■ TjßfcMtM
Vol. 38 NO. 49
The Mains family and their hired man gather near the freestall bam. From left, they
are Larry Diehl and Matt, Liza, Libby and Monie Mains.
Giveaway GOfcs Long Way Toward Promotlftg Beef
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
FAIRFIELD (Adams Co.)
On a warm night this past August,
about 9,000 people who visited the
Port Royal Speedway just west of
Harrisburg got a special treat a
free hot roast beef sandwich cour
tesy of a producer who puts dollars
on the line when it comes to prom
oting “teal food for real people.”
Bob Weikert. a livestock buyer
Dairylea Reviews Year
SYRACUSE. N.Y. During
the past year, Dairylea continued
to achieve strong positive financial
results with a year-end profit
representing a return of 19 percent
on invested capital. The figures
were announced by Rick Smith,
Dairylea’s chief executive officer
at the Cooperative’s annual meet
ing held this week in Liverpool.
More than 750 fanner members
and industry guests attended the
two-day event, which included a
management presentation by
Smith and an annual address by
Dairylea President Clyde
Rutherford.
During his presentation. Smith
said that the Cooperative con
tinued to pay a competitive price to
dairy farmer members with milk
sates increasing $3B million, or
12.5 percent, over 1992, Total
milk marketed by Dairylea
increased from 2.2 billion pounds
to 2.5 billion pounds, or 11.3 per
cent, as member and afiliate mem
ber milk production increased IS
percent.
The Cooperative experienced an
increase in member farms, with
SB*t®* il »?W H,gß “ TV
60( Per Copy
in Fairfield, believes “some
body’s gotta do something’’ in
promoting the value of beef to the
general public. He provided the
free sandwiches the second year in
a row during Beef Night at the
Speedway.
Owner of sprint car number 29
is proud of the promotion he pro
vides for the industry by placing
the message in clear print boldly at
the top of the car, on the car’s
“wings.”
627 dairy farmers joining Dairylea
in the last re months. In compari
son, the New York-New Jersey
Milk Marketing Order’s and the
Northeast rflilkshed’s farm num
bers decreased by 5.6 percent and
2.8 percent, respectively.
■ "Our organization had another
strong year,” Smith reported,
(Turn to Pago A2I)
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Fanning Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) An investigation into the
environmental impact of milk
house wastewater is ongoing, but a
Department of Environmental
Resources researcher has said that
farmers who flush milkhouse
'wastewater into their manure stor
age are handling it properly.
Glen Rider, with the DER
Bureau of Waiter Quality Manage
ment, Division of Permits and
Compliance, said that, although
research is continuing into the bio
logical “strength” of milkhouse
wastewater, the department con
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 16,^1993
DER Milkhouse Wastewater Study Continues
Weikcrt’s ear makes several
appearances at the big racing
events to get the message out about
the importance of eating beef.
But the biggest event for
Weikert was watching the many
good results of the promotion.
However, more needs to be
done. He is working closely with
the Beef Council to ensure promo
tional materials are provided by
the Council to producers and
others involved in the business to
increase positive awareness tow
ard beef.
‘‘That was the best promo an
individual has done this year,*’
said Tammy Balthaser, industry
relations/compliance manager for
the Pennsylvania Beef Council,
who helped at the event. “It was a
super event, really worthwhile. It’s
nice to see producers helping to
promote their product”
The Beef Council works closely
with industry representatives to
(Turn to Pag* A2S)
tinues to maintain its position that
it approves of the practice of mix
ing milkhouse wastewater with
manure as long as the composite is
handled as manure.
Rider said the primary concern
about milkhouse wastewater is
when it is discharged into a subsur
face system, such as an onlot septic
system. Because of the expected
high amount of organic matter and
pipeline cleaner acid, it is sus
pected that slugs of milkhouse
wastewater' eould overload the
underground systems, causing
environmental problems.
Also, many daily farms have
doubled or tripled in size since
Main Family At Home
With Dairy Of Distinction
BONNIE BRECHBILL
Franklin Co. Correspondent
MERCERSBURG (Franklin
Co.) When Monie Main was
thinking about moving his family
off the farm they rented near
Walkersville, Maryland, he had
each family member write down
what they wanted in a farm. His
son Matt chose a pond, daughter
Libby a house with a balcony, and
wife Liza a brick bam with fig
ures. Monie’s wish was that the
entire farm be tillable except for a
hillside for the cows to lay on.
Everyone’s wish was fulfilled
when they purchased a farm just
outside of Mercersburg on Route
16 three years ago.
“Monic came up to a sale and
saw this farm and thought I might
like the house, and I came up, and
I did!" Liza said. The limestone
house, built in 1794, has nine large
rooms and two fireplaces.
The house was structurally
sound and well-insulated. “We
were fortunate,” Liza said.
The Main’s farm is District IS’s
Bob Weikert’* sprint ear acts as a flying billboard for
nationwide beef promotion during Beef Night at the Port
Royal Speedway. At the event, about9,ooo people received
a free beef sandwich, courtesy of Weikert. Keith Kauffman
pitots the car, which placed third at the event
many milking facilities were con
structed, increasing the possibility
that there are overburdened onlot,
underground septic systems with
problems.
Concern about milkhouse
wastewater has not been strong
and only seriously studied by the
DER. A survey of milkhouse
wastewater grab samples was ini
tiated late last year and field col
lection conducted earlier this year.
Samples were taken from dairy
farms across the state. A strong
attempt was made to get actual
milkhouse waste samples which
represent the range of dairy Arm
ing operations.
Four Sections
newest Dairy of Distinction.
Because the farm had been used
for beef cattle, the Mains had to do
some work to convert it to a com
mercial dairy operation. They put
in a double-6 parlor with individu
al weighers and automatic take
offs. set up so that one person can
milk.
They also added a manure pit
and a large freestall bam to house
their ISO cows. The freestall bam
is open in the front, and was con
structed to provide lots of air and
open space. Because of the open
front, snow blew in during last
March’s blizzard. “It’s made for
the other 364 days of the year,”
Monie said.
Disease problems are few, and
the cows are contented because of
the amount of air. Built three years
ago, the bam is situated at an
angle on a slight ridge so that the
sun is always shining in.
Two buildings a wagon shed
and a com crib had to be
removed for the bam to be con-
(Turn to Pago A 32)
“All the sampling results are
back, from the survey that was
done across the state," Rider said.
“Right now we’re in the process of
reviewing all that data.”
According to Rider, DER staff
representing a number of discip
lines within the department met
last week for the first time to look
at sample results. Eventually. DER
staff are to compile an analysis and
determine the degree of govern
mental involvement which should
apply to discharging milkhouse
wastewater into onlot, under
ground septic systems.-
(Turn to P«B«
$19.75 Per Year