AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November ,30, 1991 OPINION Whose Land Is It? The key to a successful legislative wetlands protection prog ram is a proper system for wetlands identification, a logical definition, reasonable categories delineating the level of protec tion based upon the quality and importance of wetlands, a per mitting standard that enables development in and around the wetland without affecting the wetland and a state-sponsored mapping effort so that private citizens will know where the wet lands arc. The heavy-handed techniques of Pennsylvania’s EPA, DER, Game Commission and Fish Commission have created horror stories by the thousands By now, most people are familiar with the infamous John Pozsgai case where a 58-year-old Pennsylva nia grandfather is now serving a three-year prison term for improving a lot.he bought that was filled with 7,000 old tires. B ut Pozsgai ’ s case is only one of the m any such stories affect ing Pennsylvania’ private landowners. The DER and federal government have been so ardent in their effort to implement a "no net loss" wetlands policy that they have mounted massive enforcement actions even though no real wetlands law is really on the books. Using their imagination and broad interpretations of the Pennsylvania Chapter 105 Dam and Safety Act and Sec tion 404 of the 1972 Federal Clean Water Act, these regulators have developed manuals and guidelines arbitrarily. They have extended the provisions of these laws so that any given site can qualify as a wetland if it meets only one or two flexible standards for soil wetness, wildlife or vegetation. The problem is that nearly 5,000 plant and 2,000 soil types in the United States may be indicative of a wetland area. This means that the scope of the regulations covers hundreds of thousands, pertiaps millions, of acres of what was previously considered private property avail- Farm Forum Editor, We would like to publicly thank our son Zachary’s 4-H Dairy Club leaders, Tom and Dale Smith for treating Zachary like a son for the last three years. They are exceptional leaders because they provided a calf “free of charge” for our son to borrow for his 4-H project and competi tion wherever he was allowed to compete with a purebred “grade” heifer calf. Tom and Dale did this sacrifi cally because this quality Reserve Junior Champion also competed against their own three children. They transported this calf to the roundup and to the district show Farm Calendar Pa. Basic Economic Development Course, Penn State Harrisburg, Pre-lambing management, Lan caster Farm and Home Center, Lancaster Farming Established 1955 Published Every Saturday Ephrata Review Building 1 E. Main St. Ephrata, PA 17522 by Lancaster Farming, Inc. A SMnnmn Entupnu Robert G Campbell General Manager Everett R. Newswanger Managing Editor C«pyrl|M IMI ky LmMM Parmlnf (Turn to Page A3l) where Zachary was permitted to compete in die showmanship con test Dale chaperoned the many shows that he went to and slept at overnight We also would like to thank you for the many “trophy” newclip pings and pictures that we have due to your coverage of the 4-H activities over the many years. Lancaster Farming has always been at our local shows and pro vided us with lots of pictures of the winners. Our sincere gratitude, Ron, Joyce and Zachary Meek Denver 7 p.m. Advanced Commodity Marketing Seminar, Cecil Extension Office, 9 a.m.-noon. Pa. Basic Economic Development Course, Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, thru Dec. 6. NJ. Turf Expo, Garden State Con vention and Exhibit Center, To Teach Food Safety Food safety is everyone’s responsibility, even the fanners. I am amazed at the number of people that do not know basic food safety rules. Cooking foods to 160 degrees F., cooling to 40 degrees F., and not leaving food sit out for more than 1 hour are just a few of these rules. Several agricultural companies and commodity groups have deve loped food safety programs for the food service industry and consum ers. These have been very success ful. However, we need to reach a lot more people. One way to do this is through a grass roots, local approach, with farmers talcing the lead. First, become knowledgeable about food safety. Second, practice good food safety at home and where you serve food. Third, make sure the organizations you belong to prac tice good food safety. Fourth, make sure local volunteer organi zations such as churches and fire companies are practicing good food safety procedures. Food safety is a major program thrust for Penn State Cooperative Extension for at least the next four years. We have excellent videos, discussion books, posters, and educational materials to help teach people proper food handling and food safety procedures. Contact your local cooperative extension office for details. By helping to develop a local food safety program you are protecting your commodity’s integrity while helping your local community No one needs or wants the bad publicity that comes from a food poisoning outbreak. Take the lead ership now and help organize a food safety program for your local community organizations. Somerset, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., thru Dec. 4. Insects, Diseases, and Weeds of Trees and Shrubs, Penn State Great Valley, Malvern, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., thru Dec. 5. New England Small Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference and Tfade Show, Sturbridge (Turn to Pago A3O) To Monitor Township Zoning Many townships are currently revising their zoning ordinances or are developing zoning ordinances for the first time. Do not be fooled into thinking your fanning opera tion will be protected if your land ed is zoned agriculture. Study the definition the zoning ordinance is using for agriculture. One township zoning ordinance had agriculture defined as any farm having two or less animal units per acre. This township defined farms with more than two animal units per acre as intensified agriculture, which means it is not an agriculture use, thus requiring special permission and permits for these farms to operate in an agri culture zone. The ordinances then furthers defines type of farming practices, odor and dust emissions, and noise permitted. This definition will classify almost all commercial farms, even dairy (one cow and calf is two animal units) as intensi fied agriculture. We have a growing number of people that do not understand farming and how it has evolved over the years. The time is now to Background Scripture: Exo dus 14:19-15:21, Devotional Reading: Psalms 115:1-9. Although you and I have never seen for ourselves the parting of the waters of the Red Sea and the destruction of the Pharaoh's for ces, we can nonetheless under stand why Moses and the people of Israel broke forth with ecstasy; "I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously!" Most, if not all of us, have had experiences which, although not of the same news magnitude as the parting of waters of the Red Sea, were of sufficient relief to us that we wanted to respond by shouting or singing. Someone dear to us gels word that their tumor is benign. We get a letter telling us we have been accepted into the college of our choice. The boss calls us in to tell us we are getting a substantial promotion. Or, as recently happened in our own lives, our daughter finally con ceives and bears our first grand child despite dire medical precau tions to the contrary. Those, and many more, arc all something to sing. NOT ABOUT LUCK But it is not just a matter of singing or shouting or whatever else it is we do to celebrate, it is a matter of the motive behind our celebration. Moses and the people of Israel didn't just sing any old song that came to mind, they "sang this song to the Lord." It review zoning ordinances and make sure they properly define agriculture to include commercial farms. The ordinance might not effect you today, but could make it very difficult for you to expand your farm in the future. To Protect Livestock From Hunters Deer season opens Monday. With the many hunters taking to the woods, you may want to con sider keeping your cattle close to the buildings for the first few days of deer season. Hunters arc people who are very excited about being successful in tagging a deer. They often shoot first and then identify their target. Every year we hear cases of cattle and people being mistaken for deer. If you are hunting, take that extra minute to make sure of your target and wear your flores cent orange. Let’s make this a safe hunting year for Pennsylvania. Feather Profs Footnote: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen." was a song of praise and thanksgiving: "The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him. . . " The song of Moses and the peo ple of Israel was not just a song about how lucky they had been. Sometimes I am lucky and I'll take all of those times that come along. But this is not a matter of luck, but of providence "providence" spelled with a capital "P". What has delivered them is not a matter of chance or even their own efforts, but the grace of God. They have looked at their experience and they have discerned, not a roll of dice, but the hand of God. So the proper response is not: "Hoor ay for our side!" but "Hallelujah for our God!" A THINKING HABIT So, now let's be honest: when something really good happens in your life or you are saved from something really bad do you say, shout or sing "Hooray!" or "Hallelujah!”? I don't mean those very words, but the motivation behind whatever it is you say or sing. That is, are you grateful for your luck, or do you thank God for his goodness? Or perhaps you say to yourself: "Great! I understand that!" My own personal answer is "Yes, I do thank God," but not as often as I have cause to do so. I am less likely to remember to thank God when, after I've preached a sermon, taught a lesson or written a column, someone congratulates me or expresses appreciation. Too often. I take all the credit for myself. Thanking and praising God is a habit of thinking about and responding to life that I need to cultivate a great deal more than I do. What about you?
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers