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VOL 37 No. 26
Senate Ag Committee Hears More On Nutrient Management
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The Senate Agriculture
and Rural Affairs Committee
heard additional testimony
emotional and scientific —on
nutrient management Wednesday
during a special hearing in the
Capitol Building.
The purpose of the meeting was
to provide another forum for com
mittee members to learn more
about what has become somewhat
of a controversial issue, before
putting any proposals out before
the full Senate.
Most testimony was as
expected, especially opposition
Legislator Proposes Tougher
Animal Disease Laws
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) In an attempt to toughen
Pennsylvania’s ability to control
contagious animal diseases, a
Bucks County representative is
planning to propose changes to
two existing laws within the next
10 days.
If enacted, the legislation would
give the Pennsylvania Department
of Agriculture (PDA) the authority
to test and condemn deer and other
non-traditional farm animals and
all captive animals.
It would also establish a con
demnation and compensation
program for those wild or semi-
Farm Lane Paving Scam
Reported In Lancaster
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
LITTTZ (Lancaster Co.) —A warning was issued from a local
bank official this week to the effect that a firm with questionable
practices for paving farm lanes was operating in Lancaster County.
At least three Amish farmers woe forced to pull $5,000 or more in
cash out of their accounts in local banks to pay for paving from a
company that has no address on their business card.
From an on-the-farm visit with an Amish farm family, the story
they tell is typical of what has been reported from other farmers.
A truck loaded with oil and stone materials pulled into the farm,
and the occupants said they had some material left over from a job
and needed to get rid of the rest of the load somewhere. Since the
farmer had some pot holes in a farm lane, and the price at 80 cents
per foot seemed to be reasonable, he agreed to allow the men to
dump the remainder of the load on the lane to cover the holes.
But the remainder of the load was large enough that “it never got
all,” the Amish farmer said. And the total bill was figured at 80
cents per square foot, not. per running foot
Because the bill was so large, the farmer insisted that payment
wait for three days until he received the milk check. But rather than
wait, the pavers reduced the price from 80 cents to 55 cents and con
tinued to hassle the farm family until they went to the bank and bor
rowed the money and paid off the debt with SO $lOO bills.
Farmers need to be sure of the reputation of any company that
comes to the farm to do business. On jobs as large as paving a lane,
reputable companies will come to the farm and give estimates what
the job will cost, including a final total of all charges.
These estimates will also include the written terms of payment
required, plant location and references to check on the reputation of
the company.
Don’t be taken by a deal that seems to be too good to be true. It
probably is.
Four Sections
statements on H.B. 4% by a group
of more than 100 Amishmen from
several different counties in Pen
nsylvania as presented by Lancas
ter farmer-Amish spokesman
Allen Weicksel.
His comments, on behalf of the
Amish and some other non-Amish
who are joined in a group called
the Family Farm Movement,
repeated statements printed and
made previously through news
paper articles or during meetings.
Bascially, their requests focus
on consideration of no bill, and
then if a bill, one that denies full
regulatory and enforcement by the
state Department of Environmen
tal Resources (DER).
wild animals held in captivity.
Rep. Paul Clymer, sponsor of
the bill, said, “The people who had
contacted me, the vets who have
seen the problem, feel as helpless
as anyone when nothing can be
done (to control disease in non
traditional farm animals or pets).
“It’s just sound preventative
maittfrurnefe for animals, whether
farm animals or captive animals,”
he said, “and it makes a lot of
sense. It will help Pennsylvania
agriculture in the broad spectrum.
“It’s something that should have
been looked at for a long time,” he
said.
“We have to take preventative
(Turn to Pago A 23)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 9, 1992
What they seek is to be left alone
with guidelines, and, if regulated,
to have enforcement carried out by
officers for the state Department of
Agriculture, which is viewed as a
sympathetic-to-farmers bureau.
Weiksel also presented to the
committee a simple mathmatical
comparison between the amount of
Tomato growers Dale Frank and Steve Hers hey brought out the three-row trans
planter this week to begin the tomato season. Driving the tractor Is Hershey. In back,
inserting the plugs, are, from left, John Huggins, Dave Strychalski, and Ken Huggins.
Photo by Andy Andrawa.
Growers Believe Proper Timing Helps
Ensure Bountiful Tomato Harvest
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Fanning Staff
ELIZABETHTOWN (Lancas
ter Co.) "Ninety percent of
making a profit in tomatoes, com,
or whatever is timing. If you can’t
get the work done on time and in
the correct fashion, you aren’t
going to make it,” said Dale
Frank.
Frank, who grows tomatoes
under partnership with Steve Her
shey, believes that weather condi
tions, healthy transplants, and
management command a farmer’s
attention from planting all the way
through harvest season.
Both farmers were challenged
with their beliefs the past summer,
which saw record-breaking temp
eratures (the year in the county tied
for the warmest ever) and a
drought which devastated crops
throught the state.
And even though both were
honored for their work by the State
Champion Tomato Growers’ Club
at the Vegetable Conference ear
lier this year in Hershey (Class 1,
machine harvest, 60 or more
acres), the tomato growers believe
profits are more important than
awards.
1,500 tons
of fruit
Last year. Hershey and Frank
harvested 1,500 tons of usable fruit
on 60 acres for an average yield of
nitrogen that crops in the Susque
hanna River watershed need in
order to produce a profitable crop
and the amount of nitrogen
applied, not including that within
the soil.
The result of the comparison,
according to Weiksel, was that not
enough nitrogen is spread on crop
25 tons per acre. The acreage was
divided evenly between Hershey, a
dairy farmer, and Frank, who
raises beef cattle. According to
reports furnished at the conference
by the Pennsylvania Tomato Pro
cessors, varieties grown were Ohio
8245, Pcto 2196, Laßossa, Pcto
696, Early Pear, and Ohio 7983.
Locally grown stock was trans
ported from May 1 through May 20
at 10,000 plants per acre. The
plants were spaced in five feet
rows at 10 inches apart
Hershey and Frank use a three-
Grange Master William Rlngler presents a recognition
award to Melinda Teicha, national 1991 Female Agricultur
alist, during the annual Grange Legislative Banquet. See
Grange story page A2O.
60c Per Copy
fields within the watershed to
ensure a profitable harvest.
The comparison was performed
by two Lancaster County exten
sion agents.
But the most dramatic news pre
sented was by both Sen. Edward
Helfrick. chairman of the commit-
row pull-behind carousel plug
planter. At planting time, they use
a starter fertilizer high in
phosphorous.
Last year, the growers wetted
down the plants with a hose before
mounting them on the transputer
trays. This year, however, the
growers (who have expanded
tomato production to 70 acres)
plan to immerse the plants in
water, soaking the roots before set
ting them in the soil.
19.00 Per Year
(Turn to Pago A 35)
(Tum to Pag* A 26)