A44-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 18,1989
LebanonlDauphin Crops Day
(Continued from Pago A 1)
when researchers began searching
for answers to the Chesapeake Bay
dilemma. Agricultural non-point
source pollution was determined
by experts to come from low
amounts of chemicals leaching or
running off fields. Potential point
sources are mix and loading facil
ties, rinse water disposal sites,
chemical spills, and sink holes.
The results of several studies
done in different areas throughout
the country pointed the finger at
the point sources for contamina
tion of ground water and not at
non-point sources as orginally
thought.
Water contamination is never
good news, but these conclusions
were a form of good news for far
mers. In the majority of cases
when traces of chemicals were
detected in wells there was usually
a chemical manufacturer/dealer
near or there had been a recent
chemical spill.
Locating the cause of chemical
contamination to be point sources
meant that the problem could be
corrected much easier than if it was
from pesticide/herbicide use. With
the point sources as the major
problems improvements such as
loading pads designed to collect
runoff rinse water could greatly
curb contamination. Also, farmers
could continue using
agrichemicals.
Government agencies are just
beginning to set tolerances for
some of the detected chemicals.
And those tolerances which have
been established may soon be
changed as the agencies gather
more information.
Hartzler predicted the federal
government may set a zero toler
ance for ground water. The Envir
onmental Protection Agency will
come out with their recommenda
tion in the next two years. Out of
those will definitely come labeling
changes on Atrazine®, according
to Hartzler.
But there is good news because
other chemicals have a good mar
gin for safety. Their potential for
contamination depends upon its
rate of movement in soil, water
soluability and its half-life. Hart
zlcr said farmers may see recom
mendations differ according to soil
type and texture and depth of water
table. Some areas may be banned
completely from certain chemi
cals. But there may be limitations
in enforcing that due to insufficient
manpower.
Much tighter restrictions are
coming, according to Hartzler.
Forage Fertilization
“Lime goes a long way main
taining a proper alfalfa stand,” said
Beegle. “If you don’t want to lime
your fields you can plan to use
200-300 lbs. of fertilizer.”
If you want to establish a good
stand of alfalfa start planning when
the field is still in corn. It not only
makes sense, but it also makes dol
lars, too. Save dollars on commer
CHAMBERSBURG Frank
lin County Agent, John Shearer,
has announced that the annual
Franklin County Crops And Soils
Day will be held Wednesday,
February 22, at the Lemaster
Community Center.
Twenty commercial exhibits
will open at 9:00 a.m. An educa
tional program will start at 9:30
a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. Those in
attendance will receive one core
and one category credit for Penn
sylvania Pesticide Applicator
license-renewal purposes. Pehn
cial fertilizer by loading up those
com fields with manure. Use fertil
izer to give your nutrient level a
boost just prior to planning if your
soil tests reveal you need it Sur
face application after the bed has
been seeded can only maintain
nutrients. It cannot repair the dam
age done by poor planning.
Use lime to bring ph to the ideal
level of 6.5 to 7. This improves the
soil’s ability to utilize available
nitrogen.
Apply lime as early as a year
before seeding. Even the most
finely ground lime which is also
the most costly takes atleast sever
al months to affect the ph. Plan
ning can allow the farmer to apply
a less cosily grade of lime and still
get good results.
Beegle discouraged the use of
band starter fertilizer in soils
where fertility is up. Only under
adverse conditions the farmer
might see some benefit from his
investment. Soil fertility should be
optimum from manure and fertiliz
er application prior to seeding and
can only be maintained by surface
application and not corrected.
Hay yields typically remove
15-20 lbs. of phosphorous and 45
to 60 lbs. of potash per ton of hay.
Soil test results note recommended
levels of nutrient application
which include what was removed
by the yield and what is needed to
keep your soil fertility at optimum
levels.
Beegle urged farmers to estab
lish what they beleive is an opti
mum level for them and to strive to
maintain that level. Use soil tests
to monitor the nutrient level. To
build excessively high levels is
costly to the farmer with no bene
fits. Excessive levels can limit
crop production, cause environ
mental problems and waste pre
cious dollars on fertilizer and
application.
“If you do not use your test
results and exceed the optimum
range you are throwing your
money away,” warned Beegle.
“Above that optimum range you
get little or no return for your
dollars.”
Beegle recommended:
—economically build fertility
levels with manure while in com.
—apply fertilizer when it can be
plowed down.
—apply 2 lbs. boron/acre along
with P and K fertilizer.
—apply fertilizer after first and/
or last cutting.
—do not apply manure on
young stands.
—only use inoculant which is
not outdated and has been kept
from extreme heat and out of direct
sunlight.
Other speakers on the agenda
were: Sid Bosworth, extension
agronomist, Penn State; Alfred
Dugan, director of research at Mil
ton Hershey School Farms; Galen
Kopp, pesticide inspector, region
IV, PDA; and Bruce Kreider,
multi-county extension agent,
farm management.
Franklin County Plans Crops Days
State specialists will discuss “For
age Crops To Beat The Drought”,
“Forage Weeds—lnfluence on
Quality”, “How N, P, and K Work
In The Soil”, and “No-Till Forage
Production.”
A very-special feature will be
the presentation of the USDA
Bicentennial Farm Awards by
John Akers, U.S. Soil Conserva
tion Service. Wayne Kuhns, presi
dent of the Ffanklin County Crop
Management Association, will
discuss, “IPM—Soon, You Will
Be Using It.” Shearer will discuss
Change
(Continued from Pago A 1)
for the national organization only.
No longer is the FFA the organi
zation for “farm boys” as intended
at its inception in 1928. Due to the
increasingly high percentage of
non-farm members, fewer mem
bers are becoming “fanners".
Many pursue careers in the broader
spectrum of the agricultural
industry.
The change is in response to
changes in the agricultural indus
try and agricultural education. It is
an effort to move the organization
away from the negative image
associated with farming and to
broaden its scope beyond produc
tion agriculture. The change
was not an easy one. Many mem
bers were opposed. Many felt the
name change does little to change
the image and that more effort was
needed to change the public’s
awareness. Many felt altering the
original name tampers with their
60-year-old tradition.
Members did agree on one
thing. That the image of the orga
nization depended upon individual
members and chapters. It’s what
the organization does that matters
and not what it’s called. Directors
felt the “farmer” label minimized
the broader scope which the orga
nization of 1989 has become.
A Second Look
At first glance the brilliant gold
emblem that has become syn
onymous with the agricultural
organization has changed little.
The rising sun, the plow, the wise
old owl and the American eagle are
still there. But take a second look.
The words “agricultural educa
tion” have replaced "vocational
education”. Small change for the
emblem, but another major change
for the organization.
Another effort to rectify the
organization’s image problem. For
60 years the National FFA has
been directly associated with voca
tional education. However, in the
past few years, the term has
created a negative image. State
education agencies have already
dropped the term from curriculum
descriptions. Dropping vocational,
the directors believed, would
reflect a more positive and profes
sional agricultural organization
creating greater appeal to more
students.
There have been many changes
in the face of American agriculture
since the birthdate of the FFA. The
organization not only kept in step,
but more often was on the leading
edge of change. The story of the
organization has been one of con
stant change. 1989 brings nothing
new to its members.
In its birth the FFA was the club
for “farm boys” studying vocation
al agriculture in high schools. But
by the time the organization
moved into its fifth decade, several
trends became apparent demand
ing attention .from its leaders.
The organization noticed the
changing make-up of their mem
bership in the 19605. A growing
“The Protection of Groundwater
From Pesticides.” He will also
announce and recognize the win
ners of the 1988 Franklin County
Alfalfa Growers’ Program and the
Com Silage Club.
The event is being co
sponsored by Penn State Coopera
tive Extension and the Ag-
Industry exhibitors.
National FFA Week
February 18-25,1989
Keeps National FFA
number of its members were non
farm students and the numbers
were steadily increasing. Also,
membership was no longer limited
to males. Girls were active at state
and local levels; however, they
were not eligible for a full national
membership until 1969.
Allowing girls to have a full
national membership was probab
ly the most visible change in the
:lub’s history. It was also one of
the most controversial issues to
come before the membership. Not
only was group divided on the
issue, but it was also divided on
which group should make the deci
sion.
Several of the FFA advisors felt
the board of directors should have
that power, but others felt that the
decision should be done democrat
ically and be left up to the vote Of
the delegates at the National FFA
Convention.
The delegates voted in 1969 to
amend the FFA Constitution mak
ing girls eligible for national mem
bership, but it was 1976 before the
organization had its first female
national officer.
Another reaction to the chang
ing membership came in 1963.
The original FFA members were
from farms and after graduation
planned to return to the farm.
However, the growing percentage
of non-farm students who had no
farm to return to demanded more
from the organization.
Accomodation came in the form
of the vocational acts of 1963. This
opened the vocational-agriculture
education classes to those non
farm students wanting agricultural
training to pursue careers off the
farm in the area of agricultural
New York, New Jersey
Pay $13.07 For Milk
NEW YORK Dairy farmers
who supplied milk plants regu
lated under the New York-New
Jersey marketing orders during
December 1988 will be paid on
the basis of a uniform price of
$13.07 per hundredweight (28.1
cents per quart); the price for the
corresponding month last year
was $12.21 per hundredweight.
Market Administrator Thomas A.
Wilson also stated that the price
was $13.18 in November 1988.
The uniform price is a marketwide
weighted average of the value of
farm milk used for fluid and man
ufactured dairy products.
The seasonal incentive plan
does not affect the uniform price
for the month of December.
A total of 13,682 dairy farmers
supplied the New York-New
Jersey Milk Marketing Area with
932,697,606 pounds of milk dur
ing December 1988. This was an
increase of 2.2 percent (about 20
million pounds) from last year.
The gross value to dairy farmers
for milk deliveries was
$125,958,754.46. This included
differentials required to be paid to
dairy farmers but not voluntary
Atlantic
Locals
SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. The
Lewistown-Shirleysburg and the
Trough Creek-Big Valley Locals
of Atlantic Dairy Cooperative
District 18 will hold their annual
dinner meeting March 4 at 11:30
a.m. at the Belleville Mennonit?
School.
> James S. Fraher, Atlantic’s eco
nomist, will be the guest speaker.
Fraher will report on cooperative
business and milk pricing trends.
During the meeting, a 25-year
businesses. They could also enjoy
membership in the FFA.
Encouraging excellence in all
areas of training is another tradi
tion and is the motive behind the
various local, state and national
FFA awards. In keeping with their
tradition of building confidence
through accomplishment and
building leaders in all areas of agri
culture, the Star Agribusiness
iward was created in 1967. By
1969 the first National Star Agri-
Misiness Award was presented.
Further recognition of the new
rend toward agribusiness was the
treation of proficiency awards in
igricultural sales and service, flor
culture, nursery operations, out
loor recreation, turf and landscape
nanagemenL
Twenty years ago the FFA rec
ignized a trend which has become
reality. As of 1989 it is estimated
that only a few of the FFA’s
405,000 members will become far
mers. So the name “future far
mers” was not only inaccurate, but
it also lacked marketing appeal.
And marketing the club has gained
importance also. Membership rolls
swelled in the mid-1970s at
507,000. Today it has dropped by
20 percent.
The name change, the change
from vocational to agricultural
education and the constant updat
ing to accomodate their non-farm
students are moves to increase
membership and also to reflect the
changes in the ag industry.
FFA’s history, its current efforts
to meet the demands of the ag
industry is what has kept and will
continue to keep the national orga
nization on agricultural’s leading
edge.
premiums or deductions author
ized by the farmer.
Regulated milk dealers (hand
lers) used 400,964,379 pounds of
milk for Class I, 43.0 percent of
the total. This milk is used for
fluid milk products such as
homogenized, flavored, low test,
and skim milks. For December
1988, handlers paid $14.43 per
hundredweight (31.0 cents per
quart) for Class I milk compared
with $13.90 a year ago.
The balance (531,733,227
pounds or 57.0 percent) was used
to manufacture Class II products
including butter, cheese, ice
cream, and yogurt. Handlers paid
$12.33 per hundredweight for this
milk.
The uniform price is based on
milk containing 3.5 percent but
terfat. For December 1988, there
was a price differential for 15.1
cents for each one-tenth of one
percent that the milk tested above
or below the 3.5 percent standard.
All prices quoted are for bulk
tank milk received from farms in
the 201-210 mile zone from New
York City.
District
o Meet
membership plaque will be pre
sented to the T. Ray Metz family
of Mill Creek. Also, Jesse L.
Peachy, Belleville, will receive a
Quality Milk Award for receiving
Atlantic’s quality premium for all
12 months during the 1987-1988
fiscal year.
Atlantic Dairy Cooperative rep
resents 3,800 dairy farm families
in Pennsylvania, New York, New
Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Vir
ginia and West Virginia.