A2B-Lancastor Farming, Saturday, October 27, 1930
Grangers Honor
(ContimiMl from Pag* A 1)
being made by a small group of
activitists, including the animal
rights people, who could directly
affect the fiftire of agriculture.
Some “take relationships between
humans and animals very seriously
so seriously indeed that they
believe animals have rights,
including a very important right—
not to be eaten by human beings.”
He said the animal rights/animal
welfare debate is but one of “sev
eral hot issues” that could affect
agriculture.
Curtis used the example of the
Alar debate and how, by banning
the mice commonly used pesticide,
some apple farms were driven out
of business. “The apple industry
lost $lOO million on that one. Hun
dreds of family-owned orchards
y, yu lev jordinatbr of the Con
estoga Head Waters Rural Clean Water Program in Lancas
ter Co., left, was honored with a special recognition award
at the Pennsylvania State Grange banquet. State Grange
Master William Ringler presented the award.
POURED SOLID
Far Left: 1-Million Gallon Circular
Manure Storage Tank
Far Right: 2 Silage Pits
In-Barn Manure Receiving Pit
300’ Long Manure Pit For Hog
Confinement
Alt sizes
available
round
or
rectangular
Curtis mentioned a ballot initia
tive in California that, if passed
next month, will phase out all pes
ticides in the state. And the issue of
bovine somatotropin (BST) con
tinues to rage “at this very
moment across the country,” he
said. ‘ ‘BST is safe the FDA has
said so. After all, it is a mural hor
mone. But so what? The opinions
of a dozen activists and a score of
journalists are enough to over
whelm the evidence of hundreds of
researchers and government
watchdogs.”
Curtis said that because the
natural hormone is being synthe
sized using the tools of biotechnol
ogy, and because it’s being
injected into the cow, ‘ ‘all of a sud
den people are afraid of it.”
Place for science
The dairy and animal science
17 Years Experience In Pouring Concrete Manure Pits!
Take the questions out of your new construction.
Call Batmer Bros, for quality engineered walls.
head said there is a place for sci
ence “even in times of plenty.
Agricultural scientists used to
work mainly on productivity, effi
ciency, and economics. But it’s all
a new ball game. Now we work
also on the scientific facts related
to public issues such as animal
welfare, pesticide residues, and
BST in dairy cows. In this era of
high tech in agriculture, it turns out
there’s a new place for science.”
Curtis pointed out that few sci
entists work on productivity and
efficiency, and more on “those
aspects of agriculture and food that
reassure our consumers of the
nutritiousness and of the safety of
this nation’s food supply, of the
well-being of farm animals in
modem production systems, and
of the environmental stewardship
of the farming community.”
But the problems of obtaining
enough money to continue the
efforts grow, according to Curtis.
Public support of agriculture is
decreasing steadily. “And it’s
really getting to a crisis point all
across the country,” he said.
The public that is making all the
accusations and demanding
answers “is also closing the valve
on the flow of public money for the
support of agricultural science,”
said Curtis. “The infrastructure of
agricultural science is eroding in
America right before our eyes.”
To stop the erosion, according
to Curtis, ag science needs support
from outside agricultural science.
“Organizations such as the
Grange are likely contributors to
this effort.”
At the banquet, the Grange also
announced the new Granger of the
Year. Patricia Rudy, Sewickley, a
member of the Mt. Nebo Grange in
(Turn to Pag* A 3 9)
Construction Of Partially In-Ground
Liquid Manure Tank - 400,000 Gallons
425,000 Gallons
Invest in Quality - It will last a lifetime.
CONCRETE WORK, INC.
Needs support
CONCRETE SYSTEMS
Laura McCardla, former Pennsylvania State Granger of
the Year, left, congratulates Patricia Rudy, the new state
Granger of the Year, at a banquet In West Chester Tuesday
night. Rudy was honored for her 30 years of participation in
and contributions to the Grange.
John Scott, chief of the eggs, fruit and vegetable division
of the Pennsylvania Dept, of Ag bureau of markets, left, was
presented with a special appreciation award at the Pennsyl
vania State Grange convention banquet Tuesday night. Wil
liam Ringler, Grange state master, presented the award.
CONCRETE PUMPING
SERVICE AVAILABLE
w- . v ., --* • *«s|
M> r%i J» *i
243 Miller Road
Akron, PA 17501
(717) 733-0353
6:30 AM - 3:30 PM
(717) 859-2074
After 6:00 PM