Al&Uncntar Farming, Saturday, March 11,1989
OPINION
Not Enough To Talk
To Ourselves Anymore
In recent years, farmers have become more critical of their
farm organizations. It’s not enough to sponsor a tour to a neigh
boring county or publish a newsletter. Farmers now ask, and
rightfully so, what does this organization do for me politically
and economically? How am I helped in the marketplace? How
am I helped in the state or national legislatures?
In the case of milk marketing, membership is mandatory. The
law mandates that 15 cents from every hundredweight of milk
the dairyman produces be given to farm marketing organiza
tions to manage. Even these organizations, as we reported
recently, have now begun efforts to work together. That’s good
news. We have advocated this merger of efforts for quite some
time. A lot of duplicate creative work by advertising and public
relations agencies can be saved. •
In organizations where there is no law if you join or not, the
justification for existence takes on a more immediate reality. If
the cost of membership becomes higher than what the farmer
perceives is his return of investment, the membership is
chopped. That’s the way it should be. And our only caution
would be to make sure that dropping the membership is not just a
short term view.
We can’t help but think that to maintain a registered herd of
dairy cows regardless of which breed you favor will have long
term economic value. And since the average cost of membership
in>your breed organization can be offset by the difference in
member/non-member registration fees of about three calves, we
believe you would want to take the long-view look before drop
ping membership in your dairy breed organization.
The dairy and livestock breed organizations are to be com
mended for the development of an export market that can be
reached by very ordinary farmers. But in other areas improve
ment in real benefits to members could be undertaken.
Many activities take place where a lot of effort is spent for far
mers to talk to themselves. For example, the dairy and livestock
shows. Of course, since we cover about 200 shows each year, we
obviously support the system. But if all the shows in the state
were outlawed this year, we would still have a strong and heallh
y dairy and livestock industry.
However, if we don’t start to sit down with some of the animal
rights organizations and talk to them, we could be out of busi
ness overnight. Farmers need to tell these urban people that
everything they do from morning until night is aimed at the wel
fare of their animals.
And if we don’t start to talk to legislators and environmental
organizations about the need for fertilizers and chemicals in
food production, new laws may force us to go back to methods
used fifty years ago. And we may face sixty bushels of com per
acre rather than the 200 bushels that can be produced with prop
er use of commercial products, balanced with on farm nutrients.
Even our fine good-will ambassadors, our dairy, livestock
and commodity princes, princesses and queens, are required to
spend more time talking to farm groups than to urban or city
organizations. It makes us feel good to have these young men
and women come and talk to our farm meeting. Besides, it’s far
ina’s money that supports the program, so they have an obliga
tion to come to the farm meeting, right?
We guess that’s right. But when the prince, princess or queen
talks to farmers it’s just another case of talking to ourselves.
We’re wailing to report on page one about the first farm organi
zation that instead of asking their good will ambassador to speak
at their farm meeting, will arrange for them to speak at a town
civic meeting instead.
So, when you are deciding which farm organizations to join
or drop, take a long term view. And if you decide to join or
renew your membership, do your part to help these organiza
tions to get involved in activities that will have significant inpact
on the future welfare and profitability of agriculture. What many
farm organizations are doing should continue to be done. But
these other important things should not be left undone. It’s just
not enough to talk to ourselves anymore.
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
County Agriculture Agent
To Prevent
Water Pollution
The quality of our water sup
plies is very important; in most
cases it should receive more atten
tion. Many people have wells with
high bacteria count and/or with
high nitrates. Both of these are
undesirable for both domestic and
livestock consumption. When
feedlots and bams are cleaned out
this spring, every effort should be
made to incorporate this manure
into the topsoil just as quickly as
possible. With liquid manure, the
soil injection type of applicator
does an excellent job. With other
types of surface spreaders, the
manure should be disced or
plowed into the topsoil soon after
application; this is especially true
on slopes above water supplies.
The application of fertilizer war
rants the same attention; mix it
with the top soil very soon after
application. Also surface water
should be directed away from
wells or any other water supply.
To Be Aware That Calcium
Reduces Blood Pressure
According to studies made by
the Oregon Health Services Uni
versity in Portland, there is a link
between hypertension/high blood
pressure and calcium metabolic
disorders. A random sampling of
about 1,500 people revealed that
those with high blood pressure
also showed a 22% reduction in
dietary calcium. Researchers at
the Center stated that if everyone
in the U.S. consumed enough
dairy products to meet the daily
allowance of calcium recom
mended by the National Academy
of Science, hypertension in this
Farm
Calendar
Saturday, March 11
Fourth Annual Northeast Regional
Christmas Tree Growers meet
ing, Split Rock Lodge Galleria,
Lake Harmony, 8:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.
Maple Sugar Festival, Springton
Manor Farm, Glenmoore, 9:00
a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Sheep Short Course, Sudlersville
Fire Hall, Sudlersville, Md.,
9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Register
by March 8, contact Rich Barc
zewski at 302/451-1125.
Westmoreland County bred gilt
sale, New. Wilmington Live
stock Auction, 1:00 p.m. ,
Angus On Parade Sale, Penn State
Ag Arena, State College, noon.
(Turn to Pag* A 22)
country would be -reduced by
50%. The potential health benefits
of dairy products is being recog
nized by many researchers; they
are exploring the effect of dietary
calcium in body fats, cancer, heart
diseases and cataract formation.
We look to continued research in
these areas.
To Practice Safety
Around Liquid Manure Pits
Many manure pits will be
cleaned out at this time of year for
field application. This by-product
of the livestock and dairy business
is very useful as fertilizer. Howev
er, the pit can be a safety hazard
because of poisonous and explo
sive gases. When the mixture is
agitated in order to be removed,
these gases are more plentiful and
much more dangerous. Good ven
tilation above the pit is very
important Also, anyone who goes
down in the empty pit should be
wearing a gas mask. These gases
are dangerous and can be fatal to
both humans and animals. We
urge all fanners to caution their
employees of this potential
danger.
To Check Ventilation Systems
We are into the season of the
TIMELY
INTERCESSIONS
March 12,1989
Background Scripture: Colos
sians 1:1-14.
Devotional Reading: 1 Peter
2:1-10.
I don’t know of a better
expression of the meaning of
Christ’s saving love than Paul’s
statement to the church at Colos
sae: “He has delivered us from the
dominion of darkness and trans
ferred us to the kingdom of his
beloved Son, in whom we have
the redeption, the forgiveness of
sins” (Colossians 1: 13,14). With
out the love of God in Christ, life
for me would be a “dominion of
darkness.” With Christ’s redemp
tion it is to me like coming out of a
dark tunnel and emerging into the
brilliant light of day.
Yet, wonderful as Paul’s allu
sion is we find there is more to liv
ing as a follower of Christ than
being “transferred” from “the
dominion of darkness” to Christ’s
kingdom. Much as most of us
would like to stop with what
Christ has done for us the long
run view, there is also the concern
of daily living the short-run
view. It does not matter what
Christ has done to bring us intahis
kindgom, if, in our daily lives, we
still struggle in the dominion of
darkness.
TIMELY
INTERCESSIONS
Paul knew that and his com
prehension is reflected in the pray
VA
\T RIGHT
TRi
year riMtvwMilnt kiwis very impor
tant. The fans in our poultry
houses and daily bams have been
working hard through the winter
months. They have accumulated
dust on the louvers and screens
and developed loose belts, so they
are less efficient in other words
they are not moving as much air as
they are rated.
This is a good time to go
through your buildings and clean
the fan blades, the louvers and
screens. Tighten the fan belts, and
be sure to check the inlet screens.
Many times, in our poultry houses
in particular, we’re not getting air
circulation because the air cannot
get into the building. Clean these
inlet screens so they are not
restricting air.
Also, check the thermostats to
make certain they are working
properly.
Poor ventilation can cause
health problems in poultry houses
and "off’ flavored milk in dairy
bams. This is a good time to take
care of some of these inside jobs.
The Penn State Cooperative
Extension is an affirmative action,
equal 'opportunity educational
institution.
ers he prayed for the Colossian
Christians: “...we have not ceased
to pray for you” (1:9). What werS
these intercessions on their
behalf? For one thing, “that you
may be filled with the knowledge
of his will in all spiritual wisdom
and understanding.” That’s one of
those short-run daily needs that
helps to shape the long-run pic
ture: to know God’s will in our
daily life. All of us need that,
don’t we?
Paul’s next intercession is no
less practical and timely; that you
“may lead a life worthy of the
Lord, fully pleasing to him, bear
ing fruit in every good work...”
(1:10). We may not know specifi
cally what we need on any particu
lar day, but the prayer to lead our
lives “worthy of the Lord” is
always a practical necessity. I’m
not trying to win a Pulitzer Prize
with this column, but I do pray
that it may be “pleasing to him”
and bear fruit with you, the reader.
WITH POWER
Paul’s third petition is also one
we need on a daily basis: that you
may “be strengthened with all
power, according to his glorious
might, for all endurance and pati
ence with j0y...” (1:11). Disap
pointment, failure, rejection, sin
all of these are challenges to
our patience and endurance. Even
though Christ has transferred us
from darkness to light, we still
have to find the power to meet the
trials and challenges of daily liv
ing a power that must come
from beyond ourselves when our
own resources have failed.
To discover God’s will, to live
fruitful lives, and find the power
to endure—these are timely inter
cessions that never become
obsolete.
(Sued on copyrighted Outlines pro
duced by the Committee on the Uniform
Series and used by permission. Released
by Community & Suburban Press.)
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