AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 25,1989
OPINION
Work Together
The success of swine industry efforts to sell a leaner product is pay
ing off at the meat counter. Market statistics indicate the demand for
pork has increased for each of the last nine consecutive quarters with
a jump of 2% to 4% at the retail level.
According to Gene Todd, director of hog procurement for Farm
land Foods, Inc., fueling that demand curve with high-quality hogs is
central to continued success at the meat counter.
He adds that teamwork among swine producers and pork proces
sors is the best way to attain that objective.
‘To tackle the issues of pork quality, cutability and market penetra
tion, Farmland Foods has established a Producer Advisory Council.
“Our objective is to funnel information to producers to help them
raise the type of hoe and consumer demands and give them a voice in
how the industry is structured at the processor level,” Todd said.
One early benefit, notes Todd, is a mutual understanding of the
criteria for grading hogs based on consumer preference.
Producers have been able to put themselves in the processor’s
shoes to examine loin eye, backfat and other elements which deter
mine a hog’s value on the rail.
“Although fat can be trimmed at the packing house,” Todd said, “it
just makes more sense tc begin with sound genetics and nutrition to
build a better hog.”
We believe whenever segments of agriculture such as in this case
pork producers and packers work together you will have success.
Let’s continue to seek ways to work together in every area of our
great fanning industry. x
Farm Calendar
Saturday, February 25
Cumberland Valley Cooperative
annual meeting, Shippensburg
Senior High School, Shippens
burg, 11:30 a.m.
Hydroponics Workshop, York
County Extenion office, 9:00
a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; register by
calling 717/757-9657.
Monday, February 27
Soybean Day, Meyer’s Restaurant
on Rt. 309, Quakertown, 9:30
a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Westmoreland County Pasture
Management Workshop, Derry
High School, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00
p.m. Continues March 9.
Adams County Dairy Nutrition
School, Cross Keys Diner, New
Oxford, 9:45 a.m.
Planning for the 90s, Part 1, Board
Room, Penn State Schuylkill
Campus, 12:30 p.m. to 3:00
p.m.; for reservations, call
717/385-3431.
American Angus Association’s
“An Evening With EPDs,”
Hoss’s Steak & Sea House,
York, dutch treat dinner at 6:30
p.m., presentation at 7:30 p.m.
Central Penn 4-H Swine Banquet,
W. Pennsboro Fireball, 7:00
p.m.
Cumberland County Sheep &
Wool Growers Annual Meeting
and Banquet, S. Middleton
Fireball, Boiling Springs, 7:00
p.m.
Clarion County Pesticide Permit
Renewal, Clarion County Park,
7:30 p.m.; bring your current
permit.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stdrnmn Enmprht
Robert G. Campbell General Manager
Everett R. Newswanger Managing Editor
CapyrlffiriM by Lancaster Firming
Frederick County Ag Week, Fre
dericktown Mall, Frederick,
Md.; contact Ted Albaugh
301/898-3342.
Holstein Association Winter For
um, Holiday Inn Fairgrounds,
Syracuse, N.Y.; mns through
Feb. 28.
Tuesday, February 28
Eighth Annual Farm Builders
Conference, Sheraton Penn
State, State College, Designers
Day, 9:20 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
PennAg Environmental Seminar,
Eden Resort, Lancaster, 9:30
a.m.
Farm Financial Management &
Stress, Mifflin County Court
House, basement meeting
room, 9:30 a.m.
Lancaster County Dairy Days,
Day 1, Lancaster Farm & Home
center, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.;
continues March 7.
American Angus Association’s
“An Evening With EPDs,”
Hoss’s Steak & Sea House,
Greensburg, dutch treat dinner
at 6:30 p.m., presentation at
7:30 p.m.
Ephrata Area Young Farmers
sludge management meeting,
Cloister Restaurant, 6:30 p.m.
Bucks County Extension annual
meeting, Plumsteadville Fire
hall, Plumsteadville, 7:00 p.m.
Lebanon County 4-H Livestock
Banquet, Schaefferstown Fire
hall, 7:00 p.m.
Small-Scale Part-Time Farming
classes begin, Penn Slate Allen
town campus, Fogelsville, 7:30
, I
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
County Agriculture Agent
To Attend Poultry
Progress Day
The seventh annual Poultry
Progress Day will be held on
Thursday, March 2, in the auditor
ium at the Farm and Home Center,
Lancaster. The program will start
at 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m.
Lunch will be available. An excel
lent and timely program has been
developed by the Poultry Associa
tion Education Committee. Speak
ers will deal with the concern of
“Living With Your Neighbors” in
manure handling and odors and
pest control. A system of Dead
Bird Disposal Through Compost
ing will be reviewed by George
Chaloupka, University of Dela
ware; using computers to assist
management of broiler and layer
houses will be covered; we’ll hear
how the “Future Lifestyle Trends
Will Affect the Poultry Industry”;
we’ll receive an update on the
national survey conducted for egg
producers and a poultry health
update.
We encourage poultry produc
ers and people interested in the
poultry industry to attend this
important meeting. This meeting
qualfies for two core credits for
your Private Applicator Pesticide
License. Please bring your license.
p.m. Call 215/820-3085 for
course information.
Ag Forum with Representative
John Barley, Penn Manor High
School, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 1
Eighth Annual Farm Builders
Conference, Crew Day, Penn
State Ag Arena, 7:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.
Pennsylvania Com Growers Con
ference, Penn Harris Inn, Camp
Hill, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Dairy & Computer Management
Day, Tulpehocken High
School, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.;
makes reservations by Feb. 27,
215/488-6286.
Farm Transfer Arrangements
Meeting, Adams Co. Extension
office, 7:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania Potato Growers
Institute, Genetti Lycoming
Hotel, Williamsport: runs
through March 2.
Pennsylvania DHIA Corporate
Meeting, Sheraton Penn State,
State College; runs through
Marcfi 2.
Pork Forum ’B9, Hyatt Regency at
Crown Center, Kansas City,
Mo.; runs through March 3.
(Turn to Page A3O)
W HAT DID THE OLD. 77ME
To Keep Good
Pesticide Records
The arrival of March means the
beginning of a new growing sea
son and warmer weather. And, the
use of various spray materials and
chemicals will be a common prac
tice. They’re all intended for a
special purpose, if used correctly.
In order to protect the producer
from the danger of having excess
residues in food and feed crops, it
is very important that accurate
records be kept. This is true with
crops as well as with livestock. In
case the producer is charged with
excess residues, these written
records may save your business.
Don’t rely on your memory or oral
statements; they will not stand up
at a hearing. Be sure records list
the name of the material and the
rate and date of application.
To Be Alert For
Farm Hazards
With the arrival of warmer
weather, outside activity picks up
as people - young and old - enjoy
the arrival of spring, and as farm
ers rush to get a head start on
spring chores. Don’t let accidents
spoil your enjoyment of this won
derful lime of the year, cautions
Glenn Shirk, Extension Dairy
Agent. *
Be alert for active and curious
children around farm vehicles.
Fence off manure storage units to
discourage their accidental en
trance. When working around
manure pits, be aware of the risk
AN INCIDENT
IN JERICHO
February 26,1989
Background Scripture: Luke
19:1-10.
Devotional Reading; Psalms
68:19,20; Acts 9:10-12.
Nazarene Linked
to Tax Collector
It doesn’t take much imagina
tion to guess the headlines jour
nalists would write if the incident
in Jericho were to take place
today. Well-known religious lead
ers would either denounce Jesus
outright or at least call his judge
ment into question. News com
mentators and editorialists would
speculate on whether or not Jesus’
“blunder” had finished his career.
Tabloids would link him to the
nefarious Trilateral Commission.
A Gallup Poll would establish that
his approval by the average citizen
had plunged sharply. Only here
and there might there be some iso
lated voices defending and even
approving the incident in Jericho.
THE COLLABORATOR
Actually, that’s the way the
incident was viewed in his own
day. Zaccheaus and other Jews
like him were the very worst out
casts of Jewish society. It wasn’t
just that they were tax collectors.
_ *O% „ • .
of toxic gases. Some gases strike
•* man and animals with no warning
and others can be explosive. So,
provide plenty of ventilation,
don’t work alone and avoid sparks
1 and flames.
To Use Heat
Lamps Safely
A portable heat lamp is a useful
item around the home and farm
during cold weather. The lamp’s
infra-red rays can be used to keep
pigs from freezing, relax aching
muscles, or warm crankcases of
tractors and cars so they’ll start
easier. The heat lamp can also be
used in brooders for small pigs or
lambs, or baby chicks or at your
workbench to give you quick heat.
But, I’d like to add a word of
caution. A heat lamp can be
dangerous because the lamp’s rays
can easily burn you, the same as a
sunburn.
Also, if you arc using the lamp
continuously for a long period, use
a porcelain socket. Most plastic
sockets will not be able to stand
the heat. Another thing... in a
brooding area, use a wire or chain
to support the lamp. Don’t hang it
by its cord; the cord was designed
to carry the current and'not the
weight. Remember, a heat lamp
can come in handy around the
farm or home in cold weather; but
handle it with care.
The Penn Stale Cooperative
Extension is an affirmative action,
equal opportunity educational in
stitution.
but that it was the Romans for
whom they collected their levies.
So Zaccheaus was a traitor in the
eyes of his countrymen. In addi
tion, tax collectors were hated
because they cheated their fellow
citizens, collecting a great deal
more that they turned over to the
Roman government. So Zac
cheaus was both a traitor and a
cheat and-ho respectable Jew
would have anything to do with
him. The only course was to
ostracize Zaccheaus and isolate
him in the Jewish society.
Jesus, however, did not see it
that way. Instead of ostracizing
Zaccheaus, Jesus took the initia
tive to show the tax collector that
he did not reject him: “Zaccheaus,
make haste and come down; for I
must stay at your house today”
(Luke 19:5). This brought a pre
dictable response, not just from
the scribes and Pharisees, but the
crowds as well: “He has gone in to
be the guest of a man who is a sin
ner” (19:7). They saw Jesus as
condoning ths man’s sins and as
insensitive to the lax collector’s
victims.
THE NEW MAN
Jesus, however, was concerned,
not with condemning his sins, but
with reclaiming him for God.
Jesus was probably the first per
son who treated him like a human
being for a long time and Zac
chcaur. “came down and received
him joyfully” (19:6). Because of
this incident in Jericho, society
lost a sinner and gained a new
blessing.
(Based on copynghts Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Senes and used
by permission Released by Community & Sub
uiban Press)
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