A32-L«ncaitf Farming, Saturday, February 26, 1994
MILK
THOMAS JURCHAK
Dairy Specialist
Lackawanna County
SCRANTON (Lackawanna Co.) —Just like the cold winter weather
that’s been with us the last five weeks, as of Feb. 14, nothing has
changed in dairy product prices since last month.
Block cheese prices gained a half cent last Friday and barrels a quar
ter cent two weeks before, but that’s it since Christmas.
Fortunately, cheese prices now are holding at levels that are over 14
cents higher than last February.
Last year that $1.16 in February was the low point of the year and they
started up in March. Right now, starting up is just wishful thinking, but
then nobody expected prices to hold this long into the new year.
Reasons for the conunuing higher prices are not all weather related,
but that’s a good place to start.
Milk production nationally was down again 2 percent in January, for
the sixth consecutive month.
Again the big cuts were in the upper Midwest and Northeast where
weather was a problem for maintaining production and getting the milk
oil the farm. This affected the supply coming to processing plants at a
ume when demand was rising.
1 believe handlers were slocking up lo make sure they had enough for
any panic buying by snowbound consumers. Or, maybe, kids drink
more milk when they slay home from school.
In any case, the weather was a factor along with the new Class nia
started in all federal orders in December. That made butter-powder
manufacturers competitive with the cheese makers.
Class Ilia milk in January was priced more than $2 less for butter and
powder than the Class 111 milk for cheese.
So, even with 65-cent butter and Sl.lO powder, at prices that haven’t
changed in five weeks, cheese makers had to scramble for their share of
the shrinking manufaclunng milk supply.
How long these prices last may very well depend on the weather or
handlers’ perception of when milk production will start increasing this
spring.
It’s already on the rise in the south and west and if the Midwest and
Northeast even come up to normal levels we may still have a spring
Hush. However, as long as product prices stay up estimates of how low
the Minnesota-Wisconsin Price Series will go keep looking better and
belter.
Speaking of the M-W, you even came close to holding the price here
but it did drop only 10 cents lo $12.41 the highest in January in four
years and $1.52 belter than last year.
In December, the price was $1.17 higher than last year and in Febru
ary the difference will be even greater. A year ago the M-W fell 95 cents
Irom November to January but it was only 34 cents less this year.
However, lower but better is not true of the farm price. That’s higher
and better in all Federal Orders in this area. You’ll see increases of 10 to
15 cents for your January milk over December’s price, and $1.15 to
$1.40 over last January.
That doesn’t include any over-orders premiums you may be getting
from your handler, but these are becoming fewer and smaller, so check
your milk check.
Pricewise, you’re off to a good start for the new year, but keep your
pencil sharp on feed costs and shop around for the best buys or you may
just pass all the milk price increases on lo your creditors.
Sheep Club
Members Welcome
ram, contact the Penn
LANCASTER (Lan- Slate Cooperative
caster Co.) Youth Extension (717)
who arc interested in 394-6851
feeding market lambs or
raising breeding sheep
arc invited to attend the
rcorgani7auonal meet
ing of the Lancaster
County 4-H Woolics
Club at 7 p.m. on Mon
day. March 14, at the
Lancaster Farm and
Home Center.
Election of officers
will highlight the meet
ing activities
To be eligible for
membership in the club,
members must be
between the ages of 8
and 19, regardless of
race, color, national ori
gin, sex, or handicap.
They have the responsi
bility of caring for and
feeding their own sheep
and keeping records on
their lambs. They also
have the opportunity of
showing their lambs at
the 4-H Roundup or at a
community fair.
For more information
Butter vs. Cheese
Lower But Better
You're Invited to
RED AMERICA'S 113
CUSTOMER /Den-X?
APPRECIATION
DAY
Wednesday, March 2, 1994
10 am - 2 pm
To Be Held In The Hojfman Building ■ Quarryville
FEATURED TOPICS; Mastitis
BST
Representatives from West Agro,
Agri-Dynamics & Monsanto Will Be
Making Presentations
Lunch Will Be Provided
FOR RESERVATIONS OR MORE INFORMATION
CALL (717) 786-1303 from 9-5. RESERVE BY 2/24
CK
SYRACUSE. N.Y. Thad E.
Woodward, of Canton, has been
named general manager of the
newly created Southern Division
of Dairylea Cooperative Inc.,
announced Rick Smith, chief
executive officer of Dairylea.
Woodward will be primarily
responsible for membership activ
ities and recruitment in Pennsyl
vania, New Jersey and several
Southern Tier counties of New
York.
“We are extremely pleased to
have Thad Woodward join the
Dairylea team,” said Smith. “Thad
brings an enormous amount of
experience in working with the
agricultural community, as well as
the strong management skills
needed for a growing agri
business.”
Prior to joining Dairylea,
Woodward was employed with
Eastern Milk Producers Coopera
tive Association Inc., for 23 years.
Since 1979, Woodward served as
vice president and general mana
ger of Eastern Best Products,
creating and establishing a profit
able agri-products supply business
through six regional stores and a
rural delivery system.
“In the past year, Dairylea has
strengthened its position in Penn
sylvania with two new major milk
sales,” said Smith. “Our intent,
with the addition of Thad, is to
Cedar Crest Equipment Holds Open House
A representative of Cedar Crest Equipment talks to a group of men who are part of a
crowd of several hundred who attended the farm equipment dealer’s open house at
the Lebanon Area Fair Grounds. Some of the latest equipment in feed handling, and
also in manure storage and handling was on display inside the large show barn at
Lebanon.
Woodward Joins Dairylea
Thad Woodward
place a renewed emphasis on
Dairylea’s operations in Pennsyl
vania and serving our customers’
and members’ needs. Thad also
will be representing Dairylea at
appropriate industry matters and
providing support in related areas
such as milk marketing, hauling,
laboratory services, insurance and
livestock marketing.”
Earlier in his career with East-
g MILK. IT DOES A BODY GOOD.
MIDDLE ATLANTIC MILK MARKETING ASSOCIATION. INC
ATTENTION FARMERS - LANCASTER AREA
(Own Dairy Cow*, Calves and Horses?)
Attend a Local Meeting and learn how to treat and prevent herd health
problems with an all-natural product. MEETING TO BE CO-HOSTED BT
JOHN H. BEELER, 12 A S. Ranks Rd.. Ranks, Pa.
John has used our VTTA-MIN-IAC products consistently since 1990 and has
received excellent results. After over three years of use, nobody understands the
results that our products Vlta-Min-Lae and Cow Care can give you any better
than John. Please consider what John has to say and plan to attend the March 16th
meeting.
I used Vita-Min-Lac on a horse that had eaten rumensin. I am convinced
Vita-Mln-Lae took the poison out of her system! That horse went through a real
sweat, layed down for awhile but Is now back in full health again. I used to use
penicillin when my cows went off feed, but that contaminated the milk and meat. I
now use Vita-Min-Lac because it knocks down a fever and fights infection just as
good, plus it also stimulates my cows appetite and immune system.
For a serious illness, a strong anti-biotic may be needed but they work better with
Vita-Min-Lac than penicillin because my cows show much better heat and concep
tion. I have also had good luck with Vita-Min-Lac for dysentary and dehydration
caused by weather changes, frozen silage and other factors.
Vita-Min-Lac has also reduced a high cell count problem that I used to have
before using Vlta-Min-Lae and I always use it for my freshening cows to stop
udder edema and cleaning problems. Call the folks of Vita-Min-Lac at
1-800-848-8960 (Toll Free) or contact me personally anytime before March
12th if you plan on attending. See you there! John H. Seller
★ Door Prizes to farmers herd with highest cell count or twisted sto
mach! (Refreshments served)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16th AT THE RONKS FIRE CO.
(Located beside R.R. underpass slong N. Ronks Rd.
between Rt. 30 and Rt. 340)
em. Woodward served as a quality
control and field representative,
inspecting dairy farms for regulat
ory compliance, while engaging in
member recruitment.
In addition, Woodward owned
and operated his own dairy, Her
mit Hill Farm, from 1975 to 1992.
The farm received the Dairy of
Distinction Award in 1988 and
was honored with production and
quality awards from the Bradford
County Dairy Herd Improvement
Association.
Woodward is a charter member
and past vice president of the
Pennsylvania Milk Promotion
Board and serves on the Guthrie
Health-Care System Board of
Directors. He is a past president of
Troy Community Hospital and a
past master of the Canton Masonic'
Lodge.
Woodward and his wife, Sheila,
have three children, Tami, Tracy
and Bob, and three grandchildren.
Dairylea, a Syracuse-based
dairy cooperative with more than
2,200 farmer members throughout
the Northeast, markets approxi
mately 3.1 billion pounds of milk
annually. Dairylea participates
and is invested in a milk market
ing network stretching from
Maine to Maryland to Ohio.