New Categories For World MADISON. Wis. To emphasize beefs variety and ver satility, new categories for the 1994 World Beef Expo Cookoff were recently announced by the Wisconsin Cattle Women, coordi nators of the event The new categories allow diffe rent types of beef meals to be emphasized. They also allow less expensive cuts of beef, like Springs; forestry, Kevin Green, Gettysburg; gardening, Wade Black, Aspers; horse, Shawna Ford, New Oxford; leadership, Sadie Bucher, New Oxford; poul try, Tim Shelter, Gettysburg; public speaking, Zeb Eckert Get tysburg; recreation, Beth Plank, Gettysburg; safety, Adam Sachs. Fairfield; sheep, Heidi Miller. New Oxford; and wood science, Brad Black, Aspers. The Seeing Eye Puppy program recognized Sophia Yelovich, Orrtanna, and Amber Day, Littles town for their outstanding devo tion to the seeing eye puppy program. The McSherrystown 4-H Club served refreshments after the award presentations. Start with a powerful gift. Keep your battery current for fast starts with John Deere’s 10/2/55-Amp Battery Charger. Includes fully automatic 12-volt setting or 6-volt manual. Just $84.79* (TY5152) \ \ MILLER'S GEORGE V. SEIPLE EQUIPMENT & SON RD *1 Rt, 66 E»»ton, PA ■innount City, PA 215-258-7145 PIKEVILLE IUIPMENT INC. G*y, pa •IMB7-6277 SMTH'S WALTEMYER’S IMPLEMENTS, INC SAL |S f. SERVICE Mtrctraburg, PA m 2444168 717-328-2244 717-244-4168 ■ «LES CORP. SO Sp B JS|T ER EQUIPMeffImC. •sss, E SS T “sar 814-652-5223 scheffel JWMENT CO, Rd. SWMfMt, PA •14445-6500 S.P.E., INC. Rd. 1, Box 157 Towanda, PA 717-265-4440 Stop by hr seasonal specials and holiday gift idem TOBIAS EQUIPMENT CO., INC. ground beef and round steak, to compete with higher value items such as tenderloin and ribeye steaks. The five new categories are: (1) Round (utilizing steaks and roasts); (2) Chuck or Brisket (3) Ground Beef; (4) Sirloin or Tenderloin (includes loin, ribeye, sirloin and tenderloin); and (5) Beef Soups or Beef Stews (using any cut of beef). One finalist will be chosen from each category, who is eligible to compete in the finalist program on April 14, 1994. The World Beef Expo Cookoff is held during World Beef Expo, April 14-17, at Holiday Craft Workshop LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) Muddy Run Information Cen ter invites you to decorate for the holidays by participating in a Holiday Craft Workshop, Decem ber 11, from 1:00-3:30 pm. Parti cipants can choose from a variety of crafts suitable for children and adults to make and take home with them. The workshop is free to all participants, a small fee may be Halifax, PA 717-362-3132 M.S. YEARSLEY & SONS Waat Chatter, PA 215-696-2990 Beef Expo the Dane County Exposition Cen ter. Madison, Wisconsin. Entry deadline for the World Beef Expo Cookoff is January IS, 1994. Entry information can be obtained by writing: World Beef Expo Cookoff Entry Information, C/o Shirley Raisbeck, 8053 Old- Potosi Road, Lancaster, Wi, 53813. The World Beef Expo Cookoff offers $5,800 in cash awards and is open to anyone 18 years of age or older with a non professional status. All recipes must be able to be prepared indoors. required for certain crafts payable at the door. Refreshments will be available and reservations are not necessary. Participants can drop in anytime between 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. For additional information please contact the Muddy Run Information Center at (717) 284-2538. Step-up to the perfect gift with this three-position, adjustable tractor-step kit. It’s just like the ones on John Deere 60 Series Tractors and fits John Deere 30 to 55 Series Row-Crop Thdors. $235.00* (RE54131) .fall >eere tection play Siepmes through itmtrSl, 1993 Lancaster Farming, Ssfcmtey, Dcecmbsr 2,1N3-821 Organic Food Is It Safer? WASHINGTON. D.C.—Since the Alar scare of 1989, pesticides and other modem farming practices have been increasingly scrutinized as possible food safety hazards. Many consumers have begun to mistrust the agricultural industry and doubt the wholesomeness of their foods. Surveys have shown that consumers believe the presence of pesticide residues is the main health threat associated with fresh fruits and vegetables, and that irradiation cre ates more apprehension than the salmonnella it eradicates. In response to these fears, many consumers are demand ing more organic foods at their markets. The main difference between organic and conventional production methods is that organic foods are produced without the use of man-made fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators and technologies such as antibiotics and irradiation. Conventional farming and ranching often inte grate these technologies to improve food production. Both organic and conventional producers, however, use many standard methods such as crop rotation, minimum tillage and improved animal husbandry practices. “Most organic food consumers are concerned about possible health risks associated with conventional produc tion. Unfortunately, they don’t realize that the greatest health hazard in food is microorganisms. Viruses, bacteria and molds are the primary causes of food poisoning,” said Mark Bennett, director of programs for the Ag Council. Unlike theoretical risks associated with pesticides, genetic engineering and irradiation, the dangers from microorganisms are significant. According to the American Cancer Society, there ate no documented cases of cancer caused by ingetsing pesticide residues. Microorganisms, on the other hand, are respon sible for nearly six million cases of foodbome illnesses and over 9,000 deaths in the United States each year. The annual health costs of foodbome illness are staggering, estimated at $4.9 billion. The sources of these pathogenic microorganisms vary as greatly as the illnesses they cause. Salmonella, for example, resides in animal waste, and though it occurs rarely it can cause serious problems when the waste acci dentally contaminates food. Such contamination can occur when animals are slaughtered or when populations of rodents infest a crop field. Improper food handling can also lead to contamination of fresh fruits and vegetables by these animal bacteria. Other bacteria live naturally in soil and water and can survive for years, contaminating vegetables grown in such areas. Some microorganisms are not dangerous by them selves. Rather, they produce toxic by-products in humans which can cause serious illness and death. Complications from E. coli, such as the recent outbreak in the Northwest, are a result of toxins, not the bacteria itself. Molds can contaminate vegetables with mycotoxins, especially potent toxins, and can induce vegetables to create toxins of their own that contaminate far below the surface. If organic farming completely replaced modem farm ing technologies, consumers would not be any safer. For example, irrdiation is a promising technology that has proven effective in drastically reducing the number of microorganisms, while still leaving food unchanged. Without this technology and others, consumers could be exposed to greater risks from increased microorganisms which are fare more dangerous. “This is not to say food is inherently dangerous,” said Bennett. “Rather, it is to show how insignificant the health risk? of pesticides, irradiation and other food production technology are when compared to the risks of naturally occurring microbes and toxins. Newer technologies enable producers to provide a first line of defense, with consumers and food handlers being the last,” he continued. The good news is that these natural risks can be man aged. Proper food handling can virtually eliminate all microorganisms that slip by fanners or occur after the pro duct leaves the farm. Pesticide residues on fresh produce, usually well below tolerance levels set by the Enivom mental' Protection Agency, can be almost entirely removed with thorough washing. Irradiation and inte grated pest management as well as other technologies pro vide promise for even safer food in the future. The bottom line is that the decision to purchase organi cally produce food should not be based on safety. “This is one of the messages our Food Watch spokespeople are tak ing to the consumer,” stated Mark Bennett. “Through edu cation, we hope consumers will make informed purchase decisions.”
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