AlO-L*ncaster Farming, Saturday, Auguat 4 1990 OPINION Buttered Bread We often hear that agriculture doesn’t have much clout in gov ernment because our numbers are so small in comparison to total population numbers. But from recent past events, this idea may not be true. In recent US congressional maneuverings, farm supporters over-rode attempts to diminish sugar and peanut programs. And the attempt to set eligibility requirements to bar individuals with adjusted gross incomes of $lOO,OOO or more from pocketing fed eral farm payments was defeated. Even in Pennsylvania, with all the hoopla over the budget, when all was said and done, farmers received their fair share even though in some areas more would have been better. In research, “Not as bad as we expected.” In FFA Foundation support, “More than requested.” And you can gd down the line to see that agriculture was not left behind. And of course, both parties want to say they helped the fanner the most. And each party wants to blame the other of robbing agriculture of its just dues. That’s political rhetoric. What really determines agriculture’s wallop in both the nation al and state governments is that AGRICULTURE IS A LARGE PART OF OUR ECONOMY. In Pennsylvma, one in five jobs depends on agriculture. In the national food and fiber sector, agri culture represents 17 percent of the total GNP, 16 percent of employment and 17 percent of exports. Never mind that farmers arc exceedingly outnumbered at the ballot box. When it comes time to appropriate spending to sup port agriculture, the rest of the people still know which side their bread is buttered. Farm Calendar Carroll County, Md. 4-H/FFA Fair, Cooperative Extension Service, Carroll Count). Cecil County Fair, Cecil County Fairgrounds, Fair Hill, Md. Susquehanna Co. 4-H Dairy Snow, Harford Fairgrounds, 9:00 a.m. Performance Tested Ram Lamb Sale, Meat Animal Evaluation Center, Penn State U., 1:00 pm. Pa. Christmas Tree Growers sum mer meetmg/trade show, Holi day Inn, Pottstown. 30th annual Old Time Wheat Threshing, Steam and Gas Engine Show, Denton, Md., Deer Creek Fiddlers Convention, Carroll Co., Md. Farm Museum, Westminster, Maryland. 30-h annual Old Time Wheat Tnre>hi r _ Steam a r.J Cjs Engine Show. Denton. Md Oil,Pi a'! "V '• Tl Oltl -a . 1 l, , n, Fa’’ i ’ rs > 1 |-i' . i ”, s -•-H A-i i' .3d' ' r Ti V,-k‘ ,‘ir G."J. r Cci.r Eoj-dUu’-j) Uv Lancaster Farming o p.f. ‘ E»> 'j Satj-oay Er'r- ~ Pj- ON Bu I E f/air S r Ephrata, PA 17522 by Lancaster Farming, Inc. A Sltlnrmn EnHrprkt Robert G Campbell General Manager Everett R. Newtwanger Managing Editor C«wW|hl 1M kv Unuuw Parmlnf Tour, University of Delaware, Lancaster Shopping Center, 7:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m. 1990 Farm Family Tent Fair N.Y. State Grange, thru August 9. New Carlisle Fair, Carlisle Fair grounds,-thru Aug. 11. Bedford Commumt) Fair, Bed ford, thru August 11. Butler Farm Show, Butler, thru August 11. Elk Co. Fair, Kerse), thru August 11. Slate 4-H Achievement Da>s, Penn State, thru August 8. Forage Field Day, James Akam Farm, Spartansbutg, Pa., 10:00 Woody Ornamental Plant Identifi cauon Course, Penn State Berks Campus. 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., continued August 9. 1990 Farm Family Tent Fair, N.Y, Sta'c Grange Univcrair, of Delaware Farm and Home Field Day, Georgetown .Vnoch Ornamental Oanll Ln’ifi v. i m Penn Slate Berk-. C ,ri pe C< nk-icn' r r •> o,' i' i eats Auguot c *. ’') l ' Fan Bed- ! '..0 ihn u‘ r Co. T-if Fair M.m! ■> OOO arr;-i ' Pin inru Aued! 1 ) R K Agnservi t FiddL- , 7 „ r Leharon Fairground ' 11 | 'NELL CTB, r-'OV.' 5 j 'XX)Q CRC'°d 1 WNGrTHie : 3 r,g vk. :0 p m / x HAVEN T LOOKED I AT TiHLAA RLR ' FEW DAYS OLT , \ They AAUST EE / DOING- WELL i M NOW IS THE TIME By Jay Irwin Lancaster County Agricultural Agent To Be Aware Of Tobacco Black Shank Black shank has been positively identified in a tobacco field near Bird-In-Hand according to Robert Anderson, Extension Agronomy Agent. It has been several years since this disease has caused much damage to the tobacco crop in Lancaster County. Black shank can be a serious and destructive disease of Pennsylvania Type tobacco. It is caused by a soil borne fungus which can survive in the soil for many years. A four or more year long rotation is recom mended on farms which have had black shank. Black shank can be recognized by a sudden wilting or drooping of all leaves on a plant. When the affected plant is cut open, the pith of the stalk near the ground level is usually separated into discs similar to those found in bamboo. Internal portions of the stalk are black in color. Similar damage can be found with lightning damage, however the discs are white with lightning damage. Once infected witn black shank the plant does not survive. Best control is with a long rota tion or by switching to growing Maryland 609 tobacco. To Observe Poultry Month The Lancaster County Com missioners have proclaimed August as Poultry Month. So, this is a real good time to reflect on the impact this important industry has on the economy of Lancaster County. Poultry products in Lan caster County provide nourish n ent for over nine million people. The value of the poultry products sold totaled over $lB7 million. It is estimated that nearly 10,000 people are employed in the many different areas of the poultry ; repeat' 1-00 y p.r.i Fa > C ! ‘i’ Fiia II i. m. -no o n f - - v • s_.4J 1 1 e -TO!!: .1 j lv r ij 1 hC. O' r \>vi. -h, Aaa b ier tx-^.Sho' 1 , m /-iUCUb! 1 ik Co F■ r. Kcrse', ‘h’,. Ai'^r, > to Pagp A3 J j industry in Lancaster County. The industry is strong because of the dedicated, well managed poultry farms along with a highly efficient and supportive allied industry. Eggs and poultry meat are two of the most nourishing foods in your health diet. Let’s be supportive of this important part of our agricultural economy dur ing Poultry Month. To Check Leafhopper Injury To Alfalfa The sudden invasion of potato leafhoppers caught some farmers off guard and inflicted damage to their alfalfa stands. Infected fields appear yellowish or bronzy in col or. Their growth is severely stunted, and they may not mature properly. Once the damage is done, these stands will not respond well to spraying. To speed up recovery of the stand, cut the damaged alfalfa about 4-5 weeks after the last cut ting, regardless of its height or maturity. Background Scripture: Eccle siastes 3. Devotional Reading; Matthew 6:22-34. When I was a student in the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, there were two brothers on the same faculty. Dr. Solomon S. Huebner, the father of insurance education in the USA, and Dr. Grover G. Huebner, pro fessor of foreign commerce. Their divergent personalities and double initials gave rise to nicknames: Sunny Sol and Gloomy Gus. Sun ny Sol was the personification of optimism and inspiration; Gloomy Gus, seemed the congenital cynic. I was one of Sunny Sol’s many fans, but I never had any courses under Gloomy Gus. Still, 1 was told by other student who did that, although his style was not dynam ic and inspiring as his brother’s, he was nevertheless an excellent teacher whose pessimism could be as valuable as Sol’s optimism. At the time, I found that hard to believe. NEEDING BOTH KINDS Over the years, however, I have found that in any organization - business, government, church - one needs both kinds of people and their influence must be balanced to bring the best results. We need dreamers to creu’e new ideas, but we also need tnose who can analyze a new idea and be rea- L : c a v ''-L.i u nvouch t 1 il 1 '0 ! c>r * Hv T .' ” car tr\ ih‘ rcj, .tkm laiihuii, still h. dot, "jr>e important, thing', i > ■s \ a n / n in-n the dfp.h' 0) In. 'Jne oi these is c-ilcn' 1,1 >,} t E^i. V HC.N DO YOU '] 'CAUSE THE ' % \ KNO'VTh’AT p J ( GRAIN PRICES V- V ARE DRDPP'MG ' / >^ r Em t=t- T en ■ If the Preacher is saymg :1 _u there is nothing we can do abo .t these -- and that seems - o be « h d he is saying - I would no* iirce I believe we can increase the eve*- icnce of love, peace and jo% r : e world. In fact, that is wha’ C l ** : :alls us to do. My wife, \a.ere, and I do a great deal to promote and teach health and wholer.-.s. Still, we acknowledge that e\ em - ally these bodies of ours will w> jr out, break down and die - for mat is the way God designed and created us, all of us. So there is wisdom in ? Preacher’s admonition to matce the most of the time we have ‘ So I saw that there is nothing nener than that a man should enjoy his work, for that is his lot” (33:22). Like that old saying, “Make hav while the sun shines,” »ve need o make me most of the seasons C - Ky pcr'is** < n«- Corr T \ k * i r !{ tea tfS-1 t'J / *