Farm Forum teen years I am obviously very interested in this issue. I can understand the interest this issue has stirred in an election year among segments of the agricultur al community and state officials. My primary reason for writing is to perhaps shed some light on a little different perspective on this issue. As a teacher of agriculture at Garden Spot High School for the past thirteen years, I have seen a lot of changes in agricultural education. Some of these changes have been positive in my opinion such as the broadening of the instruction to include far more than the traditional agricultural production and agricultural mechanics programs. However, many of the changes have nega tive consequences on our high school agricultural education programs throughout the state. From my perspective the elimi nation of the $33,000 line item from Governor Casey’s budget is Increased productivity and profitability! When it comes to dairy farming in the 1990 s and beyond, that’s the bottom line! And for dairy farmers like Bob Whipple, it’s been a longstanding partnership with Dairylea that’s helped make his successful family farm what it is today... a highly productive and profitable business! You see, for over 80 years, Dairylea Cooperative has served the needs of generations of successful dairy men. And now, as the industry enters a new decade of change, Dairylea has changed, and membership in Dairylea means even more! Innovative Services, Programs and Expertise! It’s a way for you to enhance your profitability, and secure the future of your dairy business. And that’s what membership in the new Dairylea is all about! Competitive monthly premiums PLUS a substantial year-end 13th check. We’re proud that well over $1,000,000 per month paid in premiums means income that our members can bank onl But therete more... At Dairylea, we work 365 days a year to help maximize your dairy business) As a major sponsor of ongoing PRO-DAIRY seminars, farm management workshops, and a multitude of farm-related programs, we encourage members to take every opportunity to learn new and advanced dairying techniques and procedures. (Continued from Pago A 10) insignificant when compared to the far greater problem of inadequate staffing at the state and regional levels of-PDE. Since I entered the profession in 1977 there have been significant changes in the availability of assistance from PDE in the areas of curriculum development, and developing a quality FFA program with supervised agricultural experiences being an integral part of the total agricultural education program. I had the advantage of having Mr. Henry Givler serve as the regional vocational consultant upon my entry into teaching. He was able to provide me with the kind of sound advice that only a person with experience in agricul tural education could provide. At that time there were two full-time specialists in agricultural educa tion in the state office and seven regional specialists with agri cultural background and expertise to assist us. In contrast today we have basi cally a half-time person in the state office and a person with absolutely no FFA or agricultural education experience serving us as FFA coordinator in the vocational student organization office. Addi tionally there are three individuals designated in the regional offices to consult with agricultural educa tion instructors and provide on sight assistance. Two of the reg ional staff members have some experience in agricultural educa tion. However; in the western reg ion, where the need appears to be the greatest for assistance, there is no one to assist the high school agriculture education instructor in a meaningful way. Even the indi viduals who have the expertise to be of assistance to the agriculture education instructor in the field are virtually unable to do so because their positions have evolved into that of generalist, expected to include all seven areas of vocational education. Since 1980, forty-one agricul ture education programs have been eliminated in the state, twenty-one of them were prog rams in the western region where Our on-staff Farm Management Consultant is always there to assist members with herd health and opera tional management questions, and to help develop those on-farm procedures that are best for each member’s individual needs and requirements. And the Dairylea Member Loan Program and Milk Check Direct Deposit allow you unmatched financial options and convenience! Productivity and profitability. Every way you look at it, membership in Dairylea means more! Give us a call today and find out more. Call David Eyster at 717/582-2226 or Shirley at 1-800-654-8838 1-800-722-0231 (NY) Da?r 831 James Street Syracuse, NY 13203 there is a vacancy in the regional Held office. When I began in teaching I was able to get assistance from Henry Givler. He was able to answer spe cific questions about curriculum emphasis, FFA program develop ment and other problems facing a new teacher. If I were to begin teaching agricultural education today, I would upon contacting the regional office for assistance find that I would be met with the pros pect of having an individual who has no agricultural education or FFA background whatsoever attempt to advise me. I would find that I could expect little more than a cordial attempt to be supportive in a very general kind of way (in the absence of anything more sub stantive) and possibly to have some of my questions on funding answered by reading exerpts of the PDE policy manual to me. This letter is not meant as an indictment of the Casey admi nistration or our current agricul tural education program specialist in the eastern regional field office. It is meant to shed some light on how far backwards we have lea. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Hay 12,1990-A33 moved in die past ten yean in terms of support of agricultural education in this state. It seems to me that it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that since agriculture is the number one industry in the state that it would be both eco nomically and-politically prudent for leaders in both parties to make agricultural education a number one priority. It will take far more committ ment than a $33,000 line item to get the job done. We need a far reaching and comprehensive plan to upgrade curriculum to meet the ever changing technological needs of agriculture education in our state and the staffing and funding to make it a reality. I sincerely hope that legislators on both sides of the aisle, our State Secretary of Agriculture, Stale Secretary of Education and Governor will util ize their leadership skills collec tively to clearly identify this prob lem and have the courage to do something about it The economic well-being of our state and the future of many of our finest young people may hang in the balance. Robert B. Lauffer Environmental Agriscience Instructor Garden Spot High School New Holland Editor: The American Oat Association would like us (taxpayers, the gov ernment) to subsidize the oat pro cessing industry (Lancaster Farming, April 28 issue). I submit that if oat processors need a reliable supply of oats, they should contract with growers for their needs. Surely there are people willing to grow oats if the price warrants. Further, I would like to know who is “forcing” these processors to “build in foreign countries.” Isn’t it their own unwillingness to pay a livable price for oats that has caused this decline in production? Aren’t they publicly waving the flag for American agriculture and going elsewhere because it’s cheaper? Lastly, I would like to say, I don’t believe another excuse they like to use; “The consumer won’t pay.” Sure, there are limits, but I don’t think they can’t afford to pay more for oats. Stop by the markets sometime and check out the prices on these new products made with oat bran. R. Poole Oxford Editor: Several weeks ago you printed my original letter to Governor Ca sey concerning the staffing for agriculture education through the Pennsylvania Department of Edu cation and the elimination of fund ing for our FFA Foundation from the state budget. As subsequent letters have pointed out, both items are of major concern to agri culture teachers, FFA members, and supporters of agriculture edu cation in Pennsylvania. As the number one industry in Pennsylvania, we feel agriculture and specifically agricultural edu cation deserves the BIPARTISAN support of the Pennsylvania De partments of Education and Agri culture, Governor Casey, and the legislature. The problems we face in agri cultural education have not started with the Casey administration, but neither have they improved. If agricultural education in Pennsyl vania is to provide relevant, dyna mic, and progressive education for a constantly changing agriculture, all groups must work together. (Turn to Page A 34)
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