SYRACUSE, NY— Lewis Gardner, the new president of the Regional Cooperative Marketing Agency Inc. (RCMA), challenges the organization’s 22,000 dairy farmer members throughout the Northeast to work together to earn higher prices for their milk. “I don’t believe we have even begun to reach our potential,” he told the RCMA Board of Direc tors during its organizational meeting on December 13 when he was elected. “If we stick together as a board, I believe we can reach our potential. It can only be achieved with unity and common goals of directors and members.” Gardner, a dairy farmer from Galeton, Pa., replaces William G'. Zuber of Churchville, N.Y., who served as RCMA president since 1984. Under Zuber’s leadership, RCMA developed a program that generated approximately $7O mil lion in payments known as “over order premiums” to its dairy farmer members from 1987 through 1989. Using New York State’s Rogers-Alien Law, RCMA also won a state premium for New York dairy farmers that was paid June through September. AND HESS MILLS Most Nutrient-Dense Dairy Feed Ever Developed The Us Today To Learn More. Call About This New Product. 6 S. Vintage Rd. Paradise, PA 17562 (717)442-4183 (717)768-3301 ™ Tudwiwk of Purina Mill* The New York program was copied throughout New England, generating a higher milk price paid to dairy farmers in those states, too. RCMA’s main goal is to increase the price of milk received by dairy farmers, who have been struggling for nearly a year as prices dropped to the same levels as the late 19705. Many farmers have gone out of business because prices have been so low. Gardner emphasized that if RCMA’s membership, which includes dairy farmers throughout the 11 states of the Northeast, keeps the organization’s goal in mind and works together to obtain that goal, then it will continue to be a strong economic force in the dairy industry. Gardner is the president of Eastern Milk Producers Coopera tive. A former Marine Corps demolitions instructor and a mem ber of the presidential honor guard, he and his wife, Lois, pur chased a 100-acre dairy farm in 1978. There they milk 55 cows out of a herd of 90 Holsteins, and rent another 150 tillable acres, grow ing mainly alfalfa and corn. Their It’s New HAS IT! More More More kssMus HJI* I PURINA CHOWS | * Registered trademark of Ralston Purina Company RCMA Elects Gardner President Nutrition Energy Milk Rt. 82 Unionville, PA 18375 (215)347-2377 three sons, Lewis 111, Lee Thomas and Levi, all help operate the farm. Other officers elected include Vice President Norman Harvey of Florence, VL, president of Agri- Mark Cooperative: Secretary Wil liam Murphy, who operates Pros pect Farms in Stamford, N.Y.; and Treasurer Lloyd Patterson of St. Tohnsbury, Vt., president of Cabot Farmers Cooperative. Dairy farmer members of the RCMA Executive Committee include Zuber, George Demeree of Lillie Falls, N.Y.; Donald Dun can of Robesonia, Pa.; Roy Het rick of Bernville, Pa; Harold Howrigan of Fairfield, Vt.; Clyde Rutherford of Otego, N.Y.; and Robert Storch of Troy, Pa. In other action, the Board of Directors approved the report of an ad hoc committee that recom mended moving the RCMA office from Batavia to Syracuse by Jan. 31 and restructuring staff to pre pare for future milk pricing initia tives. The committee presented a list of alternative pricing programs that are being studied for future action. The move and staff restructuring will allow RCMA to Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, December 28, 1991-Al9 preserve more of its financial resources as the directors plan the next step. RCMA Directors and Delegates were encouraged by Congressman James Walsh and New York Slate Senator Nancy Larraine Hoffman. Congressman Walsh, the North east’s only member of die House Agriculture Committee, recounted the efforts during the year to get the House to enact a new dairy bill. He is urging Agriculture Sec retary Edward Madigan to use administrative policies as he did last spring to keep milk prices higher. Senator Hoffmann, who was instrumental in signing up many RCMA members in the mid 1980 s, said she has sponsored a bill to change voting procedures under New York’s Rogers-Alien Law so that ballots not returned no longer count as “no” votes. She said the state “would welcome your next petition” to activate emergency milk prices under Rogers-Alien. Directors also authorised the RCMA Executive Committee to protect the interests of Northeast dairy farmers in discussions of the future of the federal milk market ing orders, which regulate milk prices throughout most of the U.S. Agriculture Secretary Madigan is inviting public comments about the future of the orders. In late 1990, RCMA and some of its member cooperatives joined together to oppose changes in the pricing structure of the federal milk marketing orders that would have reduced the prices received by Northeast dairy farmers. The proved effective, for when the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced its preliminary deci sion last month, there were no Cigars, Pipe Tobaccos & Chew. jSg A Gift With Good Taste! DIESEL PERFORMANCE SPECIALIST’S * SUBSIOERY OF DIESEL POWER SUPPLY 141 N SHIRK RD NEW HOLLAND PA 17557 Specializing In Rebuilt And Exchange 3208 Caterpillar Engines SALES - SERVICE - PARTS (717) 354-4801 or 354-2185 pricing changes that would hurt Northeast producers. RCMA’s Executive Committee will consid er reactivating the Coalition of the Northeast to make sure the inter ests of the Northeast’s dairy far mers are represented and pro tected in the current discussions by the Agriculture Department. During the RCMA annual meeting prior to the directors’ meeting, delegates heard the year end reports of President Zuber and Executive Director Carmen L. Ross. They summarized the suc cess of RCMA’s yean successful representation of the Northeast’s interests in the federal order hear ings and the implementation of Rogers-Alien emergency milk prices in New York State, with similar programs enacted through out New England. Both also stressed the need for unity among RCMA members and all dairy farmers in the Northeast. “We must work out some of the problems and move ahead together,” Zuber said. “There is no question that we are going to need RCMA in the future. Dairy far mers will continue to need a uni fied voice working for higher prices.” Ross echoed a similar theme: “You can come together and work together as a team for the common good of all dairy farmers. If you do that, then RCMA has a bright future and will be an organisation to be reckoned with in the dairy industry.” Gardner, as the newly elected president, pledged to work to further develop that unity of pur pose. “If all the dairy farmers of the Northeast work in unity, then RCMA can achieve its goal of higher milk prices for its farmer members.” OUTLET STORE Open Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Address: South Orchard Street Yoe, PA =r Telephone: (717) 244 - 4501 Please call us for directions. RECON ENGINES
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