is not going to go away,” Barczewski
said.
Wc believe most farmers love their animals and give them
proper housing and care. And it’s important that they do the best
job possible to raise and house their livestock so that the legila
mate concerns of animal welfare arc met. We know that like
people, animals can adapt to many different living conditions
and be comfortable. This shows through contentment and high
production.
Through the new beef and pork checkoff programs, monies
are available to conduct research into animal well-being. We
need to be sure that this is accomplished. Then we’ll have data to
indicate by performance what housing conditions arc best for
each species. In animal welfare, as in any other issue, when the
facts arc known, and communicated, motions arc more easily
quieted.
Farm Calendar
Saturday, December 10
Dauphin Co. Ag and Natural
Resources Center, Open House,
Dauphin, thiough Dec. 11.
Monday, December 12
Mid-Atlantic Extension Poultry
Health Conference, Clayton
Hall, Univ. of Delaware,
Newark.
Lehigh County Annual Meeting,
Bake Oven Inn, Kempton, 7:30
p.m.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1 i.'S
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E Mam St
Ephrata, PA 17522
-by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stemman Enterprise
Robert G Campbell General Manager
Everett R Newswanger Managing Editor
Copyright 190# by Lancaster Farming
Wednesday, December 14
Mid-Allantic Conservation - Til
lage Conference, 8 a.m. York
Fairgrounds.
Friday, December 16
Univ. of Delaware Extension
Grain Meeting, Sheration, Dov
er, 9 a.m.
Tuesday, December 20
Monroe Co. Ag Security Meeting,
Polk Township Fire Hall, 7 p.m.
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Check
Barn Ventilation
Proper ventilation of all types
of livestock and poultry buildings
is very important during the wint
er months. When the warm,
moisture-laden air is not moved
out of the area, we usually see
condensation on the windows,
walls and ceilings. This is espe
cially true with little or poor insu
lation. Exhaust fans will move ab
out and protect the building. This
time of year the bams are filled
with livestock; these animals give
off large amounts of body heat
When condensation occurs it is a
sign that some attention is needed;
in most cases it is a problem with
ventilation or with insulation.
To Watch Semen
Tanks For Corrosion
Whether your liquid nitrogen
refrigerator is stainless steel, alu
minum, or other material, be sure
to observe it for possible corro
sion, according to Chester Hugh
es, Extension Agent - Livestock.
Any metal can corrode under
unfavorable conditions. The most
likely location for corrosion to
start is on the bottom of the
refrigerator, especially if it rests
on concrete. High moisture areas
increase the probability of
corrosion.
You can minimize semen losses
by routinely observing your
refrigerator for nitrogen usage
rates, corrosion, or other condi
tions detrimental to the tank. Liq
uid nitrogen tanks are simple and
dependable, but they do need
some observation and
management
Replacing a refrigerator is good
risk management and good semen
insurance. If your tank is seven
years or older, of it is rusted, den
ted, or corroded, it is a prime can
didate for replacement.
To Sort
Tobacco
Tobacco stripping is underway
in this part of die state and many
hours will be spent removing the
leaves from the stalk. The days of
special handling and sizing seem
to be over; however, it is still very
important that growers sort the
injured and ground leaves from
the good tobacco. This will be
required if the crop is being sold
on grade. With some “pull off’
crops this is less important. On the
other hand growers should be fair
enough to sort out the undesirable
leaves. If this is not done, the buy
er will be unhappy and look else
where for their tobacco supplies.
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Some sorting is necessary with
every crop regardless of the
method of selling.
This is the time of year that
most people are considering the
type of Christmas tree to buy.
And, I hear objections to using
real trees as being wasteful. So
let’s take a look at this situation.
Actually, the Christmas tree
farmer is raising trees as a crop,
and a source of income. This is
much the same as the farmer who
raises wheat, com or soybeans to
sell or use on his own farm.
Christmas trees are raised on land
not suited for other crops not
even pasture land. It’s mostly roll-
HOW SHALL
THIS BE?
December 11,1988
Background Scripture: Luke
1:26-56.
Devotional Reading: Genesis
18:9-15; Isaiah 11:1-5.
Several years ago my wife, Val
crc, and I wrote a book based on
our experience with breast cancer,
You Can Save Your Breast (New
York: W. W. Norton, 1982). At the
time it seemed an almost impossi
ble task. The only reason we per
severed against such great odds
was that we felt convinced God
wanted us to share our experience
with others. After we surmounted
those obstacles and got the manu
script written, there was a new
obstacle: getting a publisher to
accept it. I believe we must have
submitted it to more than 50
publishers before, with the help of
Norman Cousins, we got an
acceptance.
Valcre and I need to remember
that experience from time to time.
It seemed impossible to get the
book written and then published,
but we did not give up and eventu
ally our dream became a reality. I
won’t bother to recount all the
times along the way that we asked
ourselves, “How can this be?”, but
I can assure you it wasn’t once or
twice.
THOSE
“IMPOSSIBLE”
TASKS
Today, when we recall the hun
dreds of people who have written
and called us to thank us for writ
ing that book, I realize that we
must have been correct in our
original assumption that God
wanted us to do it. It had seemed
impossible, but it appears to us
that God helped us to do what had
seemed “impossible.” That is
neither the first nor the only time
we have experienced something
like that in our lives. God, it seems
upon reflection, is constantly call
ing us - and you - to do this or
I WONDER
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To Use A
Real Tree For
Christmas
ing land and highly acid.
Also, remember that these
Christmas tree farmers are putting
this land to good use; by conserv
ing the soil and providing an
excellent water shed. Keep in
mind that Christmas tree farmers
have a very slow turnover in their
capital- from the time they plant
the tree till it’s ready for your liv
ing room can be from 5 to 6 years
for small trees and 10 to IS years
on the larger trees. Another fact to
consider is there is nothing like the
fresh aroma of a real tree in your
home during the Christmas
season.
The Cooperative Extension is
an affirmative action, equal
opportunity educational
institution.
that. It may mean helping some
one in the public eye (writing a
book) or in relative obscurity
(helping a neighbor), but often our
response is the same: “How can
this be?” We are quite certain this
challenge is too big for us,
requires skill and knowledge we
don’t have, or is “out of our
league.” Sometimes we are right
in making these assessments and
sometime we are wrong. But it
doesn’t matter if God is challeng
ing us.
That was Mary’s experience.
The angel Gabriel came to her
with what must have seemed the
most frightening of all messages;
“And behold you will conceive in
your womb and bear a son, and
you shall call his name Jesus”
(1:31). Of course, Gabriel had said
more than that, but I’m sure those
arc the words she remembered
best because they were the most
disturbing. And she responded
just as most of us would have:
“How can this be, since I have no
husband?”
All of us have said something
similar at one lime or another;
How can this be? - I have no
training as a teacher; I don’t know
how to pray in public; I have so
Hide time as it is; I’ve never been
a leader; I’ve been sick for so
long; I have no talents or special
skills; I don’t have enough for
myself; who would listen to me
and the list goes on and on.
There’s nothing wrong with this
response, so far as it goes. Mary
did have a point: she had no hus
band and it was unthinkable to her
that she could become pregnant
without one. humanly speaking,
there was no way out of this
dilemma. But Gabriel was speak
ing from beyond 'he human per
spective: “The Holy Spirit will
come upon you, and the power of
the Most High will overshadow
you; therefore the child to be bom
will be-called holy, the Son of
God” (1:35).
Assured God’s promise, Mary
slopped worrying about the possi
bility of this challenge, for she
knew that with God nothing is
impossible; “Behold, I am the
handmaid of the Lord; let it be to
me according to your word”
(1:38).
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced
by the Committee on the Uniform Series and
used by permission Realeased by Commun
ity & Suburban Press)
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