VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Farming Staff
LANCASTER (Lancaster
Co.) The Atlantic Breeders
Cooperative held its annual busi
ness meeting Wednesday at the
Eden Resort and Convention Cen
ter in Lancaster, honoring Cum
berland County Extension Agent
Duane Duncan for his support and
35 years of service.
Ibe group held its business
meeting during a morning session
and, in the afternoon, board Presi
dent James Kreider presented
Duncan a plaque in appreciation of
his efforts toward cooperative
education.
Duncan said he and his wife
Donna, who has helped him great
ly over the years, were also appre
ciative of the cooperative for its
consistent support of Extension
programs.
“I always looked to Atlantic as a
key sponsor of Extension prog
rams.” Duncan said. “When I think
of statewide programs or state
judging contests over the years,
Atlantic has always been there and
I’m thankful for die opportunity to
work with the Young Cooperator
program.”
Duncan is a native of Erie Coun
ty, who started working in Exten
sion in 1958 in Adams County as
an assistant agent after receiving a
degree in agricultural education
from Penn State that year.
In 1967, he moved to fill the
position in Cumberland County.
He also has been secretary of the
Pennsylvania Junior Dairy Show
almost every year since 1973.
Further, he developed and is cur
rently superintendent of the All-
American Dairy Judging Forum,
held during the annual All-
American Dairy Show in
Harrisburg.
“Duane has provided Cumber
land County farmers with oppor
tunities to participate in education
al in-depth programs, such as
milking schools and nutrition
schools for dairymen, as well as
programs, such as milking schools
and nutrition schools for dairy
men, as well as programs for veter
inarians, and ag business person
nel,” Kreider said.
“He has also organized dairy
breeding and reproductive man
agement clinics and workshops in
DHIA records and dairy farm busi-
Eastern
SYRACUSE. N.Y. Some
200 delegates and officers repre
senting the 3,200 member farm
families of Eastern Milk Produc
ers Cooperative unanimously
approved an operating budget
calling for $262.4 million in milk
sales and nearly half a million dol
lars in profits after payouts to
members.
The budget is for the 1994-95
fiscal year which starts April 1.
Approval came at Eastern’s
March Delegate Meeting in Com
ing. N.Y.
The 71-year-old, Syracuse
based dairy cooperative expects to
market nearly 2 billion pounds of
milk in the new fiscal year, noted
Eastern General Manager Michael
Donovan.
Board President Lewis Gardner
said the budget also called for an
additional $12.5 million in
revenues through subsidiary sales
and other income, bringing total
projected revenues to $274.9
million.
Gardner said the farmers heard
reports on the co-op’s two wholly
owned subsidiaries, Eastern Best
ABC Honors Extension Agent Duncan
ness analysis. His activity in the
4-H program has been exceptional,
with the development of a strong
county program and with major
activities at the stale level,” Kreid
er said.
Kreider also mentioned Dun
can’s numerous professional hon
ors, and state regional and national
awards from the National Associa
tion of County Agricultural Agents
specifically in the areas of public
relations, communications, and for
distinguished service.
Duncan and his wife also act as
coordinators for the county dairy
princess group and other counties
in statewide functions.
Kreider also praised Duncan.
“... for his exceptional dedication
to the cooperative way of doing
business, and cooperative educa
tion. He has taken a very active
role in local cooperative education
program for teenagers and young
farmers.
“Likewisc, Duane and his wife
Donna have been instrumental in
the development and ongoing
programming for the Young
Cooperative Leaders Conference
sponsored by the Pennsylvania
Council of Cooperatives.”
In addressing the group. Duncan
joked that he was a 100-percent
ABC user, because when he was
growing up he used ABC service
for his one and only heifer.
In other business, cooperative
chief executive officer Harry Roth
told the group that, while the
cooperative had a better year
financially last year than the previ
ous year, and that exports of semen
and nonmember business was
increased, the cooperative faces a
number of challenges in under
standing its role in the future.
Roth said that in his time with
the cooperative, there have been
very few years that didn’t present
change. He said 1993, with the
extremes of weather and natural
disaster in every region of the
country, “ ... certainly was an
exceptional year in many respects.
“We are seeing a continual shift
of cow numbers from one area to
another and again have seen a
reduction of cows in the Northeast
with approximately 12,000 less
cows in Pennsylvania than a year
ago. In spite of this loss, we have
again seen an increase of techni
cian services, but a slight decrease
Milk Delegates Approve $274.9 Million
Products and Eastern Laboratory
Services; and voted to reinforce
the co-op’s neutral stance on
bovine somatotropin (BST), the
protein hormone used to increase
milk production in lactating cows.
EASTERN BELT PRO
DUCTS: With a new general man
ager at the helm, Eastern Best
spent the last three months eva
luating its service and products.
The subsidiary, after surveying
customers, installed a toll free line
to take orders, and- decided to
focus on its “mainstay quality
agricultural products”, including
farm supplies, and dairy and other
food items, Eastern Best General
Manager Fred Greenfield
reported.
“We’ve implemented a prog
ram of a commitment to quality,”
he said, “and a slogan of *it’s a
matter of pride’.”
“Pride,” Greenfield said, “is a
two-way street. We want mem
bers and employees to be proud of
Easton Best, just as Eastern Best
is proud to be part of Eastern Milk
and proud to serve members and
other customers.”
in direct herd'units.
“As cows continue to .shift into
more concentrated areas, we will
see larger herds and 'more chal
lenges in dealing with the environ
mental constraints.”
According to Roth, cooperative
members selected bulls rated 25
percent above the average of active
sires. “This is making genetic
improvements at an unpreccn
dented pace,” he said.
Furthermore, employees of the
cooperative all have been partici
pating in training programs to bet
ter their skills in service, genetics,
reproduction and sales.
“We maximized efficiencies of
operations tins year in every way
possible. Technician units were
consolidated in central and west
ern Pennsylvania to adjust to mem
ber market changes and in order to
improve labor efficiency by breed
ing more cows per technician,”
Roth said.
He said that specifically, a pilot
program of once-a-day breeding
services, as compared to twicc-a
day, seems to be providing similar
reproductive successes, as well as
reducing member costs for service.
He also discussed the new prog
rams offered this year, including a
computer record service, and a
heifer mating service.
The cooperative realized a high
er profit in 1993 over 1992, Roth
reported. He said that total net for
1992 was $396,343, while it was
$434,656 for 1993. He also said
that changes in taxes paid was
reflected in this difference, as well
as a substantial increase in non
member sales.
In international sales. Roth said
that sales have been doing well,
and that die Federated Council, of
which ABC is a partner with other
AJ. cooperatives, is u ... closely
monitoring the activity in the inter
national marketing to insure our
best position for the immediate
and long-term needs.”
Related to this, he said there are
some major issues to consider.
‘The global scene is changing.
In the near future, we will be
involved with European countries
marketing their genetics in our
member area. Our decision will
need to determine how this will be
accomplished. The world is get
ting smaller.
“Other countries who have pur
Eastern Best is a Canton,
Pa.-based bulk-buying service
bringing over 200 products to
some 30,000 rural customers in a
dozen states.
Headquartered in Waverly,
N.Y., Eastern Lab was started
nearly a decade ago as a milk test
ing facility serving the cheese
plant owned by Eastern Milk and
operated by Leprino Foods. After
experiencing steady growth in
dairy and food testing, the lab
branched out into environmental
testing about three years ago.
In 1993. environmental sales
took off like a rocket. General
Manager Sherry Perry reported.
For the first time, environmental
sales outpaced its dairy and food
testing business, she said. Overall
sales more than doubled in 1993,
she said, due mostly to environ
mental testing involving drinking
water, waste water, and solid and
hazardous waste.
The Ub positioned itself for
growth and competitive pricing,
she noted, by purchasing die high
ly specialized equipment and
other assets of Reading Environ
From the left, Jamee Kreider, president of the Atlantic
Breeders Cooperative Board of Directors, presents a
plaque to Duane Duncan, Cumberland County Extension
agent, for 35 years of service to the dairy industry.
chased semen from us over the
years, and have improved their
herds, have also learned about our
technology and service programs.
This is little differences between
U.S. cooperative A.I. programs
and programs in other parts of the
globe,” he said.
Closer to home, Roth talked
about the technological changes to
dairying, and the competitive
differences.
“Yes, the family farm is being
challenged as we have known it.
Size and efficiency seem to be the
words today that tend to push far
mers into doing things out of their
comfort zone and into methods of
operation never before considered.
“Many reasons are causing this
change in the rural scene, and no
doubt will continue to move us
until other pressures take over.
“All of this change in the
dynamics of a farmer's life will
cause him, without a doubt, to
view the services he purchases for
his operation from a changing per
spective. We have already seen a
very dramatic change in a mem-
mental Lab. Eastern Lab has
maintained a solid and hazardous
waste testing facility in Reading,
Pa., since June.
In other business, delegates:
--Voted to reinforce Eastern's
neutral policy on the farm use of
BST. "Our policy neither encour
ages nor discourages its use,"
President Gardner told delegates.
“I think it’s a responsible policy...
Otherwise, we’re sending the
wrong message to consumers at a
time when dairy products already
are the most strictly tested and
regulated products in the
supermarket.”
--Encouraged the board and
management to pursue and sup
port a multiple component pricing
system for Federal Orders 1 and 2
(New England, New York, New
Jersey and part of Pennsylvania).
-Approved a change in the
dues and equity structure which
results in a net decrease of one
cent per hundredweight that far
mer* pay to be members of the co
op.
-Endorsed the policy of pena
lizing members who contribute to
ber's view toward a cooperative
from the time 1 was a boy back in
Northampton County.
“Then farmers were eager to
make a cooperative survive. Now
the cooperative has the responsi
bility to deliver the product at a
price and in a package to fit the
member’s need today.”
However, Roth said there is no
question in his mind that the
cooperative can continue to pro
vide it purpose as long as its lead
en era cognizant of its members’
needs.
"This requires leadership that is
in touch with reality,” he said.
While praising the existing lead
ership. Roth said future leaders
must be “highly ethical people
who are well grounded in coopera
tive philosophy in order to reach
the first pinnacle of success. They
must be trustworthy and willing to
agree with the ‘members-first'
principle.”
He also outlined a number of
characteristics of what he consid
ered to be good leadership
qualities.
Budget
the loss of a U.S. Public Health
rating for a unit of fanners.
--Asked the board to consider
redeeming old $5OO special equity
certificates.
--Endorsed the practice of bloc
voting by the co-op.
-Welcomed Ethel Paulhamus
as a newly elected member of the
board and expressed sympathy for
the loss of her husband. Dale, who
died earlier this year.
Prior to the start of the business
portion of the two-day Delegate
Meeting, delegates and their fami
lies toured the mozzarella cheese
plant in Waveriy, N.Y., which is
operated by Leprino Foods and
owned by Eastern Milk under a
joint venture arrangement. The
plant can consume up to 2 million
pounds of milk a day as it pro
duces Italian cheeses for a signif
icant portion of the nation’s pizza
eateries and other restaurants.
Then the farmers visited the East
ern Laboratory across the street
from the plant After the tour*,
they were treated to a giant pizza
party at the Guthrie Inn in nearby
Sayre, Pa.,