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AKFLancaster Panning, Saturday, November 3, 1990
OPINION
More Pills To Swallow
The Army Corps of Engineers last week notified its field offices that
most cropland will not be subject to Section 404 of the Clean Water
Act. This will free thousands of acres of agricultural land in most slates
from the restrictive wetlands permit process. That’s a step in the right
direction.
The ruling applies to acres that are now in agricultural crop produc
tion, most notably “prior converted cropland,” and states that the crop
ping activity is the “normal circumstances” of those areas. The clarifi
cation of “normal circumstances” was addressed in a regulatory gui
dance letter issued to Corps field offices. It said the agency should now
focus its efforts toward regulation of aquatic resources.
“This ruling by the Corps of Engineers represents a significant vic
tory for Farm Bureau and farmers and ranchers nationwide whose
lands have been unfairly burdened with federal restrictions,” said
American Farm Bureau Federation President Dean Klechner.
We agree. But since Section 404 is only part of the wetlands prob
lem that hangs over the agriculture community, more legislative and
adminstrative solutions must be forged. Top pirority must be given to
address the definition of wetlands. President Bush has pledged to carry
out a “no net loss” wetlands policy and has set up a task force to deter
mine what constitutes a wet land. Hopefully, the needs of farmers and
the food production industry will be considered by this task force.
Meanwhile, we are deeply concerned about reports that farmers
have been put in jail and have been assessed large fines for cleaning up
their farms. And since wetlands are controlled by at least four different
government agencies, ail with different agendas, the farmer can never
really know if a law has been broken or not.
So to have cropland freed from the Clean Water Act is a big relief.
But fanners have a lot more pills to swallow before the wetlands issue
is resolved.
Farm Calendar
National Association of Extension
4-H Agents annual conference,
The Greenbrier, White Sulphur
Pa. Standardbred Horse Show,
Farm Show Building, Harris
burg, thru Nov. 9.
National Association of Extension
4-H Agents annual conference,
The Greenbrier, White Sulphur
McKean Co. DHIA annual meet
ing, Robbin’s Nest, Port Alle
gany, 7:45 p.m.
Chester Co. DHIA banquet. West
Fallowfield Christian School,
7:00 p.m. '
National Association of Extension
4-H Agents annual conference,
The Greenbrier, While Sulphur
Springs, W. Va., thru Nov. 7.
Pa. Standardbred Horse Show,
Farm Show Building, Harris
burg, thru Nov. 9.
Greene Co. pesticide license exam,
tit Farm, Holbrook, 8:00 p.m.
National Association of Extension
4-H Agents annual conference,
The Greenbrier, White Sulphur
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E Mam St
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Steinman Enterprise
Robert G Campbell General Manager
Everett R Newswanger Managing Editor
Copyright IWO by Laneaalac Farming
Springs, W. Va., thru Nov. 7.
Pa. Standardbred Horse Show,
Farm Show Building, Harris-
National Association of Extension
4-H Agents annual conference,
The Greenbrier, White Sulphur
Springs, W. Va.
Pa. Standardbred Horse Show,
Farm Show Building, Harris
burg, thru Nov. 9.
Western Pa. Agronomy Ag-
Service Schools, Days Inn,
Meadville, 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Swine producers meeting, Gratz
Fire Company Hall, Gratz, 1:30
p.m.-3:30 p.m. and 7:00
p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Montgomery Co. Ag Center annu
al meeting, Ag Center, 8:00
Pa. Standardbred Horse Show,
Farm Show Building, Harris
burg, thru Nov. 9.
63d National FFA Convention,
Convention Hall, Kansas City,
Mo., thru Nov. 10.
Seventh annual Farm-City Ban
quet, Riveredge Restaurant,
Reading, 7:00 p.m.
Cumberland Co. DHIA banquet,
Penn Township Fire Hall,
Huntsdale, 6:30 p.m.
Erie Co. Co-Op Ext. annual meet
ONCLE one. LAST
rk
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County
Agricultural Agent
To Exercise
Dairy Cows
I know that many of our dairy
farmers keep their milking cows
confined to die stall bams much of
the time. This is easy to do when
you are short of labor during the
winter months. In order to have a
healthy herd, the cows should be
allowed outside to exercise daily
unless severe weather conditions
exist. The exercise will not only
keep their feet and legs in better
ing and banquet, Mercyhurst
Prep School, Erie, 7:30 p.m.
Susquehanna Co. Extension annu
al dinner, Montrose Methodist
Church, 7:30 p.m.
Western Pa. Agronomy Ag-
Service Schools, Holiday Inn,
Dußois, 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Bradford Co. Extension annual
meeteing, Wysox Presbyterian
Church, 7:45 p.m.
Lancaster Farmland Trust sixth
annual dinner meeting, Plain
and Fancy Restaurant, Bird-In-
Hand, 6:30 p.m.
PFU annual state convention,
Days Inn, Brookville (Jefferson
Co.), thru Nov. 10.
Sullivan Co. Dairy Day, St Fran-
cis Hall. Mildred, 10:00
Lebanon Co. Farm-City Week,
thru Nov. 15.
PFU annual state convention.
Days Inn, Btookville (Jefferson
Co.), thru Nov. 10.
Pa. Standardbred Horse Show,
Farm Show Building,
Harrisburg.
63d National FFA Convention,
Convention Hall, Kansas City,
Mo., thru Nov. 10.
Berks Co. Holstein annual
meeting.
Berks Co, Conservation District/
ASCS fall conservation tour,
Berks Ag Center, Leesport,
9:00 a.m.
Susquehanna Co. DHIA annual
dinner, Dreyer Hall, Montrose,
8:00 p.m.
Western Pa. Agronomy Ag-
Service Schools, Arena
Restaurant, Bedford, 8:45
a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Cambria Co. Cooperative Exten
sion annual dinner meeting,
(Turn to Page A 39)
YDP X DID. BUT
condition, bat'Will permit the bams and other buildings are
cows in heat to be detected; this is filled to capacity with hay, straw,
often a problem when cows are grain, tobacco and machinery. We
kept coqfined too mujr oLthe-want (o .make certain that fire.
timV. * ** extinguishers are mourned in each
If the herd is turned out for 15
to 30 minutes each day, the time
involved will be very worthwhile.
You’ll find very few days when
the weather will interfere.
To Manage
Feeding Programs
Fall is a time of year when
many changes are apt to be made
to feeding programs. According to
Glenn Shirk, Extension Dairy
Agent, these changes could con
sist of: (1) Feeding new forages
produced during this year’s grow
ing season. (2) Feeding silages
that have undergone incomplete or
abnormal fermentations. (3) Using
recently harvested feeds that are
temporarily higher in moisture
content, and (4) switching from a
grazing program to a bam feeding
program.
These changes can have
adverse effects on catde. To help
avoid costly herd problems, anti
cipate changes in feeds and feed
quality. Have forages analyzed,
and formulate rations accordingly.
Make changes in feeding prog
rams gradually and give cattle
ample time to adjust
To Check
Fire Extinguishers
This is the time of year that our
LOST
OPPORTUNITY
November 4,1990
Background Scripture: 2
Kings 22.
Devotional Reading: Psalms
119.
Years ago one Sunday morning
I was explaining to a church
school class that when it comes to
the grace of God, it is never too
late to repent and receive God’s
forgiveness. One man in the class
said, “If that’s so, I think I know
how to beat the system!” He was
jesting, of course, but at the same
time be was pointing to what
seemed to be a flaw in the system.
“Why don’t I wait until I’m dying
and then repent? That way I can
live the way I want to until then
and still be assured of salvation!”
How would you have answered
him? Was he right? Is there a
“flaw in the system”?
What I said to him was that the
flaw was more apparent than real,
for part of the value of receiving
God’s grace is, not only that it
brings us eternal life after death,
but that it makes real life possible
before death. The power of God’s
grace not only affects our lives in
the hereafter, but also in the here
and-now. The person who waits
until they are on their deathbed
will receive God’s grace if their
building, including your home.
The first step is to have the
extinguisher; the second step is to
be sure they are in good working
condition; the third step is to be
sure that all members of the work
force and family know where they
are and how to operate them. In
many cases a good fire exting
uisher can help control a fire until
the fire company arrives. And
finally, be sure they are checked
and filled with the proper
chemical.
To Be Aware
Of Lawn Problems
A number of people have called
about small holes all over their
lawns. The holes are 3-5 inches
deep and 2-3 inches wide and are
found scattered throughout the
lawn. These holes are the work of
a skunk looking for grubs in the
soil. Skunks do most of their feed
ing at night so you rarely see what
is causing the damage. There is
little you can do now, except fill in
the holes with loose soil and sift a
little grass seed on it. As the
weather continues to get colder
the grubs will move deep into the
soil and insecticides will have no
effect. Mark your calendar to do
something about it next spring.
repentance is sincere, but they will
have already lost out on the pri
vilege of living by that grace right
now.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
Somewhere I read the testi
mony of a British literary figure
who became a Christian as he lay
dying. “Damnation!” he is
recorded as having exclaimed, “to
think I could have had all this
years and years ago!” His soul was
saved for eternity, but he had lost
some grand opportunities during
his earthly life.
That’s what happened to King
Josiah and the people of Judah
when the scroll of the law was
rediscovered in the temple by
Hilkiah the high priest. When the
scroll was brought to King Josiah
and he read the ancient laws of
Israel, he felt a profound sorrow
for all the years that his people had
lived in ignorance of it. Now that
he could read the law, he was sud
denly aware of how evil that life
had been. So he expressed his sor
row and repentance in the tradi
tional way: “he rent his clothes.”
Tearing off one’s garments was an
ancient expression of shame and
sorrow.
INQUIRE OF THE LORD
Josiah, because of his sincere
contribution and dedication to the
Lord was exempted from the ruin
to follow. But not that nation.
Although God accepted their
repentance, their sinful ways of so
many years brought consequences
which forgiveness would not
erase. Under Josiah the future of
Judah might be secure, but it was
the past that they had lost.
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Senes and used
by permission Released by Community & Sub*
urban Press)