Dairy Industry Summit (Continued from Pag* Al) hands of dairy producers. Industry representatives other wise were mixed on exactly what should be done to improve the dairy industry and how to proceed. Other somewhat shared views expressed during the meeting included statements to the effect that producer price stability needs to be built, in order to make the long-term investments in dairy farming a sensible option for busi ness; that there is fragmentation in the dairy industry; that producers and processors don’t have a trust ing relationship; and that Secretary Espy is quickly becoming well liked by agriculture he received several standing ovations during the meeting. The ovations were made follow ing Espy’s remarks on the USDA becoming “farmer friendly,” meaning that while abuses wouldn’t be condoned, the agency would not conduct business in a bureaucratic, heartless manner. He' said his top priority is to improve farmer income. As an example of his intent to change the USDA, he said that he has implemented a moratorium on foreclosures on loans in farm loans in order to give farmers “the bene fit of the doubt.” Espy said that instead of allow ing a foreclosure after three reviews, that he has now opened the option to the producer for a fourth review, in Washington D.C., of the loan, the business and the cash flow. “We can’t throw money down a dry hole ... but we want to do everything we can d 0... to give the benefit of the doubt,” he told the group in his opening remarks, PENN STATE CROP EXPO ’93 BRADFORD COUNTY TOM CHAMPLUVIER FARM, LACEYVILLE July 7th (East of Laceyville on Rt. 6 follow Crop Expo signs) LYCOMING COUNTY LESTER POUST FARM, HUGHESVILLE July 9th (East of HughesviUe on Rt. 118; turn right on S.P. 2061 follow Crop Expo signs) 9:00 A.M. to Dusk both days This Year’s Crop Expo Includes; 0 Comparisons of Alfalfa, Corn, Sorghum, Sudangrass, Cool and Warm Season Grasses 0 Presentations and Demonstrations: Multiflora Rose Control Weed Control in Corn Intensive Silage Production Pasture Renovation Nitrogen Quick Test in Corn and Fertility 0 Equipment Demonstrations: Round Balers Round Bale Wrappers and Systems Silage Baggers Pasture Watering Systems Fencing Systems 13Crop Expo *93 Exhibitors: • CIBA • Powers/Parys Farm Equipment • Robson Seed Corp. • Mid Atlantic Agri Systems • Hoffman Seeds • Hamilton Equipment • Gannon Associates • Jacques Seed Co. • Curtis Brown Welding • SPE Inc. • Pioneer Seeds • Bill Beebe Forage Equipment Specialists from Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences will answer questions. Admission is free, food can be purchased on the site. The Penn State Crop Expo '93 is supported by the Pennsylvania Forage and Grasslands Council. For further information contact your County Extension Office. Penn State is an affirmative action, equal opportunity university, Espy also said that he knew that for dairy producers, “Your invest ments are the highest, the hours are the longest and the standards are the highest.” He also gave a plug for dairy producers to vote on whether to keep the National Dairy Board. “I strongly urge everyone to vote on this issue,” he said. “Even if you’re a member of a coopera tive and block vote, you still have the right, and I think the obligation, to vote as an individual,” he said. The audience applauded loudly. He said that producers should pick up a ballot at their local USDA Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service office, or call 1-800-858-7501 to have one mailed. The meeting had actually started prior to Espy showing up. He told the group that a fan belt tore in his USDA van in which he was riding from Washington to York Monday morning and was delayed until a repair could be made. And in his closing remarks, Espy said that one of the farmers with whom he had talked earlier had suggested an analogy to the vehicle problem Espy exper ienced, and the situation of the dairy industry. He said that the producers may not be the biggest part of the industry, but, like the fan belt, if it goes bad, the vehicle (the dairy industry) can’t run. Other audience approval of Espy was demonstrated after state ments from Leahy and other long time federal politicians that Espy is the first agricultural secretary to lake time to listen and talk to rep resentatives of agriculture, outside of Washington, D.C. Leahy also commented on • Muncy Chief Hybrid • Central Petroleum Co. • Seedway, Inc. Seeds • Cornell Manufacturing • Doeblers Hybrids • Agway Inc. • Pioneer Hybrid Seeds • Beachley Hardy Seed • Bradford Cty Conservation District • PA Ag Lime Comm From the left, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Boyd Wolff listen to dairy Industry representa tives from across the nation tell of the condition of the Industry during a first every national dairy summit at York. Espy's devoting of an entire day to coining to York to hold the meet ing, which is something that Leahy said the previous agriculture secre taries were not known to do. Leahy said that when he pre sented die idea of a public town hall type of meeting to gather con sensus on the direction of the dairy industry. Espy said yes quickly. The York location was selected because of access, and because it was recommended by several, esc pccially Sen. Harris Wofford, who was unable to attend. However, of those who did, the majority of testimony requested that some mechanism be used to get more of the consumer dollar to the producer. Currently, more than 80 percent linoster Firming, Saturday, Junt 26, 1993-A29 of all milk sold in the United States is sold through one of 40 federal milk markets. Pricing of milk under the federal system has historically been a program basically aimed at ensur ing an inexpensive food supply by offering producers a guaranteed price per hundred pounds of milk. In the past, when the support price was high enough to pay for the cost of production, the program inflated the amount of milk avail able which ensured an abundance and a low price. In recent years, the federal sup port price has not kept up with the price of production in most areas, and especially not in areas with additional overhead expenses, such as those areas where farmland is sought for use as sites for resi dential construction. Because of the federal govern ment’s gradual withdrawl from providing support at a cost-of production level, the fluctuations of demand for milk, competition from other food and beverage industries, and increasingly higher production costs and investments, the cost of production has increased significantly and widely. Meanwhile, new market deve lopment has been slow or dimin ished, while the size of herds and dairy output per worker has increase several-fold, and many environmental and operational regulations have been added. Applied technology has also (Turn to Rage A 33)
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