VOL. 38 No. 11
Farmers Propose Agricultural Nutrient Management
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Farming Staff
MANHEIM (Lancaster
Co.) Two Lancaster County
fanners this week presented for
public review their draft for a law
The Davis family, from left, Janet and Emery with Nathan; Janeli and Stephen; and
standing, Laureen and Rick.
Davis Family Honored In Tioga County
CJ. HOUGHTALING
Tioga Co. Correspondent
MIDDLEBURY CENTER
(Tiogo Co.) No two were more
suprised to leant the Davis Family
was the 1992 recipient of the Pa-
DHIA Herd Management Award
for Tioga County than Rick and
Janelle Davis.
As last year’s winners of the
DHIA Top Milk Herd Award,
with an average of 22,319 pounds
of milk, an increase of 1,089
pounds over the previous year.
Rick said he didn’t expect another
large increase in production. But
as the DHIA comparison report
confirmed, the Davises’ produc
tion again increased 1,473 pounds
to a total of 23,792 for 1992. Fat
content increased from 795 to 884
and protein increased from 715 to
773.
“We certainly don’t expect an
increase like that next year,” Ja
nelle said.
The increases on the Davis farm
were an accomplishment to be
noted, expecially considering the
county average for all herds de
creased in all three categories
from 1991 to 1992. And the Dav-
Four Sections
which would create a new govern
ment system for treating agricul
tural operations in a holistic man
ner and shield farmers from nor
mal environmental prosecution
channels.
ises have stayed above the state
averages in milk, fat and protein
production for the past three years.
If Rick was to name his formula
for success, it would be consis
tency. “We don’t do anything spe
cial. Just the same thing day in and
day out. We try to give them good
feed and good breeding, but I’d
say overall, being consistent in a
daily routine is the best thing for
our cows.”
‘Farmer Friendly ’ Legislation Key,
Wenger Tells Pork Producers
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster
Co.) Creating a bill that is “far
mer friendly” is the key to signing
nutrient management legislation
into law, according to Sen. Noah
Wenger (R-Stevens), who spoke
Thursday night at the Lan-Chester
Swine Producers’ Association
annual meeting and banquet
Wenger, minority member of
the Senate Agriculture and Rural
Affairs Committee, commented
about the attempt two months ago
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 23, 1993
The plan is called “Agricultural
Resources Act.”
According to Allen Weickscl,
organizer and spokesman for the
Family Farm Movement, and
Donald Rank, treasurer and rep
Rick and his father Emeiy work
a farm that was started by Emery’s
dad in the 19205. The main farm is
a .consolidation of three separate
farms purchased over the years to
total 245 acres. The Davises also
own another farm with 128 acres
known as the Hulbert Place and
Rick and Janelle live on a fourth
farm, formerly owned by Rick’s
grandfather Taylor, which is adja
(Turn to Page A 25)
to rush through 5.8.'1444, an
environmental education bill that
carried a nutrient management
legislation “rider,” before the
close of the session. Wenger called
the wording on that bill ‘ ‘consider
ably better,” but said “it seemed
like a rush kind of thing” and real
ly should have taken more time to
see farmer input and
consideration.
Wenger updated the Lancaster-
Chester pork producers about the
status of nutrient management
(Turn to Page A 29)
resentative of the Lancaster Coun
ty Farmers’ Association, their
proposal is an alternative to nego
tiated nutrient management legis
lation already approved in writing
by all major farm and environmen
tal organizations, the state Depart
ment of Agriculture, the governor,
and other interests.
Whether or not the concept will
be taken seriously by legislators is
uncertain.
As of presstime, no elected rep
resentatives were associated with
Farm And Home
Foundation Reviews Year
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
“Good leadership is hard to
come by but we have a very good
board to get things done,” Ken Rutt
told those attending the 29th annu
al banquet of the Farm and Home
Foundation.
At the January 19th banquet,
members elected seven directors
and reviewed opportunities for
extension services in Albania,
Poland, and Russia.
The seven newly-elected direc
tors will join those with unexpired
ternis for a combined board of 21
Corn Growers Release
Five Acre Results
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) The Pennsylvania Master
Corn Growers Association
(PMCG A) has announced the win
ners of its 1992 Five Acre Com
Club Program.
Awards were made for both
three-year yield averages as well
as for highest yields during 199^
One hundred and thirty five corn
growers participated in the prog
ram this year. This year’s results
reflected the excellent growing
season in many areas of southern
Pennsylvania.
Yields were a record high, aver
aging 163.4 bushels per acre.
Seven entrants reported yields of
more than 200 bushels per acre and
another 38 reported yields of more
than 175 bushels.
For the 1992 classes, first place
in the large harvest shelled com
class went to Clarence Keener Jr.
from Lancaster with a yield of 211
bushels per acre. In the regular
harvest size class, Larry E. Moyer
of Mertztown took the honors with
a yield of 214 bushels per acre.
The first place award in the ear
com hand harvest class was won
by Glenn Bros. Dairy from
McConnellsburg with a yield of
213 bushels per acre. Kenneth
Schl'egel of Fleetwood took the top
honors in the machine harvest ear
com class with a yield of 191
bushels per acre.
In the three year average class
for shelled com harvested from a
608 Per Copy
the proposal or the two men.
Also, Wcicksel and his group,
which consists of Amish and Mcn
nonite farmers who normally shy
from public activism, were practi
cally lone opponents against the
plan currently embraced by the
slate farm associations.
The draft submitted for public
perusal was printed in the formal
of a legislator’s official proposal.
While the draft itself was too
incomplete to convey a workable
(Turn to Page A 34)
directors. The board oversees the
Farm and Home Center, a multi
purpose facility that serves rural
and urban interests. The Center,
built m 1968, is a living monument
to the county’s agriculture and
agribusiness industry.
One of the major functions of the
board is to award scholarships for
the study of agriculture and family
living.
Extension director John
Schwartz reported that 18 applica
tions have been received for Farm
and Home Center scholarships this
year. Of those, 10 will be selected
large (more than 3 acres) sample,
first place was awarded to William
Bissinger from Bloomsburg with
an average yield of 165 bushels per
acre. Second and third place in this
class went to D. Richard Snyder of
Mountoursville and Daryl Alger of
Palmyra with average yields of
161 and 155 bushel per acre,
respectively.
In the three year average class
for shelled com harvested from a
regular (less than three acres)
sample, first place was awarded to
Paul Lechner from Olcy with a
yieldof 189 bushels per acre Sec
ond and third places in this class
went to Donald Lichtcnwalncr of
Macungie and Joe Matciik of
Mechamcsville with average
yields of 187 and 185 bushels per
acre, respectively.
In the ear com class, the three
year average first place award
went to Lester Poust of Muncy,
who has averaged 187 bushels per
acre. Second and third place
awards went to Sid Lewis from
Wysox and Sandy Ridge Farms
from Shippenvillc, with yields of
177 and 163 bushels per acre,
respectively.
Awards will be presented at the
Pennsylvania Com Conference, to
be held in March. The Pennsylva
nia Master Com Growers Associa
tion has more than 350 members
statewide.
For more information, contact
Greg Roth, executive secretary,
PMCGA, (814) 863-1018.
$19.00 Per Year
(Turn to Page A 27)