A2O-Lancsst«r Fanning, Saturday, January 18, IW4
(Continued from Pag* At)
and the hardstand around the Farm
Show complex. Casey noted that
the planned improvements are in
addition to the $lO million recently
invested in the facility, including
new heating, lighting, sound sys
tem and roof.
Gov. Casey said that because
farm families and farm businesses
arc so important to Pennsylvania,
the state has been pitching in to
help Pennsylvania agriculture.
“Our nationally-acclaimed Farm
land Preservation Program,
launched in 1?89, now permanent
ly protects 381 farms in 25 coun
ties,” he said. “Forty-eight thou
sand acres of prime farmland have
been permanently saved for agri
cultral use. So far, the Common
wealth has put $B5 million into
saving farm land.
The governor said the design of
the new $6.7 million animal health
laboratory is well under way, and a
contract for its construction across
the street from the Farm Show
complex is expected to be awarded
this year.
“Investing in agriculture has
Lt. Gov. Mark Singel and son Jonathan pose in the tractor
cab.
Lt. Gov. Mark Slngel tries a hand at milking a cow with encouragement from son
Jonathan and Boyd Wolff, state ag secretary.
Governor Casey Greets Farm Show Crowd
paid great dividends for the state,”
Casey said. “Exports from Pen
nsylvania have more than doubled
since 1987; last year they increased
by 15 percent. Our aggressive agri
cultural product marketing prog
ram has increased the value of agri
cultural exports by nearly 90 per
cent since 1987.
In an impromptu party on the
governor’s 62nd birthday, Boyd
Wolff, state agricultural secretary,
presented Casey with the blue rib
bon chocolate cake with one candle
in it. The crowd sang “Happy
Birthday.”
For Lt. Gov. Singel, the annual
tour through the exhibition build
ings and the food court became an
opportunity for him and his son
Jonathan, age nine, to enjoy the
show. From milking cows to riding
tractors and eating farm foods, the
father/son' team provided many
photo opportunities for the press.
At the Farm Show banquet,
Boyd Wolff, state ag secretary,
presented the agribusiness awards.
Three companies received recog
nition for their contributions tow
ard the development and e:
On the annual tourof the Farm Show are from left, Mrs. Boyd Wolff, Jennifer Grimes,
state dairy princess, Boyd Wolff, state agriculture secretary, Jonathan, age nine, and
Lt. Gov. Mark Slngel. '
sion of Pennsylvania agribusiness.
The Brown Adobe, Knauss
Snack Food Company, and Moyer
Packing Company received their
awards from the State Department
of Agriculture Saturday night
Homemade salsa has grown
into an export business for The
Brown Adobe in Phoenixville.
winner in the small company divi
sion. Since founding the Brown
Adobe as a sideline business while
in graduate school five years ago.
Julienne Brown now sells a wide
variety of great New Mexican
foods in quaint earth tone pack
ages to upscale food specialty
stores.
An independent selection com
mittee picked two winners in the
large company division.
Although launching a new meat
snack operation in the middle of a
recession didn’t make good busi
ness sense, Knauss 'Snack Food
Company of Quakertown did just
that in 1991. Using the integrity
and good will of their fourth gen
eration dried beef company, they
now manufacture, sell and distri
bute a complete line of meat
snacks like beef sticks, beef jerky,
pickled sausage, and pickled eggs.
Moyer Packing Company or
MOPAC of Souderton is the
largest beef slaughterer and fabri
cator in the East and is a major
renderer of animal by-products.
From their facilities in eastern
Pennsylvania and southern Dela
ware, they ship boxed beef, hides,
and rendered products as far away
>v. Robert Casey presents opening remarks to the Pen
nsylvania Farm Show crowd Sunday morning in the large
arena.
as Asia. From a family business
started in 1877, this company now
employs more than 1,200 people
in its numerous facilities.
Pennsylvania ranks fourth
nationally in the United States in
the number of food processors
with 2,300.
Wolff said the Farm Show is an
excellent opportunity for our city
cousins to gain appreciation for the
hard work and lender loving care
that goes into producing our state’s
wholesome food supply. “I always
feel a special appreciation for our
food at this time of year,” Wolff
said, “especially when you read
about and see pictures of the many
people without adequate food
supply.
“Despite the relief, many people
think with their new freedoms,
their lives are still threatned by one
simple thought: getting enough to
eat. Most Americans have been
freed from that burden for decades.
We have the highest standard of
living in the world, and one com
ponent of that standard is our safe,
abundant, inexpensive food
supply.
“Only 10 percent of our dispos
able income is spent for food, less
than any other country in the
world. We should all count our
blessings and give thanks to the
people in this nation who give
dedication and hard work that
allows us to take our food and fiber
for granted."
Pennsylvania
Slate Farm Show