Farm Forum (Continued from Pago A 10) time. We pay for costly veterina rian bills when our animals step on foreign objects in their pasture, or worse yet when animals ingest slivers of glass or shrddded metal inadvertently ground into their feed. Many of them must be removed from our milking herds. Some do not survive the ordeal. The citizens of this state lose when farmland is lost to open another landfill to dump our solid wastes. We must stop taking pro ductive land out of production for use as a dump for recyclable materials. The Pennsylvania General Assembly has begun to deal with this terrible problem with the pas sage of a recycling law. However, the law does not go far enough. A returnable beverage container law is the answer. It is a natural com plement of recycling. Penn Dot spends millions in roadside litter pickup. Huge amounts of tax dollars are expended by our minicipalities to dispose of their communities’ sol id wastes. We are in a crisis situa tion as more and more landfills reach capacity and public senti ment is against opening new ones. It’s time to eliminate discarded beverage cans and bottles which account for more than 15% of our solid wastes. A refundable deposit is the answer. It’s working in other states. It will work here. We have been asking for this action for more than 15 years to no avail. It’s time for a returnable beverage POURED SOLID For Hog Operation - 324.000 Gal. All sizes available Round or rectangular container law. So why not put it on the ballot. Let the voters of Pennsylvania decide. Editor: Did you know that the thrid week in June has been proclaimed Dairy Goat Week? If you don’t believe me, contact the Dairy Goat Journal, 6041 Monona Drive, Monona, WI 53716. There is a company that makes Condensed, powder plus UHT pasturied goat milk. There is also a lot of children and adults that can not drink cows milk because of medical reasons. If you want any more information, contact me. Evan P. Weidman Box 138, RDI Uylsses, PA 16948 Editor: For over 50 years I have been associated with vocational agri culture and with the Future Far mers of America. My father was a vo-ag teacher and FFA advisor at both secondary and college levels; my husband and I are honorary FFA members and one of our sons graduated from a vo-ag curricu lum and is a Keystone Farmer. So, it is personally disappointing that partial information and misinfor mation is being circulated about state funding proposals for agri culture. It is important that any discussion of state support is bas ed on fact, and I hope that I can provide facts which will be helpful. First of all, vocational/ 17 Years Experience In Pouring Concrete Manure Pits! Take the questions out of your new construction Call Balmer Bros, for quality engineered walls. John J. Hess Gettysburg Construction Of In-Ground Liquid Manure Tank- 425,000 Gallons. Invest in Quality - It will last a lifetime. CONCRETE WORK, INC. agricultural education is funded as part of the state support for all bas ic education. Monies for transpor tation, for instructional costs (including teacher salaries) and capital improvements are pro vided with the subsidy (billion) dollars provided to all school dis tricts through the Department of Education. The Casey Admin istration has increased staff sup port in the Department of Educa tion, not decreased it, since com ing into office in January of 1987. In June of 1987 a full-time pro gram specialist was hired to pro vide leadership in agricultural education. In addition, there are two part-time positions (one is vacant) in which the total respon sibilities are assisting the FFA, and are supplemented by profes'- sionals in the regional offices who have a responsibility to provide direct technical assistance (through our field offices). The Acting Director of the Bureau of Vocational and Adult Education is a former vo-ag teacher and FFA advisor who is committed to strengthening our entire vocation al education program. Through the Department of Agriculture we are continuing our support of FFA. FFA members, as well as 4-H members, realize pre mium monies from the 112 local/ county fairs in our state. The Pennsylvania Agricultural Fair Program reimburses these fairs for their premium expenses; thus, we are also contributing monies to these same youth from another source. The chart listed below will pro vide you with an overview of the monies flowing from the Depart ment of Agriculture in support of FFA youth since Governor Casey took office in 1987. It is important to note that grants, under this law, CONCRETE SYSTEMS are made on the basis of member- grant amounts may vary from year ship and expenses incurred, thus to year. FYB7-88 FYHBB-89 FYB9-90 48 county FFA chapter* $84,885.92 $80,395.28 $81,565.31 P*. Association of FFA 2,000.00 11,849.26 12.000.00 Pa. Young Farmers Aisoc. 5,292.50 2,806.50 3,101.39 4-H & Vocational through the county/local fairs The funding for the FFA Foundation, $33,000 in 1989-90, was proposed and added by the legislature. It was the understand ing of the administration that these funds were to help revitalize the Foundation, a private fund-raising organization. Certainly in years when there is ample budget money such an expenditure is appropriate, but in lean years the government, like private citizens, must tighten the belt Can we pro vide continued money for the Foundation? What about 4-H and other youth organizations? Are there agri-businesses and other agricultural leaders who can assist the Foundation with its fund development? This administration remains committed to supporting agricul ture for today’s farmers and those Couple Know Their Neighbors YORK (York Co.) York Farm Credit, ACA recently announced the winner of the “Do You Know Your Neighbor” con test held at the Cumberland Coun ty Extension Dairy Day. The winner, who guessed four Cumberland County aerial photo graphs of farms correctly, were Clyde and Mabel Strock from Mechanicsburg, Chris E. Renner, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 18,1990-All not avail. 235.000.00 261,000.00 who are to come. For example, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Education are now discussing an agriculture in the classroom pro gram with legislative leaders, designed to help all young people have a better understanding of the importance of the Common wealth’s #1 industry. We will continue to work with the legislature and with appropri ate departments to support vo-ag and FFA, but it serves no purpose for the program or the young peo ple we serve to make this issue a partisan attack on this administra tion. The Commonwealth deserves better. Helen Dickerson Wise Deputy Chief Of Staff For Programs And Secretary To The Cabinet Senior Loan Officer from York Farm Credit presented to the Shock’s an aerial photo of their farm taken by attorney Roger Morganthal, owner of Legal Eye Aerial Photography. York Farm Credit, ACA pre sently provides over $ll6 million in long, short and intermediate term loans to borowers in South Central Pennsylvania. CONCRETE PUMPING SERVICE AVAILABLE Mixer And Boom Trucks * ~'-*"y... * ' uW* ■■-" • f ■■-* S.'* f ' ;*. -f, * Placing Concrete On Site 243 Miller Road Akron, PA 17501 (717) 733-0353 6:30 AM - 3:30 PM (717) 859-2074 After 6:00 PM
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers