Ci2-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 16, 1993 Dairymen’s Association Give Awards, Hear History EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) —“History is for learning, and we have recycled history many times in the dairy industry,” said Donald Ace, professor emeritus. Dairy and Animal Science Dept., Penn Stale University. “But I ques tion sometimes how much we have learned.” Ace was the featured speaker at the 122nd annual meeting and ban quet of the Pennsylvania Dairy men’s Association Monday even ing in conjunction with the Pen nsylvania Farm Show. He traced the history of the association back to 1871 when a group of dairymen in Crawford County formed an organization “to encourage dairy farming in the state and improve the industry and protect it from fraudulent products.” Over the years the Dairymen’s Association joined dairymen with distributors and manufacturers into a united cause, but in more recent years the members have become dairy farmers in a service type role in the industry. Sue Bashore, executive secret ary, reported that the organization continues to support young people in 4-H, FFA and in collegiate activ ities. And among other projects, they have supported the Pennsyl vania Foundation For Belter Liv ing. This foundation educates teachers in the public and private school so they can include farm information in their regular class room presentations. On Tuesday morning at the Farm Show the Dairymen’s Association presented a check to this foundation. (See side story this issue.) Walter Pccchatka, deputy sec retary, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, said animal health would receive attention over the Dairymen’s Extension Award. President Dayid Smith (left) presents award to Eugene and Carol Schurman. .... .... 7 - nitlon for the dedication of the 1993 yearbook to their late husband and father Clyde S. Robinson. next few years and announced a program to combine the Summer dale lab, the veterinary science facility at Penn State, and the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania into a common data base for computer networking to be accessed through a 900 number system. Dr. Lamartine Hood, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State, said the financial resources at the college were “restrained" as everywhere else. He noted that 63 percent of the funds for the college come from stale and federal appropriations. But on a bright note, he said the increased enrollment in the Dairy and Animal Science department showed that young people had become more aware of the oppor tunities in the dairy industry and this “bodes well for the future of the dairy industry in Pennsylvani a,” he said. Crystal Schweighofer, state dairy princess, said dairymen face many problems, but the fact that they ranked high in the nation in production and provided 56,000 jobs in Pennsylvania showed that they were successful and were “doing a great job.” Several awards were presented at the meeting. The winner of the PA Dairymen’s Extension Award this year is Eugene W. Schurman of Indiana County. Gene is the ag ricultural agent for Indiana County and also assists with work in near by counties. Gene was bom in Clymer, New York and graduated from Cornell University in 1972 with a degree in Dairy Science. He obtained a Mas ter of Science degree in Dairy from Penn State in 1974 and then started work with the Extension Service in Franklin County. He moved to In diana County, in 1977 and taught Harold and Leona Crider and family of Chambersburg In Franklin County received the Charles E. Cowan Award from the Dairymen’s Association. In the photo, left to right, front, Eileen Flenner, Leona, Harold, Marion Jones and Steven Jones. Back, Stan Flenner, Dawn Crider, Rodney Crelder, Rhoda Munch, Aldean Crider, Roger Crid er and Katy Crider. vocational agriculture for several years. In 1982, Gene returned to Extension and became an agricul tural agent with dairy responsibil ity for Indiana County. Gene has set a high standard for others to match. He was a member of the Penn State Milker School teaching team from 1982 to 1985. He was a committee member and twice chairman of the Southwest Regional Dairy Day committee from 1983 to 1990. He has been on the State Dairy Task Force com mittee, the 4-H Dairy Project Eval uation committee, the PA Dairy Termination Program team, the PA Dairy Farm of Distinction committee and both the All-Amer ican and Farm Show Dairy com mittees. His on-going activities are with the 4-H Dairy Ovcmighter School; county and regional participation in the DHIA educational program, nutrition schools, dairy cattle breeding clinics, calf and heifer management schools, reproduc tive management schools, county and regional 4-H dairy shows and on-farm trouble shooting. He also schedules the Forage Testing Van to his area, develops rations for dairy herds, generates a regular county newsletter and helps other agents with milking systems and bam ventilation evaluations. As a fellow agent put it - no request for help is turned down. n Gene has received several awards including being the winner of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) “Search for Excel lence” award in 1987. Also in 1987, Gene received the Pennsyl vania County. Agents Achieve ment award. He was a 1989 nation al winner in Ihe 4-H Recognition program for his tractor safely pro gram. In 1992 he was chosen as Dairy Promoter of the year by the PA Dairy Promotion Board. Gene and his wile Carol arc an Extension team in Indiana County and have done,an outstanding job with the 4-H and adult agriculture programs. Gene has been a “mam man” at both the PA All-American and Farm Show dairy shows. Gene has been chairman of both Hol stein shows since 1983. He also helps Carol with the Dairy Goal show at Farm Show where they start work at 5 a.m. and oversee the checking in and showing of over 200 animals in a single day. The Charles E. Cowan Award Donald Ace signs his book on the “History and Perspec tive of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, 1871-1992.” Ace was the featured speaker on this subject at the annual meeting. was established in memory of a man who was longtime secretary and a leader of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association. It recog nizes dairy farmers who have made major contributions to the state’s largest agricultural indus try. Harold Crider of Chambers burg in Franklin County is the 1993 recipient of the Charles Cow an Award. Harold and his wife Leona arc in partnership with twin sons Roger and Rodney at Antrim Spring Farms. Harold has bred over 30 EX cows and currently have a BAA of 107.2%. The Criders were early adapters of embryo transfer technology and currently use the technology heavily in their breed ing, selection and marketing pro gram. Harold is very active in Hol stein, DHIA and Dairy Promotion in Franklin County as well as re gional and state levels. Harold was a director of the Franklin County Holstein Club for 25 years having served as presi dent and currcndy as secretary treasurer. Harold served in the po sition of state director for 10 years. Harold has also served as delegate ip the National Holstein Conven tion 15 times. Antrim Spring Farm has been on DHIA for over 30 years. Harold has served as a county director for 18 years and president. Harold also served on the date DHIA board lor 4 years and also served that organi sation as sc-relary-lrcasurcr. Harold has served on the Frank lin Count) Dairy Promotion Com mittee and dsd served as a dircctoi for the Pem ylvania Dairymen’s Association for more than four terms. Harold has also served on the advisory committee to the Penn State Veterinary Science Depart ment. Harold’s community activities arc just as involved as those related to agriculture. He has served as a school board member for the Grcencastlc-Antrim School Board, a charter member of the Kauffman Ruritan Club and a very big supporter ol 4-H activities in the county. Harold is involved with the 100 voice Mcrccrsburg Area Com munity Chorus which performs ' classical music and is a member ol the Cedar Grove Mcnnomic Church and music committee Harold and his wife Leona arc the parents of five children: Rod ney and Roger who arc in partner ship at Antrim Spring, Eileen, Marianne and Don. The Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association dedicated the 1993 YEARBOOK to the memory of Clyde Robison. (Turn to Page CIS)