AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 26, 1993
OPINION
Farmers Will Be Losers
More than half of Pennsylvania’s manufacturing jobs could
become vulnerable if the North American Free Trade Agree
ment is approved in its present form. A new study by the
Washington, D.C. based research group called the Manufactur
ing Policy Project has estimated that as much as 58% of PA’s
jobs could be lost. This translates into 349,500 jobs.
The study, “Jobs at Risk”, identifies the types of U.S. com
panies that are most likely to move to Mexicoto reduce their
operating costs. Labor is cheaper, property is cheaper and
environmental as well as labor laws are lax.
American companies are already buying up Mexican farm
land with the intent of producing and processing food in Mex
ico for shipment to the U.S. The Mexican petrochemical indus
try had always been closed to outside investors, but recent legi
slative changes have allowed even this to be opened to U.S.
industry.
A group of American and Mexican investors called the
AmeriMex Maquiladora Fund was created in 1992 for the sole
purpose of identifying, buying and relocating companies to
Mexico.
Although there is nothing to stop U.S. firms from moving to
Mexico now, the provisions contained in NAFTA will open
Mexico to more direct investment in such areas as banking,
transportation and telecommunications. Once those invest
ments are in place, it opens things up for manufacturing and
agricultural interests to move into Mexico and take jobs with
them.
“While NAFTA proponents say the agreement would create
jobs in the U.S., this study seems to indicate the exact oppo
site,” said Robert Junk, President of the Pennsylvania Farmers
Union. A number of companies are already in the process of
moving.”
Where agriculture is concerned, major food processing com
panies will expand to Mexico and gain even more control over
the market at the expense of farmers here in the U.S.
NAFTA was written by corporations for their own benefit so
they can take advantage of cheap Mexican labor and almost
non-existent enforcement of labor and environmental laws.
Until Mexican standards are brought up to par with ours, the
agreement should not become reality. The working class and
the farmers in this country will be the losers if it does.
Farm Calendar
Kutztown Folk Festival, Festival
Grounds, June 26-July 5.
Bucks-Montgomery Dairy Prin
cess Pageant, Delaware Valley
College, 7 p.m.
Annual Octoraro Creek Nature
Walk, Black Rock area of
Octoraro Creek, meet at Ken
Shoemaker’s house, 9 a.m.
Hickory Ridge Antique Farm
Show, Horace Potter residence,
1 -a
L
Farm Forum
As I look back on my reign as
1992-93 SUN Area Dairy Prin
cess, I have to say it was a suc
cessful year for me to promote
Pennsylvania’s number one indus
try, farming. As dairy princess I
have met many new people and
become friends with area farmers.
Representing the farmers at local
and state events was a challenging
and rewarding experience for me
this year.
During my reign 1 have com
pleted 55 school programs, 31
newspaper articles, 31 radio spots,
17 store and mall promotions, 17
non-farm presentations, 10 farm
meetings, and 11 special events.
With these programs I have repre
sented the SUN Area at such state
events as Ag Progress Days, the
State Dairy Princess Pageant, and
The Pennsylvania Farm Show.
near Milford, Del., thru June
Th
National Holstein Convention,
Butin Fair, thru July 4.
Wolfs Comers Fair, Tionesta,
Grazing Tour, Somerset Co., bus
departs from Logan Valley
I would like to thank my family
for their support, encouragement,
and help. Travelling over 3,634
miles I thank my parents for the
use of a vehicle to drive and get to
these destinations. I thank the
SUN Area Dairy Promotion Com
mittee for all their help in making
this year a success. I would also
like to thank ail the people I met
along the way and had the oppor
tunity to share my knowledge
with. Your hospitality and atten
tion was greatly appreciated.
I wish the best of luck to Taryn
Laidacker, the 1993 SUN Area
Dairy Princess. May she have just
as great and unforgettable of a
year as I have had.
1992 SUN Area
Dairy Princess
Michelle Dugan
NOW IS
THE TIME
By John Schwartz
Lancaster County
Agricultural Agent
To Salute
The Egg Industry
Pennsylvania is now second in
the nation in egg production. Cali
fornia is still number one, although
its production declined from 7.4
billion dozen in 1991 to 7 billion in
1992.
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas,
lowa, and Minnesota had
increased egg production in 1992
over 1991 levels. Pennsylvania
replaced Indiana as the second
largest producer. Last year, Pen
nsylvania produced S.S billion
eggs or enough eggs to feed 20
million people.
This represents 10,464 eggs
(872 dozen) being laid every
minute in Pennsylvania. How peo
ple are eating eggs is changing.
Egg product production is an
expanding part of the egg industry.
The continued introduction of
valued-added products further
increase egg product usage.
Shell eggs used in egg products
as a share of total consumption
increased from 15 percent in 1985
to 23 percent in 1992, or the equi
valent of almost 55 eggs per capita.
Egg product use is expected to
increase to the equivalent of 56
eggs in 1993, 24 percent of total
per capita consumption.
To Employ
Your Children
If you have been reluctant to
hire your children to work on the
farm this summer because of tax
liability, here is some good news.
You may employ your children
in your farming operation and they
will pay income tax based on their
tax bracket, not yours. You may
remember the 1986 tax law con
tained the so-called “kiddie tax.” It
Mall, 8:15 a.m., returns to Uni
'versit^Jark^Myn^^^^^
Centre Co. Conservation Field
Demo, Kar-Mar (Mark Kauff
man) Farm, Spring Mills, 10
750,000.
Southeast Pa. Twilight Fruit
Saturday, ,|ul\
Clarion-Venango Co. Dairy Prin
cess Pageant, Salem Communi
ty Building, Salem, 6:30 p.m.
Simon Gratz Days, Gratz Fair
Pa. Governor’s School of Ag*Sci
ences, Penn State, thru August
1.
t \ 11 111(1 I\. InK -
Juii' '■ Judging School, Crawford,
thru Julv 6.
(Turn to Page A 27)
required that unearned income
(interest and dividends) in excess
of $l,OOO received by a child under
14 years old be taxed at the maxi
mum marginal rate of the parent.
However, earned income is diffe
rent and your children’s pay is con
sidered earned income.
With a $3,600 standard deduc
tion, they may earn that much and
owe no taxes. If you provide more
than half of the child’s support,
you may still claim the dependen
cy exemption. You do not have to
pay social security tax on your
children’s earnings if they are
under 18 years old.
For more specific details, con
sult your account or income tax
advisor.
To Vaccinate
Successfully
The success of a vaccination
program may be hindered if cows
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I AM FILLED
June 27.1993
Background Scripture:
Philippians 4
Devotional Reading:
Romans 5:1-11.
Paul’s letter to the church at
Philippi is a marvel. Written from
jail under the most trying circum
stances, Paul seems absolutely
overflowing with thanksgiving
and joy. No less than eight times,
Paul speaks of his joy.
In Philippians 1 he speaks of
how his imprisonment is contri
buting to the proclamation of the
gospel, “and in that I rejoice.”
(1:18). In the very next verse:
“Yes, and I shall rejoice.” (1:19).
In Philippians 2:2, he urges them
to “complete my joy by being of
the same mind...” A little later, he
says, “Even if I am to be poured as
a libation upon the sacrificial
offering of your faith, I am glad
and rejoice with you all” (2:17).
Giving instructions for their
reception of Paul’s representative,
Epaphraditus, Paul counsels, “So
receive him in the Lord with all
joy” (2:29). In Philippians 3:1, he
says again, “Finally, my brethren,
rejoice in the Lord” and again in
4:4, “rejoice in the Lord always;
again I will say Rejoice.” And
finally, “I rejoice in the Lord
greatly that now at length you
have revived your concern for
me” (4:10).
TO BE CONTENT
How could a man in his circum
stances be so joyful? As I said pre
viously, the source of his joy was
a different way of looking at life.
For one thing, he focused on the
good things rather than the bad
and he counsels the Philippians to
do the same when they are
threatened. “Finally, brethren,
whatever is true, ...honorable,
...just, ...pure, ...lovely, ...gra
cious, ...excellence, ...worthy of
praise, think about these things”
(4:8). Yes, there are a lot of
unworthy things in the world, and
we are accustomed to occupying
our minds with those. But does
that help us? Does that make us
better? Does that build up faith or
bring peace? No. never. So why
not concentrate on what has a
positive effect upon you instead of
that which tears you down? That’s
what Paul did. Just as some people
know about the existence of the
good but focus on the bad, Paul
are vaccinated while under stress
Cows begin to be stressed when
temperatures approach 80 F. Cold
temperatures will also stress cattle.
Other stress factors include illness,
parasitic loads, and poor nutrition.
For best results, avoid vaccinat
ing sick cattle and choose a time
when cows are not undergoing
temperature stress. If the vaccina
tion program requires a booster
shot, be sure to administer it at the
proper time.
The booster shot is designed to
elevate the cow’s response above
that of the First shot. If delayed too
long, the response of the cow to the
booster will only be as great as her
response was to the first shot.
Consult your veterinarian for
more information or for recom
mended vaccination programs.
Feather Profs Footnote:
"Democracy without morality is
impossible." Jack Kemp
knew about the bad but concen
trated on the good.
Secondly, as I said when we
looked at Philippians 1, Paul did
not let the situation determine his
state of mind” “...for I have
learned, in whatever state I am, to
be content. I know how to be
abased, and I know how to
abound: in any and all circum
stances I have learned the secret of
facing plenty and hunger, abun
dance and want” Most of us can
feel pretty content when we
abound and have plenty. But when
we are abased and are in want, that
is another matter. So we let our
circumstances decide for us if we
will feel joy or sorrow. But not
Paul. He knew that to feel joy you
have to think joy. You have to
“think about these things” that are
positive and constructive.
A ROW OF BOTTLES
I remember a story about the
sickly author, Robert Louis
Stevenson. One day, while he was
sick in bed, his wife marveled at
his cheerfulness and said, “I sup
pose you’re going to tell me this is
a good day?” And he replied: “1
refuse to let a row of medicine
bottles be the circumference of my
horizon.” Just as Paul looked bey
ond his prison walls and saw hope,
so did Stevenson look beyond his
life-long struggle with ill health.
Paul realized that what made
the difference in his daily life was
not the good or bad things that
happened to him. The secret of
“facing plenty and hunger, abun
dance and want,” was to be found,
not in the circumstances which he
could not control, but in what he
could his reliance on Jesus
Christ. “I can do all things in him
who strengthens me” (4:13). It is
not good fortune that makes life
worthwhile, winning the lottery,
getting a raise, and so on. It is
Christ. When we put our depen
dence upon things, we ate disap
pointed sooner or later when these
things wear out or forsake us.
Christ alone can sustain us
through all of life.
Looking at it this way, we can
understand how, even in his cir
cumstances, Paul can say, *T am
filled” (4:18).
And so can we.
Lancaster Fanning
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Sutmmn EMwprfM
Robert G. Campbell General Manager
Even# R. Nwewanger Managing Edtor
Cepyright iggg by Laneeiter Fanning