Manheim Young Farmers Hold Awards Banquet Crop awards went to, left to right, John Haldeman, Way ne Erb, Daryl Bollinger, and Jim Musser. (Continued from Pago A 22) vice Award went to Barry and Dawn Geib. The Geibs are active in community and church activi ties. They produce hogs and crop farm. Barry is also a service rep for White Oak Mills. Each of these couples will be competing at the Regional Young Farmer level in their respective areas. The Manheim Young Farmer Chapter is the largest in the state, with more than 220 members. The chapter provides educational and social meetings for its members throughout the year. Membership is open to anyone interested in staying current with the changes in agriculture and the agribusiness community. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 10, 1993-A23 Rabbit Breeders Meet LEBANON (Lebanon Co.) A bright Saturday in late Febru ary, with a touch of spring weath er, set the scene for a successful convention sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breed ers Association (PaSRBA) at the Lebanon County Fairgrounds. Exhibitors and visitors saw 23 vendors representing national and local feed manufacturers, rabbitry equipment dealers. Angora wool, and craft displays. Twelve American Rabbit Breeders Association certified judges examined 1,500 rabbits and 150 cavies shown by 350 ex hibitors in the open and youth shows. Winner of the best in show and best 6 class was a Californian owned by Robert and Opal Geb UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) —Thanks to cooperation between the dairy industry and Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, milk in your refrigerator will stay fresh longer if kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and out of the light “Fluid milk dealers in Pennsylvania have demonstrated that more than 90 percent of their milk samples in retail containers will keep for up to 14 days at 45 degrees Fahrenheit” said Sidney E. Barnard, Penn State professor of food science. “This is a direct result of the milk dealers’ willing ness to train employees, change practices, and com mit to improving their products.” Milk samples were obtained from 34 plants on at least six occasions by Penn State faculty and stu dents, then tested and evaluated under Barnard’s direction with assistance from trained students in the University Creamery Laboratory. ‘This year’s results are remarkable,” Barnard said. “In 1989, less than 90 percent of the samples we tested kept for even 10 days. Pennsylvania is the only state in the union where fluid processors con tinue to demonstrate that their milk will keep lon ger than the ‘sell by’ date at the regulatory maxi mum of 45 degrees.” “Sell by” dates of perishable foods usually are set by processors to convey that products are best if used by that date. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) strictly regulates “sell by” dates for fluid milk to assure consumers that milk pur chased in Pennsylvania stores will remain good until the indicated date, if properly handled. Using the results of ongoing Penn Stale research and education efforts, PDA in August 1991 extended the “sell by” dating of fluid milk in the state to a maximum of 12 days after processing, an increase of two days. Barnard credits Pennsylvania milk’s longer shelf life to a series of programs aimed at educating dairy processing plant workers. Starting in 1990, Bar nard, in cooperation with PDA and industry techni cal representatives, conducted training sessions for nanagement, processing employees, pasteurizer perators, and quality assurance personnel of most nilk plants. “We presented and in some cases demonstrated the latest procedures and practices to extend milk’s quality,” Barnard said. “Some brands of milk have stayed fresh up to five days longer as a result ol plants’ adopting ideal sanitation and processing practices. “The benefits of a longer shelf life for fluid milk to consumers, distributors, processors, and dairy producers could exceed millions of dollars each year,” Barnard said. “Processors will need to make fewer deliveries, while stores and consumers won’t have to discard as much milk. Consumers also won’t have to run to the store for fresh milk as often.” These studies have been supported by the Pen nsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, Allied Milk Producer’s Cooperative, the Pennsylvania Associa tion of Milk Dealers and individual contributions from Pennsylvania and out-of-state milk dealers. hart of Hanover. Tom and Mary Whiteman of Lewistown had the best 4 class, an English Angora. The youth Best In Show and best 4 class was a Mini Lop owned by Heather Stone of Hopatcong, NJ. The youth best 6 class was a New Zealand owned by Jesse Romberger of Millersburg. Special guest judge was ARB A President Cindy Wickizer. Special guest speaker was Boyd E. Wolff, Pennsylvania Depart ment of Agriculture secretary. He delivered an informative talk and presented the winners of the 1993 PaSRBA’s rabbit royalty contest The new rabbit queen is Miss Dee Williams, 17, from Horsham. The rabbit king is Jesse Romberg er, 18, from Millersburg. Both are members of the Penn State 4-H Ambassador program. The 1994 PaSRBA convention will be a double show on February 19 and 20 at the Lebanon Fair grounds. Dealers Extend Keeping Quality Of Milk