CLARION (Clarion Co.) Over 500 Pennsylvania State Orange members set new policy on the North American Free Trade Agreement, dedicated funding for agriculture, organ donation and a host of other issues during the 121st convention here. The convention ran Oct. 24-28 at Clarion University and was hosted by Clarion and Venango counties. “As a grassroots organization, the policies determined here will influence our legislative efforts on Capitol Hill as we work on legisla tion that will affect agriculture and rural Pennsylvania,” Brenda Shambaugh, legislative director, said. "These issues are of greatest concern to our membership and the Pennsylvania State Grange will see that these policies are addressed at the state and federal level” The Pennsylvania State Grange is asking National Grange to con tinue support for NAFTA with Canada and Mexico. In addition, the Pennsylvania State Grange requests that National Grange continue its efforts to assure that environmental, human health and other concerns of United States citizens are addressed in an equit able manner. “The Pennsylvania State Grange is especially concerned State Grangers Adopt Policies that the agricultural pesticide use and regulation, fruit and vegetable control and animal product quality regulations are comparable to cur rent U.S. standards.” Shambaugh •said. “We feel if these concerns are met, then NAFTA will be ben eficial to the agricultural industry.” The Grange seeks legislation that would enact a dedicated form of predictable funding for animal health research, indemnity prog rams. fruit and vegetable research, conservation and nutrient man agement implementation, the Uni versity of Pennsylvania Medical School among others, and that this funding be combined with a tax fee on feed plus other general fund monies to address a funding deficit situation in Pennsylvania agriculture. “It is important to have a stable budget and base for research pro jects that take more than one year,” Shambaugh said. “This type of research not only has an impact on agriculture, but the con sumer as well. It is imperative that we protect our number one indus try as agriculture continues to deliver a wholesome product to the consumer.” The Grange is opposed to legis lation that would put all labor under the same restrictive regula tions as migrant labor and would create regulations that would require written contracts. Depart ment of Environmental Resources inspection of housing, water test ing, guaranteed wages even if no work was performed, unemploy ment compenstation and many more guidelines that would bur den agriculture and small - businesses. “We are opposing legislation that would make it difficult for fanners to use migrant or seasonal labor to operate.” Shambaugh said. ‘Tor example, there is one provision in proposed legislation that would require fanners to pay for labor whether or not fanners had a crop to harvest. No other industry requires workers to be compensated when no labor has been performed.” The Grange has a long-standing goal of advocating agriculture and conserving agricultural land and wishes to continue the protection of prime agricultural lands. The Grange also works for laws, prog rams, and procedures that would ensure that public lands are not routinely avoided at the expense of farm land when roads, railways, pipelines and power transmission lines, hazardous waste sites and low-level nuclear waste sites are located. The Grange passed a resolution that would empower the Agricultural Lands Condem- Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 6, 1993-A27 nation Board to review and intervene when projects threaten valuable agricultural areas. “The state of Pennsylvania needs to have an authority that will determine whether there are other valuable avenues other than prime agricultural lands,” Sham baugh said. “This is another step toward protecting a valuable commodity.” Pennsylvania Grangers are urg ing National Grange to introduce and work for passage of the increased federal estate tax exemption. Currently, there are legislative efforts to reduce the current $600,000 exemption to $200,000, and tax currently non taxable annuities and tax-exempt bonds. “We feel an increased federal estate tax exemption is a more equitable means of taxing inheri tances,” Shambaugh said. “Large landowners, in particular, suffer severe economic impacts because of high inheritance .taxes on their Greenhouse Seminar WILKES-BARRE (Luzerne Co.) The Northeast Green house Seminar will be held Wed nesday, November 10. at the Luzerne County Community Col lege Conference Center, Nanti coke. The day’s program will begin with registration at 9 a.m. and will conclude at 3 p.m. Highlighting this year’s prog ram is Rick Malak, plant inspector Pennsylvania Department of Agri culture (PDA),- Greenhouse Inspections; Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm, Kintnersville, Pa.- New Guinea Impadens; Kim Mill- [■" If You Can't Deal With Your Dealer, Deal With Fay Dieael "‘■l ig *3s°° OFF INJECTION PUMPS |l ■g Free Teat Of Injectors With Every H. |Q Injector Pump'Brought In H 1 11 WE PAY UPS SHIPPING I 1 Fay Diesel Specialists Parts & Service u (A • Diesel Fuel Injection Pumps & Injectors tBKsjU • Turbo Chargers %JT 3 Farm Equipment • Industrial Equipment • Thicks • Cars 808 East Main Street 717-354-2016 New Holland. PA 17557 1 -800-864-7723 wv v* ■•••/ ■ • —— Generously sized. We pay shipping costs. Sizes 7-13 including 54 sizes. Dark brown with black sole. WIDTH STYLE Inch D. EE, D. EE. EEE 876.95 8 Inch 9" St—l Toe EE Onl r Instituted W« ship In M hour*. Wa pay shipping NY Add 7% Tax -1-800-533-1675 Grand Total W-HBl Laka Cralna Rd. Box 310 Earlvllla, N.Y. 13332 VISA Ptiona oriwi ahlppad aama Jay Mastercard property.” The Pennsylvania State Grange is concerned that pending legisla tion would create a presumption that all Pennsylvania residents will donate organs unless they indicate otherwise and adamantly opposes the Legislature passing laws that would require compul sory organ donation. The Grange supports maintaining a voluntary gift from organ donors. “Pennsylvania State Grange does not believe in the idea that organs would be automatically donated if not otherwise desig nated,” Shambaugh said. “Organ donation should remain a private and personal decision.” The Pennsylvania State Grange is a rural/agricultural organization dedicated to improving the lives of rural Pennsylvanians. There are over 35,000 members across the Commonwealth and 325,000 members across the United States who belong to the National Grange. er, plant inspector, PDA, Current Greenhouse Insect & Disease Problems; Ben Martin, sales rep resentative, Growers Greenhouse Supplies, Inc., Vineland Station, Ontario- Greenhouse Structures, Coverings and What’s New. The deadline to register.- is November 1. The cost for the day is $lO per person, which includes coffee and donuts and lunch. For more information and/or a registration form, contact the Luzerne County Cooperative Extension, (717) 825-1701. 15 Years Experience PRICE SIZE TOTAL '4.95 EEE 11.95 CUBTOI ADORE TOWN. STATE.
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