812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 7. 1990
Penn
VAL VANTASSEL
Berks Co. Correspondent
READING (Berks Co.)-
Penn-Agn Women isn’t like most
farm organizations. “We’re not a
coffee klatch group. We are too
busy to see that the tea is properly
brewed and the cookies arranged.’
explained President Carol Gregg
Meetings aren’t the group’s
strong suit either. “We’re just too
busy to have monthly meetings
Many of our members work on the
family farm or have jobs They
belong to a lot of other organiza
tions It doesn’t make sense to
hold meetings just to hold meet
ings,” Vice President Tressie
Caton said
And regardless of what the
name implies, there are men in
Penn Agri-Women. “We have 7*S
members including a couple ot
men. One wrote the Penn Agri
Women song and the others are
associated with ag businesses. Our
membership also covers a wide
array of ages. Many of our mem
bers are farm wives, others are in
agriculture business. Some mem
bers just want to help promote
agriculture,” Gregg said.
Despite its atypical structure,
this little known organization has
packed a big wallop when it com
es to promoting agriculture to the
general public. The group has
been working on that goal since it
was established in 1974. Penn-
Agri members have been instru
mental m keeping the Ag in the
Classroom program alive in
Pennsylvania.
“Penn Agn Women involved in
bringing the Ag in the Classroom
program to Pennsylvania. Many
members are involved in visiting
classrooms Others run farm lours
lor students We arc part of an
effort to establish a statewide
program,” explained member Gail
McPherson.
Calon, a farm real estate agent,
emphasized the importance of
educating the young. “I grew up
on a West Texas cattle ranch and I
think you carry a piece of your
childhood with you all your life.
Most of today’s children don’t
have that opportunity in many
cases their parents didn t grow up
on a farm either. Many children go
to the store to get eggs but have no
earthly idea that a chicken is
involved,” Caton said. '
“We have got to teach children
the value of farms They need to
know that the slice of bread from a
wheat field and of the process that
milk takes to get to the table,”
Caton said.
One of the group s best know
projects is the Ag Day Luncheon
held each year in Harrisburg.
“This year we invited Governor
Casey and we shared the spotlight
with them. Because the governor
attended there were even more
people attending than usual. It
must have been like the feeding of
the 5,000. I understand some of
the ladies even had to bring stuff
home with them,” Gregg said.
The meal features Pennsylvania
Agri Women Work To Promote Ag
products, many donated by far
mers and ag business people.
Caton, this year’s chairman,
stressed the importance of keeping
legislators and the non-farming
public informed. “Our primary
purpose is to keep the lines of
communications open between
farmers and the non-farming
cnily,’
Penn Agri Women are affiliated
with the national organization,
American Agri-Women. “Ameri
can Agri-Women is a coalition of
organizations. We’re not aligned
with any particular commodity but
represent all ag interests,” Gregg
said. The wife of a Holstein dairy
farmer and a reporter on a weekly
newspaper, Gregg also served
three years as a vice president for
the national group. She still repre
sents the state on the national
board.
The national network can help
keep specific ag issues before
legislators in Washington, D.C.
“In our vast newsletter, the
women of Alaska ask members
from all over the country to write
letters to their legislators concern
ing timber legislation. That option
is open to us but I’m not aware
that its ever been used in Pennsyl
vania,” Gregg said.
How effective is the letter writ
ing lobby? “I have worked with
legislators in the past and I know
their aides do read these letters.
I’m sure they bring these issues to
their bosses’ attention,” Gregg
said.
The national group has 41 affil
iates. “We are strongest in the
Midwest and weakest in New
England and the South,” Gregg
said.
American-Agri Women and
Penn Agri Women share many
concerns. “We’re interested in
leadership development. Food
safety, the environment, and ani
mal rights are big issues right
now. National President Sandy
Grinder plans to keep us informed
on the acid rain issue,” Gregg
explained.
Gregg is responsible on the
national level for one of the Agn-
Women’s newest projects, an oral
history of farm women. “It's
called ‘From Mules To Micro
waves.’ Successful Farming is
funding the project. We would
like to have the taped interviews
by the spring of 1991. If the sto
ries can’t be taped, they can be
written down.”
Gregg isn’t sure what will hap
pen with the tapes in the future.
“Right now we’re just collecting
the tapes. If possible we would
like to find funding to publish a
book later on.”
Gregg’s goals for Penn Agri
Women are more concrete. “We
need to increase our visibility and
increase our membership. There
are a lot of important issues in
Pennsylvania such as the wetlands
and the Chesapeake Bay. We want
to continue our support of farmers
in these areas.
Gregg stressed that not all
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State Vice President Tressie Caton keeps up with ag
news across the nation by reading the American Agri
Women Newsletter.
members are involved in all
aspects of the organization.
“Some members aren’t interested
in political issues. They help with
projects like the Ag Day celebra
tions. In many counties they
arrange the gifts for the ag day
baby or help with classroom activ
ities. There is something for
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everyone.”
Dues for the organization are
reasonable. “Ten dollars will cov
er the state and national dues,”
Gregg said.
Those interested in joining
Penn Agri-Women can contact
Carol Ann Gregg, R.D. #2, Box
2180, Grove City, PA 16127.
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