AlO-Lancaster Farming,
IWMRteVMftM
OPINION
Work Together To
Prevent Outbreak Of
Dreaded Disease
Avian Influenza has the poultry industry in Pennsylvania and
neighboring states on the defensive again. Outbreaks of the high
ly pathogenic disease resulted in losses of more than $ 100 million
in 1983 and 1986.
Last month, blood samples from a Montgomery County turkey
flock were found to be Avian Influenza seropositive by New Bol
ton Center. Subsequent examination of these samples by Nation
al Veterinary Services Laboratory revealed the influenza type to
be HSN2. While all birds on the farm appear to be clinically
healthy at this time, the farm and all poultry thereon are under
quarantine.
Discovery of the HSN2 influenza antibody prompted Pennsyl
vania and neighboring states to upgrade surveillance. This
surveillance discovered the virus in a chicken in a Philadelphia
market and in several New York City markets. And the HSN2
antibody was also found in a flock of exhibition birds at the Farm
Show.
Therefore, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has
issued a quarantine that temporarily suspends poultry exhibitions
and transportation of live birds to maiicets and auctions. Birds
may be transported to recognized slaughter establishments with
out restriction.
To date, the discovery is called a potential Avian Influenza
outbreak. But in order to avoid that outbreak, the Pennsylvania
poultry industry must begin immediately to submit regular Avian
Influenza surveillance samples promptly to diagnostic laborato
ries. One hundred percent participation in the surveillance prog
ram is necessary so the industry can monitor and detect the intro
duction of virus into commercial poultry flocks.
, In addition, everyone must maintain strict bio-security mea
sures. Proper dead bird disposal and manure management are
also especially important at this time. With everyone working
together, the industry has a better chance to prevent an outbreak
of this dreaded disease.
' t-
Farm Calendar
Small and Part-Time Farmer
Workshop, Edinboro Com
munity Building, Edinboro.
Lehigh County 4-H livestock
awards dinner, Schnecksville
Fire Co., 6 p.m.
Beaver/Lawrence Holstein annual
meeting, Liberty Grange, New
Castle, 11 a.m.
Butler County Holstein meeting,
Garden Gate Restaurant, But
ler, 11:45 a.m.
Northeastern Pasture Grazing
Conference, Lancaster Host
Resort, thru Feb. 2.
York DHIA Workshop, Airville
Fire Hall, 12:15 p.m.-2;30 p.m.,
repeals 7:15 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fayette Co. Crops Day, Penn State
Fayette Campus, 12:30 p.m.-4
p.m.
Income tax meeting, Montoursvil-
Ag Information Series, Weed Con
trol in Nursery and Landscape
Plantings, UNILEC Building,
Dußois, 7:30 p.m.-9;30 p.m.
Swine Production Update Meet
ing, Alwine Civic Center, 9:30
a.m.-3 p.m.
Lancaster County Cattle Feeder’s
Day, Farm and Home Center,
8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Milker’s School, Adams County
Extension Office, 7:30 p.m.,
also Feb. 3.
Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion
Meeting, Athertbn Hilton
Hotel, State College, 9:30
iturday,
lanuary
a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Part 3 Small Beef Herd Manage
ment Short Course, Holiday
Inn, Belle Vernon, 5:30
p.m.-9:15 p.m.
Beef Educational Evening, Mid
way Diner, 5:30 p.m.
Rutgers Dairy Conference and
Trade Show, Elmer Grange
Hall, Pole Tavern, N.J., 6
p.m.-11 p.m.
EAYFA banquet committee meet
ing, EHS Auction Room, 7:30
p.m.
York DHIA Workshop, Jefferson
Fire Hall, 10 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Harford Co., Md., Commodity
Marketing Training Sessions,
Feb. 2 and 9 extension offoce,
Forest Hill, 7:30 p.m. and Feb.
16, Bel Air Methodist Church,
Bel 6:30 p.m.
Beaver Co. Crops Day, Big Knob
Grange, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Ohio Fruit and Vegetable Confer
ence, Seagate Centre, Toledo,
Ohio, thru Feb. 4.
N.Y. State Vegetable Conference,
Meeting on Freestall Housing
Alternative, Conference Room
of County Human Services
Building, Chambersburg.
Soil Fertility Workshop, Washing
ton County Extension Office,
Washington, 10 a.nt;-3 p.m.
Ag Outlook Forum, Country Cup
board, Lewisburg, 10 a.m.-3
p.m.
Pasture Management Clinic, Penn
State Schuylkill County Cam-
NOW IS
THE TIME
By John Schwartz
Lancaster County
Agricultural Agent
To Fight
Avian Influenza
Avian influenza (AI) has been
diagnosed in Pennsylvania. The
Pennsylvania Department of Agri
culture has issued a quarantine
order that suspends, until further
notice, all exhibitions of poultry in
Pennsylvania and transportation of
live birds to animal markets and
their sale.
Every poultry producer should
increase their biosecurity mea
sures to minimize the spread of AI.
These measures include:
• Do not visit other poultry
farms.
• Nb visitors to your poultry
farm.
• Lock all buildings all the times
(even when you are in them.)
• Restrict movement of all vehi
cles on your farm.
• Do not loan or borrow farm
equipment.
• Bring onto your farm only
items that may be cleaned and
disinfected.
• Always take a shower and
wash hair when arriving home
from a meeting with other poultry
fanners,
• Keep a pair of boots for use in
only your poultry house.
• Clean and disinfect boots
before entering and leaving the
pus Conference Center, 9:30
a.m.-3 p.m.
Blue Ball National Bank Farm
Seminar, Blue Ball Fire Co.,
9:45 a.m.-3 p.m.
Butler Crops Day, Days Inn, But-
Dairy MAP, Lighthouse Restaur
ant, Chambersburg, 9:45 a.m.-3
p.m., repeats Feb. 18.
Pennsylvania Beef Council Meat
Marketing Seminar, Willow
Valley Resort, Willow Street.
Berks County Supper Series, Ag
Center, 7 p.m.
Lancaster 4-H Recognition Ban
quet, Country Table Restaur
ant, Mount Joy, 6:30 p.m.
Northeastern Pennsylvania Turf
grass and Grounds Mainte
nance School, Mount Laurel
Resort, White Haven.
4th annual Regional Meat Market
ing Seminar, Willow Valley
Resort and Conference Center,
Willow Street.
Cambria-Somerset Winter Potato
Meeting, Richland Mall Com
munity Room, Johnstown, 9:30
a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Northeast Regional Vegetable
Growers Meeting, Thompson’s
Dairy Bar, Newton-Rarisom
Blvd., 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Ag Outlook Forum, Troy Vets
Club, Troy, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Managing Dairy Farms for Suc
cess, Lighthouse Restaurant,
Chambersburg, 9:45 a.m.-3
p.m., also Feb. 18.
Franklin Co. Dairy Nutrition Ser
(Tum to Pago AM)
house.
• Avoid contact with all wild
birds and waterfowl.
• Report rise in mortality or
sickness in your flock to your ser
vice person immediately.
By taking precautions now, we
will make it very difficult for AI to
become established in our poultry
flocks.
To Reserve
Ag Progress
Days Dates
The 1993 version of Penn
State’s Ag Progress Days will be
held August 17 to 19, 1993 at
Rockspring.
This large outdoor show fea
tures the latest in research being
conducted by the College of Agri
cultural Sciences, machinery
demonstrations, soil and water
conservation tours, commercial
exhibits and antique farm and
home implements.
Mark your calendars now and
plan to attend Ag Progress Days
this year. Admission and parking
is free!
To Prevent
Farmer’s Lung
Farmer’s lung disease is a
i By IAWKtNU W ALIH OUSt
"mas
sn
HELPING THE
DEVIL
January 31,1993
Background Scipture:
Ephesians 4.
Devotional Reading:
1 Corinthians 12:12-27.
The writer of Ephesians admon
ishes us: . . and give no oppor
tunity to the devil.. .” (4:27).
That reminds me of the song
Phil Harris used to sing about a
man treed by a bear: “Lord, if you
can’t help me, please don’t help
that bear"! The bear has a lot go
ing for him and doesn’t need any
help when it’s man vs. bean So
does the devil. The last thing in
the world a Christian should do is
to help the devil, to give him an
“opportunity”. But, if my expe
rience is reasonably representa
tive, the devil is getting a lot of
help from many of those who
ought to “give no opportunity to
the devil”.
P.R. FOR THE DEVIL
Who are they? In my expe
rience, they are the very ones who
spend so much of their time and
effort in warning others about the
devil. He has all the publicity he
needs in this world without Chris
tians giving him even more. It is
ironic that some Christians are of
ten the ones who make others so
conscious of the devil. They talk
about him incessantly, they warn
others about him, and they look
carefully into the words and deeds
of others so as to discern whether
or not the devil might not be op
erative there. Some Christians, it
seems, give more attention to and
spend more time talking about the
devil than they do God. My ques
tion: why give him any attention
or time at all? Given the opportun
ity. I’d rather, to paraphrase Paul;
speak “five words” for God than
“ten thousand” against the devil.
Just as at various times in hu
man history, Christians have be
come obsessed with finding and
punishing those they judged to be
“witches”, so some Christians to
day are equally engrossed in- iden
tifying those whom they believe to
be in league with or influenced by
the devil. Jesus also was targeted
respiratory illness that may deve
lop in agricultural workers who
inhale dust containing bacterial or
fungal proteins. Typically it occurs
in fanners who handle silage or
compost in a confined space.
Symptoms include chest tight
ness, fever, muscle aches, chills,
shortness of breadth, and some
times dry cough. Symptoms may
develop slowly, several hours after
exposure. In the absence of
repeated exposure, the symptoms
often disappear.
Continued exposure may cause
loss of normal respiratory function
and permanent damage.
The key to preventing farmer’s
lung disease is to avoid prolonged
work with silage or compost in
unventilated areas. If that is not
feasible, wear personal protective
equipment.
The minimum respiratory pro
tection would be a toxic dust mask
that prevents inhalation of organic
particulates. If you develop symp
toms, seek medical attention and
tell the doctor to consider farmer’s
lung as the problem.
Feather Profs Footnote: “The
man who wants to do something
finds a way; the other kindfinds an
excuse."
by the witch hunters of his day and
one of his sharpest responses was
a rejoinder to the charge that his
works were in league with the
devil; “If I cast out demons by
Beelzelbub, by whom do your
sons cast them out? . . . every sin
and blasphemy will be forgiven
men, but the blasphemy against
the Spirit will not be forgiven”
(Matt. 12:22-37). To brand some
one as being in league with the de
vil, either consciously or uncon
sciously, puts ut in danger of com
mitting blasphemy. Thus,
Ephesians warns us, ", . . do not
grieve the Holy Spirit of God”
(4:30).
DEVIL-SLEUTHING
Those who act as self-appointed
devil-detectives further “grieve
the Holy Spirit of God” by divid
ing what Ephesians tells us God
wills to be one: “There is one body
and one spirit, just as you were
called to the one hope that belongs
to your call, one Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God and Father
of us all” (4:4-7). Whether in the
middle ages, colonial times or our
present age, witch-hunting and
devil-sleuthing always divides the
church. One cannot focus on the
devil and still “attain to the unity
of the faith and of the knowledge
of the stature of the fullness ol
Christ” (4:13). Nor can we recog
nize, as Ephesians put it, that “we
are members one of another”
(4:25).
I have never known anyone
deeply concerned about the devil
who was also very humble and
loving. In fact, just the opposite
censorious, judgmental, and self
righteous. What a contrast with
the prescription in Ephesians4:3l:
“Let all bitterness and wrath and
anger and clamor and slander be
put away from you, with all mal
ice, and be kind to one another,
tender-hearted, forgiving one an
other, as God in Christ forgave
you”.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A SMnwi Enliprif
Robert C. Campbell General Manager
Eww R. Newnwngef Managing Editor
Copyright IH2 by Lancaalar Finning