Ussmsi
OPINION
The Rural Health Care
Reform We Need
While all Americans have a stake in the health care reforms
that are being proposed on the national level, rural and agricul
tural communities and individuals face special challenges. More
than 95 percent of fanners and ranchers are self-employed and
pay the cost of insurance coverage right out of their pockets and
are not able to pass on health care expenses as part of the price of
their products. Many other businesses do pass these costs on to
the consumers*of their products.
We believe Congress should provide “tax fairness” that
would provide 100 percent deductibility of health insurance
costs for self-employed people. Employees of companies with
proper programs can have health insurance costs deducted from
their wages before employment taxes are figured. Why
shouldn’t farmers be able to deduct their health insurance costs
before paying income taxes too?
In addition, farmers and other rural Americans should have
the option to keep their current coverage, choose from voluntary
competing alliances, or form their own alliances if they wish.
Under many current proposals, farmers wouldn’t be able to keep
the plan they now have, even if it costs them less and they like it
more.
Rural Americans can and should be one of the winners in
health care reform. But when the tough decisions are made, we
can’t be forgotten or lumped into a group whose needs arc not
the same as the unique needs of agriculture. As Communicat
ing for Agriculture, Inc. has said in an open letter to Congress:
“The health care reform we get should be the health care reform
we need.”
Farm Calendar
Saturday, .) 11 1> 2
Kutztown Folk Festival, Folk Fes
tival Grounds, thru July 10.
Berks County Wool Pool, Lees
port Farmers’ Market, Lees
port, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Delaware Valley Milk Goat Asso
ciation Annual Dairy Goat
Show, Allentown Fairgrounds,
8:30 a.m.
National Holstein Convention,
Forage Quality Management pre
sentation, Fulper Farms, Lam
bertville, N.J.
Meeting on biosecurity, BVD situ
ation, Central High School
auditorium, Martinsburg, 8
p.m.
Lancaster County 4-H Fashion
Revue, Farm and Home Center,
Lancaster County pesticide con
tainer recycling, Gideon King,
Kinzers, also Aug. 5 and Sept
6.
Forage Quality Management pre
sentation, Gibbsquest Dairies,
Allamuchy, N.J.
SRBC Public Hearings on Water
Use, Perryville High School
Auditorium, Perryville. Md.,
1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Young Cooperator’s Leaders’
Conference, Ramada Inn,
Day, Landisville, 9 a.m.-noon.
Rockspring Research Farm Tour
and Barbecue, Penn State Ag
Progress Days site. Rockspring,
3:30-dark.
Forage Quality Management pre-
sentation, Klein’s Farm,
Easton.
Feedlot Management Forum, Yod
er’s Family Restaurant, New
Weed Science Field Day, Penn
State Rockspring, 8:30 a.m.-3
p.m.
Keystone Stud Ram and Ewe
Show and Sale, State College
Ag Arena, thru July 9.
Fawn Grove Fair, Fawn Grove,
thru July 10.
Berks County Summer Field Trip,
bus leaves Berks County Ag
Center to farms in Chester
County and Unionville area, 7
a.m.
S;lllll(l;n, ,|til\ <J
Farm Forum
Contrary to the “trend of annual
cuts to agriculture” mentioned in
your paper’s budget story last
week, state funding for agriculture
has increased year after year under
the Casey Administration. Like
other state agencies, the Depart
ment of Agriculture tightened its
belt when doing so was in the best
interest of the citizens, but the facts
clearly show that state funding for
the Department under the Casey
Administration has increased from
$31.4 million in fiscal year
1986-87 to $43.8 million for fiscal
year 1994-95. This is an increase of
39.5 percent.
Once again, Governor Casey has
demonstrated his support for Pen
nsylvania’s producers and con
sumers. By signing the new state
budget, the Governor has given
Pennsylvania’s animal agriculture
the funding source needed to move
toward completion of the tripartite
diagnostic system. The New 80l-
Now Is
rrrf nrt •
The Time
By John Schwartz
Lancaster County
Agricultural Agent
To Attend
Animal Housing Expo
The Annual Animal Housing
Expo will be held July 12-13 from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at the
Lebanon Fairgrounds in Lebanon.
The design and construction of
animal housing facilities has a
long-term effect on the health and
productivity of animals and the
profitability of the farm. The Ani
mal Housing Expo affords lives
tock, dairy and poultry producers
an opportunity to receive new
ideas and assistance in the design
and construction of animal hous
ing and handling facilities.
There will be commercial exhi
bitors and educational speakers
including Dr. David Kohl, Viigini
a Tech, on financial planning; Dr.
Doug Reineman, University of
Wisconsin, on milking system
management; and Dr. Howard Per
son, Michigan State, on building
design for rodent and bird control.
This year will also feature an
evening tour and cookouL The tour
will feature a new dairy freestall
and milking parlor.
Reservations are required for
the tour. For more information,
contact your local extension office
or the Lancaster County Coopera-
Ephrata Area Young Farmers
Association annual family
picnic, Ephrata Community
Derry Township Fair, Derry, thru
July 16.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Fair,
Pocono Downs, thru July 16.
Mason-Dixon Red and White
(Tilm to Pag# A3l)
ton Center will receive $580,000
through the Animal Health Com
mission to help refurbish its toxi
cology unit
The Governor has also commit
ted to support nutrient manage
ment efforts; help dairy farmers
comply with new federal rules; and
purchase more lab supplies to
increase testing for Avian Influen
za, SE, Johnes and pseudorabies. I
am very proud of Governor
Casey’s support for Pennsylvani
a’s leading industry. Anyone who
has visited the Farm Show in recent
years has seen tangible proof of
that interest. Moreover, all of us
who appreciate the Animal Health
Commission, the planned animal
health laboratory, Pennsylvania’s
farmland preservation effort and
new producer-controlled commod
ity marketing programs know
whose leadership made it possible.
Boyd E. Wolff,
PA Ag Secretary
live Extension Office at (717)
394-6851.
To Explore
Teen Tax Credit
The July issue of Money maga
zine had a short statement on an
under-used tax credit.
If you are self-employed, you
might be able to take advantage of
this targeted jobs tax credit You
can claim a 40 percent tax credit
for up to $3,000 in wages paid to
16- and 17-year-olds who work for
you between May 1 and September
1.
That is $1,200 off your tax bill.
The youth must be a member of an
economically disadvantaged
family.
For more information, contact
your accountant or call the IRS at
800-Tax-Form and ask for your
free copy of IRS Publication 907.
To Adjust
Swine Rations
Heat affects swine production,
f
BY LAWRENCE W ALEHOUSE
'IHf _
SUSILg
A DAY'S PORTION
July 3,1994
A DAY'S PORTION
July 3. 1994
Background Scripture:
Exodus 16
Devotional Reading:
Exodus 17:1-13
I marvel when I think that the
Exodus actually took place several
thousand years ago, for there are
elements in this story that are as
contemporary as today’s newspa
per. For one thing, the complaint
to Moses and Aaron by the people
of Israel: “Would that we had died
by the hand of the Lord in the land
of Egypt, when we sat by the
fleshpots and ate bread to the full;
for you have brought us out into
this wilderness to kill this whole
assembly with hunger” (16:3).
That sounds like something that
could have been voiced in the Ad
ministrative Board of our church.
Not those words, of course, but
something quite similar. Think of
the context of these complaints;
after years of slavery in Egypt,
through Moses God has led the
people of Israel out of their bond
agae and enabled them to escape
the wrath of the Egyptians. Fur
thermore, God has promised to
lead them to a prosperous Prom
ised Land that will be their inheri
tance. What a spot to be in!
But the Israelites didn’t see it
that way. Yes, it was good not to
be slaves anymore. Yes, the mira
culous escape from Egypt had
been thrilling. And, yes, they were
happy to be going to Canaan. But
now they were hungry and that
was all they could think about
What good are a great past and the
promise of an even greater future,
if in the present moment we have
empty bellies?
LATELY?
Their complaint reminds me of
the story of the man who ap
proached his friend and said,
“Sam, I know that when I needed
help to build my house, you pitch
ed in. And when I was down on
my luck, you loaned me enough to
get me through. When I was in
need of a job, you steered me in
according to Chester Hughes,
extension livestock agent
Hogs are more sensitive to heat
the heavier they get Heat-stressed
pigs eat less, which means their
growth rate takes a turn for the
worse.
As a hog surpasses 200 pounds,
daily feed intake may drop to near
zero when temperatures exceed 90
degrees F. With summer weather
upon us, it is a good idea to re
evaluate the nutrient density of
your finishing ration.
Start with the amino acids, the
most limiting nutrient for growing
and finishing pigs. Up the lysine
during hot weather by 10 to IS per
cent Adding energy dense fat to
the diet (fat has about 2.25 times
more energy than carbohydrates or
protein) helps maintain pigs’
calorie intake. Because it is more
easily digested than fiber, fat helps
keep body temperatures down.
Feather Prof s Footnote: "Seek
to understand before you seek to be
understood .”
the right direction. And when my
wife walked out on me, you talked
her into giving me another chance.
But, Sam, things aren’t going too
good for me right now. So what
have you done for me lately?”
(Sam and God seem to have the
same “friends.”)
Someone has said, “Be careful
what you pray for; God just might
give it to you.” The people of Is
rael had prayed long and hard,
asking God to lift from them the
yoke of Egyptian slavery. If only
they could be free! So now they
were free, but that did not satisfy
them. Now they longed to return
to that slavery in Egypt so that
they would have enough to eat.
(“... died by the hand of the
Lord” means to die by natural
causes.) Are we not like that, too?
Often we would rather have ma
terial security than freedom. Free
dom doesn’t look as good on an
empty stomach.
DAILY BREAD
Once again, God responds to
their prayers (like many of us to
day, their prayers were mainly
complaints). “Behold, I will rain
bread from heaven for you; and
the people shall go out and gather
a day’s portion, that I may prove
them” (16:4). God was going to
test their faith by giving them just
enough food for one day at a time.
Perhaps this verse inspired the pe
tition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Give
us this day our daily bread.”
There were some 1994-style
people in that Israelite band. Al
though told to gather only enough
for their daily need, some clever
souls decided to gather more and
stockpile it (Maybe the first black
market!) Others, told not to leave
any manna until morning, did just
that These people demonstrated
their lack of faith. They were not
willing to live by God’s promise
alone.
Sometimes it seems difficult to
trust God's providence. But that's
what he asks of us. to live one day
at a time, to be satisfied with one
day’s portion and to trust him for
the rest.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A SMhmn Emttprim
Robert Q. Campbell General Manager
Event R. Nawtwangar Managing Editor
Copyright iaa4 by Unoatlar Farming