ClO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 8,1990 by Robert E. Leiby and David L. Dunbar Lehigh County Cooperative Extension Office Water running off from agricultural lands causes many problems. Mark Shaw, Penn State agricultural engineer, points out that one set of problems affects the productivity and profitability of farming. •Water that runs off is not avail able to the crop. In many cases, that summer thunderstorm that caused heavy runoff from the fields could have helped the crop through a subsequent dry spell if it had been stored in the soil. •Water running from field car ries nutrients from either manure or commercial fertilizer. This re sults in a loss to the crop, and a wasted investment by the farmer. •Runoff water removes soil from fields. Gully erosion is ob vious and causes concern, but most soil loss is in the form of sheet erosion which is hardly vis ible or rill erosion which can be seen but is filled in by the next normal ullage operation. Sheet and rill erosion remove enough soil to reduce the productive ca pacity of a high pcrcenctagc of our agricultural land. Shaw lists another set of prob lems which affects people down stream, causing environmental damage. •Water which runs off a field contributes to flooding down stream. •Plant nutrients which wash off from fields change the chemical balance of the receiving waters and affect plant and animal growth. Recent concern about the Chesapeake Bay is only one exam ple of environmental effects. •Soil which is deposited in streams results in muddy water and clogged stream channels which affect fish and increase the danger of flooding. The amount of runoff is affected by rainfall which we can do little to control. It is also affected by soil type and land slopes. While we cannot change these factors, we can control erosion by using easily erodible soils and steeply sloping iand for hay and pasture rather than row crops. The other factors which affect runoff and erosion, over which farmers do have control, are till age, cropping patterns, and conser vation practices. Reduced ullage and no-till can, with good manage What Do Runoff, Erosion Cost? ment, reduce both erosion and pro duction costs, resulting in reduced environmental damage and higher economic returns to the farmer. Contouring, strip cropping, and terracing also reduce runoff and erosion. The public demand for better conservation of our soil and water resources should not be seen as a threat to agriculture, but rather a reminder of the need to farm in ways which will benefit both fanners and society as a whole. Egg Producers To Vote On Marketing Program Pennsylvania egg producers will vote on a proposal to establish a marketing program, Slate Agri culture Secretary Boyd E. Wolff announced recently. The Depart ment of Agriculture has mailed ballots and copies of the proposed program to approximately 120 egg producers who own 30,000 or more laying hens. The proposal would establish a checkoff system of contributions from egg producers to fund mar keting, research, educational, and promotional activities. Producers would contribute 2.5 cents for each 30 dozen cases sold. Ap proximately $360,000 would be raised annually to fund the pro gram. The program would be di rected by a marketing board com posed of egg producers. For the measure to pass, a sim ple majority of the producers, in numbers and volume of produc tion, must support the proposal. Wolff said the referendum is the result of input offered by produc ers at hearings in June. It will mark the first time that Pennsylvania egg producers have voted on a state marketing program. Producers who fail to receive a ballot and a copy of the proposal may call the department’s toll-free number, 1-800-AG-PENNA. The material is also available from Room 303, Bureau of Market De velopment, Pennsylvania Depart ment of Agriculture, 2301 N. Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17710-9408. Allentown Fair Entries Beef cattle, dairy cattle, dairy goats, sheep and swine entries for the 1990 Allentown Fair will be (|SI) :gsi GSI GSI GSf (pSX) ang) <m> accepted between Monday, July 23 and Friday, August 10. All other entries will be made at Ag Hall between Friday, July 27 and Cumberland Has 4-H CARLISLE (Cumberland Co.) The grand champion market hog of the 1990 Cumberland County 4-H swine roundup sold for $3.40 per pound at the annual sale August 14 at the Carlisle Livestock Market. Chris Weber, Mechanicsburg sold his L «• Sk • Protect The Things You Value... In A Red Rose Utility Building! <@> <@) (@) <@) (@) :gsi: SONES GRAIN SYSTEMS :gsi: :gsi: * For little more than the cost of an ordinary garage, you can enjoy the organized, uncluttered life that goes with a Red Rose utility building. A /' ROSE BUILDING SYSTEMS TIME TO GO - RD #l, Box 417 Muncy, PA 17756 717-F :gsi: iial Saturday, August 11 at 1 p.m. Pre mium lists with entry forms may be obtained from the fair office, (215) 433-7541. The office is bc- 240-pound champibn to The Country Butcher Shop. Hatfield Quality Meats pur chased Bill Leib’s 230-pound reserve champion for $2.05 per pound. Kasi Sheaffer sold her champ ion pen of two to Okeechobee CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-537-0580 OR MAIL COUPON FOR MORE INFORMATION Name Address Town County ~ (215)267-4911 Mail To Box P-50, RD 2 • Stevens, PA 17578 m |iE»l hind the Ritz Restaurant ai fairgrounds, 17th and C streets, Allentown. Roundup Livestock for $2.00 per poi Other winners included. Champion Fitter Junior - Michelli man; Intermediate - Clinton Bamck,! Sarah Garman. Champion Lightweight - Heather Ga Champion Mediumweight - Bill Leib, Cl ion Heavyweight - Chris Weber, R« Champion Pen - Chad Rubin. The judge (or the roundup was Jim York County HOLD IT! 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