Alo*Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 25, 1994
OPINION
Water Use Concerns Many
(Get To A Hearing)
On Wednesday, Richard Cairo, secretary and general counsel
for The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), said he
was being swamped with telephone calls, mainly from represen
tatives of agricultural organizations.
They were not happy, he said. Cario didn’t sound very happy
either. .
Several days earlier. Bill Troxel, with the Pennsylvania Veget
able Growers Association had distributed an article that is to be
published in the association’s newsletter. It is a comprehensive
outline, though necessarily lengthy, of the proposal, with empha
sis on some parts to which objections will most probably be
made.
The SRBC proposal to revamp its regulations and add some
new regulations include a plan that would make certain-sized
agricultural operations pay for the registration, monitoring and
use of relatively large quantities of water.
From groundwater to surface water, on-farm wells to public
water sources, the proposal for SRBC regulations is careful not to
ignore any major users of water in the basin.
The vegetable growers’ association’s position is that it wants
more time for members to get an opportunity to study and review
the proposals because it could significantly affect the cost of
doing business.
More recently, some members of the DER Agricultural Advis
ory Board, and some members of the SRBC Agricultural Advis
ory Board, among others with an interest in farming, telephoned
Lancaster Farming to say they were very concerned with what
they were told recently by Cairo about the SRBC proposals.
The point is, no one knows for sure what the affect would be to
Pennsylvania agriculture. The proposal would certainly be an
additional cost to very large livestock and crop operations.
The bottom line is that all in agriculture who have reviewed the
regulations or were briefed on its content are asking that others in
agriculture also pay attention.
In so many words, Cairo said that the reasoning behind the
proposal isn’t to kill agricultural operations in the state. He also
said the agency isn’t attempting to rush this proposal through.
The agency is seeking comment and review, he said.
The bottom line is, there is a limit to the amount of water avail
able to everyone in the basin and there is an ever-increasing
demand for that water and some individual entities are using gre
ater and greater amounts.
The SRBC was formed in 1971 to start dealing with the prob
lem of managing the basin flows. They have power companies,
community water supplies, industry and commercial interests,
including agriculture, all relying on the water in the basin.
The proposal for the regulatory package is attempt to bring
together years of piecemeal regulation-making and create a com
prehensive sensible package to ensure that individuals profiting
from the use of water, don’t destroy it for others to use.
Cairo said that farmers especially must remember that this is
just a proposal.
He said he urges them to attend the public hearings and listen to
the proposal, and make comment.
He said the members of the commission chaired by U.S.
Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, and seated by the respec
tive heads of the environmental agencies in each of the three
states will take very seriously the concerns, complaints and
suggestions from the agricultural sector.
And while we agree that there is plenty of material being prop
osed which should be of concern to farmers, concern is not
enough.
What is needed from the agricultural community is action
in the form of getting involved by reading, learning, listening
and attending at least one of the SRBC’s scheduled public hear
ings. Learn, get involved and then speak out.
And. it is hoped, the result will be some well thought-out, con
structive suggestions or objections to the SRBC proposal by
August 1
An additional note to this is that Cairo has asked if people from
the southern part of Lancaster and other southern counties who
plan to attend a meeting could possibly refrain from attending the
7 p.m. Tuesday meeting set to be held at the SRBC’s Harrisburg
headquarters building.
The Front Street facility can not hold a very large audience,
whereas the July 6 hearings are to be held in the Perryville High
School Auditorium, in Perryville, Maryland, and can easily
handle a large agricultural contingent so that everyone can hear
and be heard. Also, traveling distance may be less for many.
0 NUUK. IT DOES ABODY GOOD.
had MIDDLE ATLANTIC MILK MARKETING ASSOCIATION, INC.
To Be On
Alert For BVD
A new strain of Bovine Virus
Diarrhea (BVD) has shown up in
Pennsylvania.
Several dairy fanners in the
state, including Lancaster County,
have experienced death and illness
in both young and adult cattle.
The virus is found in nasal dis
charges, saliva, urine, and feces of
clinically infected cattle. Carrier
animals that appear fairly normal
may also shed the virus.
There are four ways to help keep
BVD off your farm. They are: 1.
Maintain a closed herd; 2. Vacci-
Farm Calendar
Pa. Junior Holstein Association
Convention. Pittsburgh, thru
June 28.
Beaver-Lawrence Dairy Princess
Pageant and Ice Cream Social,
Westfield Grange, 7:30 p.m.
14th annual Hickory Ridge Anti
que Farm Show, Horace Potter
Residence, Milford, Del., thru
June 26.
Benefit Auction, Solanco Fair
grounds, 9 a.m.-S p.m.
*A Celebration of Quilts,’ York
College of Pa., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,
thru June 26.
Historic Schaeffers town Cherry
Fair, Schaefferstown, 10a.m.-5
p.m.
Pasture Field Day, Dave Smith
Sheep and Beef Farm, Avella,
9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Pa. Junior Judging School, Butler
and Franklin counties, thru June
30.
On-Farm Composting Field Day,
Robot and Lois Keller Farm.
ing Interagency Conference
and Tour, Penn State Harris
burg, Middletown, thru June
29.
Pesticide recycling program, Oyl
er’s Orchard, Gettysburg, also
July 26, Aug. 23. Nov. g.
SRBC Public Hearings on Water
Use, Pa. Game Commission
Headquarters, Harrisburg, 10
a.m. and at the SRBC Head
quarters Building, Harrisburg,
7 p.m.
EAYFA monthly meeting, Clark
Junior Judging School, Franklin
County, thru June 30.
PCC/PSU Summer Institute
Awards Luncheon, Shippens
burg University, 12:30 p.m.
Alfalfa Field Day, Hughy Salfner
Farm, Warwick, Md., 10
a.m.-noon.
(Turn to Pago A 27)
nate the herd (consult your veter
inarian for specific advice and
proper procedures); 3. If transport
ing, showing, or purchasing cattle,
isolate them from the rest of the
herd for 21 to 30 days (It is also
helpful to know the health status of
the herds these animals come from
or come in contact at shows.): and
4. Control farm traffic, because
equipment, trucks, animals and
visitors may also spread the virus.
Crop sprayers should be cleaned
between uses and between diffe
rent crops, according to Robert
Anderson, extension agronomy
agent
Small amounts of some pesti
cides may be active enough to
cause problems when going from
one crop to another. To avoid crop
injury, a thorough cleaning of
spray equipment between uses is
recommended.
Household ammonia is a com
mon material that may be used to
clean spraying equipment. Mix
one gallon of ammonia with 100
gallons of water. Ammonia works
well in cleaning Banvel, 2,4-D,
and Basagran residues from
equipment
The label of Pinnacle and Class
ic also recommend the use of
ammonia to remove residue from
equipment Another commonly
used product is household bleach.
Never mix ammonia and bleach.
BY IAWRENCt W AIIHOUSE
"“ffiBIMUR
THE 90-DAY MATURITY
June 26,1994
Background Scripture:
Exodus 13:17 - 14:31
Devotional Reading:
Exodus 15:22-27
Last year my wife and I visited
the Sinai Peninsula, the site of the
Exodus. It did’t matter to us that
Biblical scholars dispute as to the
exact route the Israelites took and
on which mountain Moses receiv
ed the ten commandments. As we
drove across that desert, we vivid
ly remembered the Exodus as if
we had participated in it ourselves.
And, as a matter of spiritual fact
we do participate in the Exodus.
God calls each of us out of the
bondage of Egypt and like the
people of Israel, it takes faith to
heed that call and persevere in it
In our lives, too, between God’s
call and our own Promised Land
there is usually a Sinai where we
exist solely by the grace of God.
The exodus, like life itself, is a
venture of faith.
Like us, the people of Israel
sometimes wavered in their faith.
When the Pharaoh and his army
caught up with them they com
plained sarcastically to both God
and Moses: “Is it because there are
no graves in Egypt that you have
taken us away to die in this wilder
ness? What have you done to us,
in bringing us out of Egypt?”
(14:11).
WE TOLD YOU SO
Might we not have said much
the same? God’s promises are
hard to believe when our lives are
threatened. To Moses they pro
tested: “Is this not what we said to
you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let
us serve the Egyptians?’ For it
would have been better for us to
serve the Egyptians than to die in
To Clean
Crop Sprayers
They will react to form a gas that
can damage the eyes, nose, throat,
and lungs of anyone breathing it.
Remember to dispose of rinse
material properly.
To Be On
Lookout For Scams
Each year we read about people
falling victims to scams. Scams
come in all sizes and types, but the
most common are those involving
improvements or repairs around
the home or property.
It could involve driveway pav
ing, roof sealing or repairs, house
painting, home improvements or
landscaping, or tree pruning,
according to McGruff of the
National Crime Prevention
Coalition.
Unfortunately, a number of peo
ple are tricked into believing what
they hear, but instead they pay for
diluted materials which may cost
more in the long run to have the
junk removed and the job done
right So take McGruffs advice:
“If something is being offered to
you which sounds too good to be
true, it most likely is too good to be
true and notify the police
immediately.”
Always deal with established
businesses in the area. These are
the people you know and will stand
behind their work and items sold.
Remember, help McGruff take a
bite out of crime by not falling vic
tim to scams.
Feather Prof s Footnote: "Talk
to inform, not to impress."
the wilderness.” AH of us feel that
way sometimes.
But Moses replies: “Fear not,
stand firm, and see the salvation of
the Lord, which He will work for
you today.” And we know what
happened then; the Israelites es
caped and Pharaoh’s army was
destroyed. It was a salvation the
people of Israel would never for
get at least in the long run. (In
the short run they frequently for
got, just as we do.)
Let’s say that I have an appoint
ment with my boss tomorrow
morning and I’m afraid he’s going
to let me go. I know the company
has got to cut the payroll and so I
pray fervently for God to save my
job. And if the next morning my
boss still gives me the pink slip,
does it mean God is unfaithful
with his promises?
THE NICK OF TIME
The answer is no. Sometimes
God delivers us from peril just as
He delivered the Israelites in the
Sinai. But sometimes, just as later
He failed to deliver Israel from the
Assyrians, we are not saved either.
We flunk out. we lose our job, our
marriage ends up in divorce, the
loved one we prayed for dies and
peace does not come in Bosnia
and Serbia. The deliverance we
pray for comes, although perhaps
not in the form we expected. In
stead of being saved from some
danger, we may be safe in it, given
the strength and grace to see it
through.
Now I confess to you that, giv
en my choice, I would prefer to be
delivered as the people of Israel
were. I would rather not have to
wait for the Promised Land. Yet I
admit that God has never been
more real in my life than in those
times when I was not delivered in
the nick of time. So Moses’ ad
monition is as relevant to us as it
was to the Israelites: “Fear not,
stand firm, and see the salvation of
the Lord.”
Adoniram J. Gordon once said,
“The promises of God are certain,
but they do not all mature in 90
days.” Some do; some do not. If
we “fear not” and “stand firm" we
will see all of the promises kept in
God’s own time.