RESPONDING TO
PRODUCT SAFETY
RECALLS
Since 1973, with the start-up of
the Consumer Safety Commission
(CPSC), an estimated 325 million
potentially hazardous products
have been recalled for repair or
replacement. Most of these were
voluntary recalls done jointly by
CPSC and product manufacturers.
It is their responsibility to alert
consumers to a potential problem.
However, consumers also have a
responsibility - to respond if they
have a product involved in a safety
recall.
For example, CPSC and Whirl
pool Corporations’ efforts since
the first announcement in August
1988 have surfaced only 80% of
five models of dishwashers that
require a control modification to
prevent fires. Now, you would
think that a safety alert that
warned about the danger of a dis
hwasher fire would get immediate
response from every owner.
Unfortunately, to many of us
today tend to say. “I’ll check it
when I’m not so busy," or “my
PRETTY... AND SAFE
TO EAT!
Pretty is not enough. Jt may look good on the
plant but If It isn’t safe to eat It’s no good at a 11...
Practice safe gardening., use only organic, safe
fertilizers and pesticides and help protect your
family and pets!
, \ , 'V t
I*2l '
HARRY M. BARNER
Box 265
Lamar, PA 16848
(717) 726-3275
PAUL ZIMMERMAN
Rt. 4, Box 173
Litta, PA 17543
(717) 733-7674
RANDY BOTTEICHER
R.D. #l. Box 2396
Milroy, PA 17063
(717) 667-2066
EDWIN R. OTT
CHR,S L B ;“ ,LLER KfSS!'
Bird-In-Hand, PA 17505 ( #l4 > 4#7 ‘ 5909
Have You
Heard?
By Doris Thomas
Lancaster Extension
Home Economist
dishwasher is working fine so it
will not catch fire.”
Those ate not valid excuses for
taking risks with a family’s safety.
Are you a responsible consumer?
Here’s a quiz to test it Do you (or
a friend, neighbor, or relative)
own an undcrcounter dishwasher?
Is it a Whirlpool brand? If so,
check it immediately. Open the
door. Locate the serial plate
located along the right front edge
of the tub and copy it down. Now,
compare it to these numbers:
DU4OOXS-0; DU6OOXS-0;
DUBOOXS-0; DU9OOOXR-0 and
DU9OOXR-1.
Did you find one of these num
bers on the plate of your dis
hwasher? Has it had a service call
to replace a switch? If it has not,
stop using the dishwasher and call
1/800/541-5746 toll free to
arrange for free service needed to
modify the unit to prevent a fire. A
pushbutton selector switch on
these models can, under some
conditions, catch fire. The modifi
cation involves replacing the
selector switch for approximately
75,000 dishwashers of the five
ail Us Today For Information!
ertrell Company**™™
>ox 215, Bainbriage, Pennsylvania
(717) 367-1566
FARM BASICS
GLENN E. MARTIN
2409 Marsh Pike
Hagerstown, MD 21740
(301) 733-0796
808 ELLIS
RD 3, Box 470
Lewisburg, PA 17837
(717) 568-0530
models listed.
Although Whirlpool field sales
and service personnel are continu
ing with attempts to contact all
owners of the affected units, con
sumers who have not yet been not
ified should call the toll-free num
ber for immediate service. In the
mean time, do not use the dis
hwasher. In fact, to be on the safe
side, the company recommends
leaving the door ajar, in the
unlatched position.
News For Junk
Food Junkies
Are you a junk food junkie con
sumed i>y guilt? Do you wonder if
that food is really junk or does it
have some redeeming qualities?
Not all fast foods ate junk. In fact,
they are only junk if they are eaten
exclusively or to excess so that
your daily nutrient and calorie
consumption are thrown off
balance.
Generally, one fast food meal a
week, regardless of its content,
will have little impact on the aver
age position’s nutritional intake.
Yet, if you eat fast foods frequent
ly, you may not have a well
balanced diet
Most fast fogd meals -- for
example, a burger, fries, and coke
- are adequate in proteins, fats
and carbohydrates - but they are
low in vitamins and minerals.
However, if you include a serving
from the salad bar, a milkshake, a
glass of orange juice, and cheese
on your burger you will have a
reasonably well-balanced meal.
You will also have a meal that
may add up to more than half of
all the calories you need that day.
Fast foodsurc generally calorie
dense, not nutrient-dense; that is.
TRI OUR GANIC
FERTRELL
Rt. 2. Box 113
McAllisteiville, PA 17049
(717) 463-2551
COCHRANTON CO-OP
Box 246, Pine Street
Cochranton, PA 16314
(814) 425-7401
FRED CLARK
PO Box 43
MoEwensville, PA 17749
(717) 536-9109
they are disproportionately high in
calories in comparison to the
nutrients they supply.
Fast foods are simply foods, not
junk. But anytime you eat more
food than you need, especially
more calorie-dense food, that
Agri-Women
Face Issues
KANASAS CITY, MO.
American agriculturists need to
develop a “winning strategy” and
view change as an opportunity
instead of a problem. Speaking
before the American Agri-Women
in Kansas City March 11-12,
Dixon Hubbard, USDA Extension
Service Coordinator for Competi
tiveness and Profitability, said that
farmers and ranchers will have to
take more risk, actively work
together, develop coalitions, over
come constraints and work toward
making some positive things
happen.
Hubbard was one of the fea
tured speakers who addressed the
American Agri-Women during
their Mid-Year meeting. AAW
president Mitzi Perdue, Salisbury,
Maryland said “numerous issues
were discussed that have been
raised before the public eye in
recent days such as hormone-free
beef and chemically-treated fruits
and vegetables. AAW is a coali
tion of agricultural organizations
and individuals that work toward
educating themselves to influence
legislation and toward educating
other consumers about how food,
fiber and forestry products are
produced and distributed.”
Hubbard said fanners should
spread their risk...stop putting all
their eggs in one basket and deve
lop a ‘Hershey’s Chocolate’ men
tality. “For example,” Hubbard
explained, “dairy fanners in Pen
nsylvania wanted to develop more
uses for their products so they
went out and got nuts and choco
late and mixed them up with their
milk.” Hubbard told the American
Agri-Women that farmers need to
do more thinking about how they
can develop strategies that are
<£k
BatMttay,Ap<VtMWs
extra,can be called junk. If you
like fast foods, enjoy an occasion*
al meal. Just remember to balance
your recommended" daily allow
ance of essential nutrients during
your other meals to over-come
any fast food'nutrient deficiencies.
appropriate to political, economic
and physical environment profit
taking. He said that associations
like American Agri-Women can
be a major player in such an effort
and become actively involved in
legislation that might help them in
this area. Hubbard cited the uncer
tainties of today that make farm
ing very difficult “Farmers do not
know from day to day what the
price of major inputs such as ener
gy and money will be. whether
protection and default will close
borders or whether global financ
ing will open things up further, or
who their next competitor will be.
Then, on the consumer side,”
Hubbard continued, “tastes are
changing and there is a vastly
increasing awareness of qual
ity...especially as it relates to
health and safety of food
products.”
AAW members also heard from
Debbie Moody, Miller Brewing
Company legislative assistant for
government affairs, who con
ducted a workshop on how to meet
with congressional delegates,
access the political climate and
cultivate grassroot opportunities
to network as a coalition of
diverse agricultural interests. Dur
ing the two-day meeting AAW
commodity and affiliate chairmen
reported and leadership training
and grantwriting workshops were
held. American Agri-Women will
convene again November 10-14,
1989 in Grand Forks, North Dako
ta for their 17th annual national
convention.
Jackie McCleary and Gail
McPherson represented York
County and Penn’s Agri-Women
at this Mid-Year Meeting of
AAW.
'once