Six-County Group Considers
Agribusiness Development
(Continued from Pago A 1)
nia, 20 percent of the S.S million
jobs are in agriculture, yet some
times the perception of agriculture
is just one piece and that’s the far
mer, he said.
“There’s $4 billion in cash
receipts at the farm gate and $4O
billion dollars at the processing
end,” he said. “There’s a twelve
million population in Pennsylva
nia and 1 percent is farmers,” said
Evans. “The DER would consider
that an endangered species.’'
Comparing Pennsylvania’s
agricultural technology to some
other states, Zerby said, “The Pen
nsylvania producer of meat, milk
and eggs is light years ahead in
technology. We must stay on the
leading edge of technology.” He
said the greatest growth has been
during the past two decades.
“In order for the agriculture
industry to thrive and remain a
viable industry, we must remain
strong in the Southern Alleghe
nies,” Zerby said, listing five areas
of need for future growth; aware-
contacts, lenders, ag-zoning
and leadership.
Zerby said awareness involves
three risks input costs such as
fuel, labor and feed; the market;
and production.
“We don’t want to own ani
mals,” said the Purina representa
tive, “but to control genetics so the
animal will be consistent.”
If a company owns a unit but
not the animals, then the risks sup-
posedly are removed if the owner/
producer takes on the risks of pro
duction. He would then also
deserve to share in the profits,
according to Zerby.
Contacts, he said would be
equipment processors, builders
and feed companies.
“Lenders will play a major role
in the growth of agriculture in this
area,” said Zerby. He asked them
to sometimes consider the animal
husbandry potential of younger
producers instead of the old stand
by, equity, for the lending basis.
“The hog smell is good to me,”
joked Zerby when discussing ag
zoning with slides for visual aids.
He said a hog operation will be
built in the Southern Alleghenies
rather than a northern state site
because of problems with that
area’s county commissioners.
“Look back over the growth in
any industry and.you’U find lead
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ership," said Zerby about the fifth
crucial need. He said growth
won’t happen without good
leadership.
Clemens of Hatfield Quality
Meats was quick to state his une-
quivocal belief that the “Mom and
Pop” business can indeed survive
in today’s business environment
The Montgomery County based
family-owned company is aged
100. When Clemens said he daily
rubs shoulders at work with some
20 of his cousins and uncles, he
said it proudly.
“We’re here to talk about
change/’ he said. “We need to pro
duce great animals because the
consumer demands it but we need
to work together,” he said.
“The dynamics are there. We
are at the gateway to the East
Coast” he said. “We have the
greatest resources in Pennsylvania
right here.”
Clemens said that 20 percent of
the hogs processed by Hatfield
come from North Carolina. The
company hauls them.
Jobs can be created here
through raising animals. New feed
mills and more trucking services
would be needed. And the land
could be better utilized in produc
ing com and hay.
This kind of potential growth
means networking and the integra
tion of the industry, according to
Clemens. He said everybody can
get involved and get a piece of the
pie.
“Our production is at 60 per
cent,” said Clemens. “Most comes
out of North Carolina. We would
love to come to the Southern
Alleghenies for pigs.” he said.
“The reason we are looking to the
Southern Alleghenies is urban
sprawl has come to us.”
One example is the $250,000
home that Clemens said was built
40 feet from the company waste
water treatment site. Forget who
arrived first, it's an apparent,
irrelevant fact.
Clemens urged the Southern
Alleghenies to be a role model, to
set the standard for bringing one
stop shopping to agriculture.
“We need to work together and
come to an understanding, said
Clemens. “Don’t think about the
dollars. We in America and Pen
nsylvania can produce high qual
ity food for the world. The dollars
are there and they are staying,” he
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Poultry Expert
Heat Off
Take
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) The recetot cold and
snowy winter has most Pennsylva
nians looking forward to the heat
of summer. While warm weather
may be a welcome change for peo
ple, it can spell trouble for poultry,
said an expert in Penn State’s Col
lege of Agricultural Sciences.
“Poultry can tolerate a wide
range of environmental condi
tions,” said Dr. Michael Hulet, as
sociate professor of poultry sci
ence. “But most of these condi
tions are not conducive to
optimum growth or efficiency.
“Poultry perform best when the
environment around them mini
mizes stress and allows all nutri
ents to be used for growth and re
production.”
To help ensure peak produc
tion, Hulet recommends controll
ing poultry house temperatures
through proper ventilation. “Air
rushing over the birds* heads by
directed vents or circulating fans
helps to moderate the environment
at the birds’ level,” said Hulet
“At very high temperatures, or
if a hot spell starts quickly and
doesn’t allow time for acclima-
said.
Clemens and Zeiby claimed the
synergy the combination of
face and cooperative action is
there.
Instead of recoiling at the whiff
of a hog slaughtering, processing
facility, they said they smell the
wastewater, but they can deal with
it.
Evans was quick to add, “It’s
the ‘aroma’ of profitability,” he
said, “not ‘odor,’”
“The Boston to Washington
corridor offers a tremendous
opportunity in the marketplace,”
said Evans, enlarging on a point
made by Clemens. “You can drive
a day and see half the population
of ttie United States. That tells you
something exciting about food by
truck.”
“When you look at the agricul
ture industry, dairy is the biggest,”
said Evan Fineman, “and poultry
is the fastest growing. Dairy farm
ing is alive and well in Pennsylva-
don, mortality and tremendous de
creases in growth can occur,” he
said. “Circulation of air within the
house, especially when moisture
is added by fogging, can help cool
the birds and prevent losses and
poor performance.”
Early in life, chicks and poults
also are sensitive to drafts and
temperature changes as small as
two or .three degrees. During the
brooding stage, growers should
observe bird behavior and keep
temperatures constant.
“If the chicks are huddled to
gether. determine whether the be
havior is caused by low tempera
ture or draft,” Hulet said. “Air
direction is important for young
birds the inlet air should be
directed toward the ceiling to mix
the air coming into the house.”
Huiet also recommends that
ventilation equipment be checked
and cleaned before summer. “Dur
ing winter, condensation and
poultry dust coats belts, motors
and wire mesh around fans, and
vents, restricting air flow to the
birds,” he said. “Spring cleaning
shouldn’t be delayed until the hot
weather arrives.”
nia,” he said, noting that the Inter
state Milk Producers began in
1917. The 3,500 member, farmer
owned, Atlantic Dairy Coopera
tive has members in six states,
according to Fineman.
“Farming is moving west,” said
Fineman. Where 20 years ago all
the customers were around Phi
ladelphia, the majority are now in
Franklin County, he said. “Real
estate has taken its toll,” stated
Fineman.
He said some Midwestern dairy
cooperatives envision high poten
tial in the East Coast market and
want to get involved.
Also, Pennsylvania must stay
competitive with the California
dairy industry lower pices, said
Fineman.
David Mankamyer, a Somerset
County commissioner, com
mented that he sees a trend in the
area for more animals and larger
farms. He said that fewer farms
are disappearing.
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Birds
Hulet said producers also
should make sure that fresh, clean
and cool water is available to their
birds.“Waterers can provide the
ideal environment for bacterial
growth, especially if they contain
nutrients from feed residues,” he
said. “Between flocks, water sys
tems should be cleaned with a line
cleaner, drained and flushed.
Chlorine treatments frequently are
used to help reduce contamina
tion.”
Depending on the type of wa
tering system, water level or pres
sure also should be adjusted when
outside temperatures are high to
allow for increased water con
sumption by the flock. “If you
don’t provide enough water,” said
Hulet, “feed consumption falls
and growth suffers.
“Fresh air and water are basic to
good production practices,” he
said. “By protecting against un
healthy environments, you’ll pro
duce healthier and more produc
tive birds.”
Maryland
Announces
Field Days
ELKTON, Md. The Univer
sity of Maryland Cooperative
Extension has announced details
and entry deadlines most set
for July 1 for the stale’s breed
field days for V 994.
The location of the Holstein
Field Day is at the Howard County
Fairgrounds in West Friendship.
The four other breeds’ field days
are to be held at the Frederick Fair
grounds in Frederick.
According to a newsletter from
the University of Maryland Exten
sion Service, the Holstein field day
is scheduled for July 18, F/S 4:30
p.m./6:30 p.m.
The Guernsey and Ayrshire
shows arc to be held July 30, start
ing 10 a.m.
The entry deadline
for the Holstein field
day is July 1 and entries
should be sent to Martin
Hamilton, 3525-L Elli
cott Mills Drive, Ellicott
City, MD, 21043.
The deadline for
Brown Swiss is July 1
and entries should be
sent to Stanley Fultz,
Frederick County
Extension, 330 Mon
tevue Lane, Frederick,
MD. 21702.
For the Jersey breed,
the deadline is July 1,
and those wishing to
enter should write to
David Greene, Cairoll
County Extension, 700
Agriculture Center,
Westminster, MD
21157.
The deadline for
entering the Ayrshire
show is July IS, and
entries should be sent to
Martin Hamilton.
For the Guernsey
show, the deadline for
entry is July 15, and
entries should be sent to
Donald Schwartz,
Washington County
Extension, 1260 Mary
land Avenue, Hager-