Farm Forum
(Continued from Pago A 10)
provide greater coverage is
available?
Skeptics say that such a plan is
risky because it has never been
tried before, but in the 1930*s
Blue Cross and Blue Shield was
basically the only health insurance
company in the U.S. They nego
tiated with doctors and hospitals
for reasonable fees and offered
good coverage for their insureds.
It was only after commercial
insurance companies started skim
ming off the low risk people by
offering lower rates that the role of
insurance companies began mak
ing a profit instead of serving peo
ple. A single payer system has
worked in the United States before
and it can work again.
Even our neighbors to the north
have enjoyed the benefits of a
single payer system for almost 20
years. Despite current rhetoric,
Canadians overwhelmingly sup
port their single payer plan. While
we may not want to duplicate
every aspect of Canada’s system,
surely we can take the most suc
cessful elements and blend them
into a single payer system that is
uniquely American.
Our leaders and politicians need
to hear the voice of the people
they represent. The people are
tired of outrageous medical costs,
limited accessibility and inadc-
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STOLTZFUS ZIMMERMAN IVAN J. ZOOK
caqij ccpuirc FARM SERVICE W. Main St, Box S
dTjiCm 180 School Rd. Belleville, Pa. 17004
CochSnvilte Pa. 19330 Bethel, Pa. 19507
RALPH KYLE
RD #1 Mercer, Pa. 16137
PIKEVILLE EQ.
RD#2 Oley, Pa. 19547
ALLE iI„ H °° VER NORTHEAST DISTRIB. PART’S FARM EQ.
REPAIR Rt. 106 Spring Hill Rd.
RD #1 Box 226 west Clifford, Pa. 18413 Laceyville, Pa. 18623
Mifflinburg, Pa. 17844
—■ ■— 3230 East Gordon Road 717-768-3197
Gordonville, PA 17529 FAX: 717-768-8380
quate or unavailable insurance
coverage. It is time for a change.
Robert C. Junk Jr.,
President
PA Farmers Union
Editor:
On November 22, 1992 Dairy
farmers lost a golden chance to
correct many of the inequities they
were experiencing. This was the
day the special Leahy Dairy Bill
went down to defeat on a 51-47
vote.
It was my feeling that after
many people had a chance to heal
their wounds during the winter of
91-92 then we would see an ava
lanche of efforts being put forth to
attack the inadequate prices being
paid to area dairy farmers.
Several dairy farmers have told
me, during meetings they have
attended involving different orga
nizations there is no chance of
having any dairy legislation
passed during 1992.
' Some of the excuses rendered at
these meeting seem to center
around such things as ~ 1. It’s an
election year. 2. Prices are higher
than last year. 3. No one in
Washington wants to do anything.
4. Dairy farmers aren’t hurting
that much.
After evaluating these excuses,
officials of Pro Ag made two trips
to Washington D.C. in an attempt
to determine what was really
CHAMBERSBURG
FARM SERVICE
975 S. Main Si
Chambeisburg, Pa. 17201
2ni (ton - CARLISLE
FARM SERVICE
going on, and you know. I wasn’t
redly surprised as to what I heard.
L SenatorLeahy’s staff tells me
they are receiving very little pres
sure to do anything on dairy.
2. Senator Wofford and Senator
Specter’s staff told me the same as
Senator Leahy's people did.
3. Two Pennsylvania state orga
nizations had recently made trips
to Washington. These trips are
usually made to give their mem
bers a chance to meet with mem
bers of Congress and relate some
of their key concerns to the
Congressmen.
I asked the staff of the two Pen
nsylvania Senators the same ques
tion. How much concern was
exhibited by these organizations
regarding dairy. The answer was
negatory.
Over and over again dairy far
mers are accused of being apathe
tic towards their own problems.
Some people say dairy farmers
won’t agree on anything. I’m
wondering if the finger isn’t being
pointed in the wrong direction.
I’ve been on over 800 dairy
farms during the last year, and
believe me, these dairy farmers
want some major changes.
If dairy farmers are showing
any signs being apathetic, it’s only
because they feel their case is
hopeless.
Recently I signed Mr. and Mrs.
Richard Klim of Kingsley, Pa., as
members of Pro Ag. During our
conversation Rich said, “You
know during the 70*s and the early
50’s, we were able to replace our
YINGLINGS EQ.
3291 Taneytown Rd.
Gettysburg, Pa. 17325
ICKES FARM SUPPLY
RD«I Box 417
Osterburg, Pa. 16667
MARSHALL
MACHINERY
RD #4
Honesdale, Pa. 18431
C.J. WONSIDLER
BROS.
1975 Trumbaversville Rd.
Quakertown, Pa. 18951
CHARLES S.
SNYDER INC.
RD#3
Tamaqua, Pa. 18252
equipment on a regular basis, but
how much of our equipment is
becoming obslete, and I don’t
know how we can replace it.”
Rich continued his conversation
by saying, “Don’t these people
realize that if dairy farmers
receive an adequate price for their
milk, than the money is spent on
the local level, and this plays a
major roll in revitalizing our rural
economy.
Pro Ag is going to support and
work with the American Dairy
Farmers Campaign in an effort to
help unite more dairy farmers
behind a unified effort to correct
the dairy crisis. Obviously farmers
are going to experience a late
spring and all the work will be pil
ing up on us. However we are
going to start sponsoring more
meetings (as many farmers are
requesting) in an attempt to unite
dairy farmers.
March’s blend price in order #2
has been announced at $ll.BB per
cwt This is an improvement over
last years $10.90. However the
$ll.BB doesn’t look so good when
you realize the price in 1980 was
$12.08; 1981 was $13.20; and
1982 was $13.02.
These prices indicate why Rich
Kilm and many other dairy far
mers are frustrated and
bewildered.
When 1992 pay prices to dairy
farmers are lower than prices paid
1980-81-82, and when reliable
figures indicate the average cost
LONGENECKERS INC.
RD #2
Williamsburg. Pa 16693
C.H. RINEHIMER
RD #1
Berwick, Pa. 18603
UMBERGERS OF
FONTANA, INC.
RD#4 Box 545
Lebanon, Pa. 17042
ELDER SALES
& SERVICE
Box 619 RD «1
Stoneboro, Pa. 16153
KERMIT KISTLER
Box 99
Lynnport, PA 18061
iMHir rinrtnj. -kadiy,«ay f. mMtti
of producing milk today is around
$14.50 per cwt, then Pro Ag needs
no further reasons as to Why, one
more time we’re going to start
shaking the bushes.
Editor:
Why does Maryland and the
Northeast need a 30 member task
force to study the declining status
of the Dairy Industry?? It just
doesn’t take thirty people to spell
“Money.”
Why should the young take on a
“Million Dollar Debt”? A 100
hour work week for a 11:88 Base
Price minus 80 cents a cwt. for
hauling and stop charges - milk
production - co-op dues and gov
ernment CCC deductions? They
might better own a restaurant.
Yesterday I paid 80 cents for an 8
oz. glass of milk. 100 lbs. of milk
makes 200 servings at 80 cents or
160 dollars per cwt. Think about
20 cwt in a ton or 4000 servings at
80 cents with a price tag of 3,200
dollars per ton. Farmers share is
237.60 dollars minus deducts per
ton, just doesn’t pay the bills or
replace 25 yr. old worn out
equipment.
It’s far too late for a study task
force. You see America’s Golden
Goose turned silver and retired.
DA Bates
Wayne Co., PA
7eo
■Rake
*°verter
R&W EQ.
' 35 E. Willow St.
Carlisle. Pa. 17013
ECKROTH BROS.
FARM EQ.
Box 22 RD #2
New Ringgold. Pa. 17960
BUBB'S FAIRVIEW
FARM
RD #2 Muncy, Pa 17756
SPRINGFIELD EQ.
RD #2
Columbia Cross Rd.,
Pa. 16914
Arden Tewksbury
Pro Ag
LINDEN FARM EQ.
16607 Old York Rd.
Monkton, Md. 21111
ENFIELD EQ.
Rt 165
720 Wheeler School Rd.
Whiteford, Md. 21160
KNOTT & GEISBERT
INC.
3432 Urbana Pike
Frederick, Md 21701
HEFFLIN SALES
& SERVICE
12312 Oak Hill Rd
Woods boro, Md 21798