A2B-Lincastef Farming, Saturday, July 2. 1994
Ag Protests
Fee Impositions
would be used to cover the costs of
monitoring and administration.
The application fees apply on a
sliding scale, depending on the
amount of water involved.
Under the proposal, there are a
wide range of cases of water use
projects which may require appli
cation to the SRBC and monitor
ing. In fact, under proposed Sec
tion 803.21, there is wording that
provides that anyone uncertain as
to whether or not l|tey need to app
ly for water withdrawal may ask
for a “preliminary consultation” to
find out if they will have to apply
and monitor the use.
Of immediate concern in the
application process to agriculture
are those projects of consumptive
use of 20,000 gallons per day or
more; and those withdrawing, but
not necessarily consuming more
than 100,000 gpd on a 30-day
average.
There are also spelled out some
special cases, such as is involved
in a water project involving cross
ing state borders.
The one-time proposed fee for
application of a project to consume
20.000 to 100,000 gallons of water
per day would be $750. The appli
cation fee for those seeking con
sumption of 100,001 gpd to
500.000 gpd would be $3,000.
Projects using 500,001 to 1 million
gpd would be assessed a $6,000
fee.
Those seeking to use more than
1 million gpd would have to pay
$12,000 as a one-time application
fee.
The annual monitoring fees
would be $lOO for uses of 20,000
to 100,000 gpd; $5OO for uses of
100,000 to 1 million gpd; and
$1,500 for uses exceeding 1 mil
lion gpd.
Public Water
The proposal would also affect
public water suppliers. Previously,
Pa. Holstein, PSU Dairy
Science Club Join Efforts
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) The Penn State Dairy Sci
ence Club and the Pa. Holstein
Association have announced that
they intend to jointly sponsor the
11th Nittany Lion Fall Classic
Holstein consignment sale, set for
Nov. 5, 1994.
After last year’s sale averaged
$1,963 on 70 Holsteins, this year’s
sale committee is looking forward
to selecting cattle and managing
the 1994 Fall Classic sale. The sale
managers and selection committee
are to visit Holstein breeders in the
next few months to select cattle.
For the 1994 Nittany Lion Fall
Classic sale, Jen Trout, of Forest
Hill, Md., is overall chairman, and
Cathy Pavelski, of Susquehanna, is
assistant.
Chairing the selections commit
tee are Andy Foster, of Petersburg;
Thad Sturgeon, of Fombell; and
Sue Cadwallader, of Salem, NJ.
Other committee chairs include
Jen Hummel, of Duncannon,
advertising; Peter Mozes, Green
ville, publicity; Terry Martin,
GetMOOOvhi'o
with Milkshakes!
(Contlnutd from Pap* A 27)
community water users were
exempt.
However, the SRBC has
changed its position to view the
system as a single consumptive
entity, using averages of individu
al water uses to calculate percent
of consumption.
Many water companies would
be forced to pay a fee.
David Modccr, vice president of
the Pennsylvania-American Water
Company, and representing the
American Waterworks Associa
tion, testified that the proposed
rules are unnecessary and that the
projections of community con
sumptive uses are greatly
overstated.
He also said that the people he
represents want to continue the
exemption they currently enjoy;
that public water systems are not
consumptive users because all they
do is provide a system of getting
water to the consuming person at
the end of the faucet; that the com
panies can not raise water rates to
reflect the increased costs without
government approval; that an
effective date is not spelled out;
that the proposal is counter to the
push by DER for water companies
to regionalize; that transfers of
registered water consumption
should be allowed for the water
companies desiring to regionalize.
Still Time
There is still time to provide
comment on the proposal. Copies
of the proposal are available
through the SRBC, and it was pub
lished in the June 8 Federal Regis
ter, Volume 59, No. 109., starting
at page 29563.
Otherwise, comments should be
sumbitted not later than August 1,
to: Richard A. Cairo, General
Counsel/Secretary, Susqhchanna
River Basin Commission, 1721 N.
Front St., Harrisburg, Pa.,
17102-2391.
Chambersburg, finance; Amy
Marshall, Elwood City, reception;
Rodger Keith, Martinsburg, arena
preparation; Adam Tanis, Centre
Hall, bam manager; and Owen
Bewley, West Chester, animal
preparation.
Dairy Science Club members
use the Fall Classic as an educa
tional experience. The sale pro
vides first hand experience in
selecting, financing, merchandis
ing, preparing, evaluating, and
managing dairy cattle. Last year,
more than SO students were
involved in the sale.
The goal for this year’s sale is to
select approximately 75 top qual
ity springing heifers and young
cows. In addition, a select group of
pedigreed calves will be sold.
Those interested in consigning
animals should call Ken Raney at
the PH A office, (814) 234-0364;
Jen Trout at (410) 692-6028; or the
Penn State Dairy and Animal Sci
ence Department and ask for Larry
Muller (814) 863-4205, or Dale
Olver at (814) 863-3914.
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Testimony provided by representa
tives of the state’s two .largest agricultural
organizations, and the state Department of
Agriculture, support the efforts of the Susque
hanna River Basin Commission in attempting
to deal with a difficult problem, but seek to
eliminate production agriculture from being
included as a major cause of water flow
problems.
During testimony presented at a SRBC
public hearing on r i uesday, on behalf of the
state Department of Agriculture, David Bing
aman said that the SRBC should not impose
fees on agriculture.
‘The Pennsylvania Department of Agricul
ture’s review of the proposed ... regulations
indicates that many farmers within the basin
will be unaffected by the regulation.
“Nevertheless, the impact for those opera
tions affected by the regulation would require
significant payment or the provision of
makeup water by the operation.
“In light of the significant impact on the
operations affected by this regulation and the
seasonal nature of agriculture, we fell an
expanded comment period would enhance the
ability of the agricultural community to pro
vide meaningful comments to SRBC.
“During this period, SRBC should provide
outreach and information to the regulated
community through the Cooperative Exten
sion Service, agricultural publications and
public meetings.”
Bingaman went on to explain how the PDA
appreciates the concessions to agriculture
already included in the proposal.
However, he said that conservation prac
tices by farmers, and the fact that farmland
contributes greatly to the stability of basin
flows by keeping large areas of land available
for rainfall to recharge the groundwater
USDA Study: BVD2
Of Concern To U.S. Cattle
HYATTSVILLE. Md. A
U.S. Department of Agriculture
study of a severe type of bovine
viral diarrhea (BVD) suggests that
the emergence of this potentially
fatal disease in the United States
could present a serious health
threat to the cattle industry.
The USDA’s Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service study
was initiated following confirma
tion of this disease this spring in
cattle herds in northwestern Penn
sylvania.
Veterinarians investigating the
Pennsylvania cases have confirm
ed that the disease was caused by
BVD-Type 2 Virus. USDA re
searchers have identified BVD-
Type 2 virus as having significant
genetic differences from the mild
er form of BVD more commonly
found in cattle across the country.
The Type 2 BVD virus has been
found intermittently in the United
States since the 1970 s but had not
been (linked to outbreaks of se
vere disease.
The study, conducted by
APHIS Centers for Epidemiology
and Animal Health (CEAH),
found that there is an epidemiolo
gical basis for severe BVD to be
come a disease of concern for U.S.
cattle producers.
The potential for a disease
problem exists because of the fol
lowing factors: clinical cases of
severe BVD have been document
ed in certain regions of the United
States; many cattle are not vaccin
ated for BVD; the introduction of
infected cattle into herds appears
to be a risk factor; and the impact
upon affected producers can be se
vere.
An estimated 42 percent of
dairy producers do not vaccinate
at all for BVD. Only 33 percent of
all beef calves are vaccinated be-
What They Said
fore weaning, and only 13 percent
of cow/calf operations vaccinate
cows.
BVD virus usually spreads into
a susceptible herd through the in
troduction of infected cattle. High
levels of cattle movement between
U.S. herds increase the risk of
BVD outbreaks. Once an unvac
cinated herd is infected with se
vere BVD, the mortality rate can
be high.
Severe BVD infection may
cause cattle to have a high fever,
anorexia, decreased milk produc
tion, occasional diarrhea and re
spiratory problems. This disease is
transmitted to susceptible cattle
through inhalation or ingestion of
respiratory aerosols, saliva, nasal
discharge, urine or feces from in
fected cattle. BVD is not com
municable to humans and does not
present a threat to other animal
species.
To determine the distribution of
BVD-Type 2, CEAH requested
input about severe BVD from 29
state veterinary diagnostic labora
tories located across the country.
Seven laboratories reported that
cases of severe BVD had been
confirmed over the last year in
their states. Two of these states.
New York and Pennsylvania, indi
cated that the number of severe
BVD cases was increasing. La
boratories in Colorado and Wash
ington reported suspected cases
that were not confirmed.
Classified adsl
|_PAY OFF! I
should be taken into account by the SRBC.
‘The gradual release of stormwater from
agricultural lands is preferable to the end-of
pipe stormwater discharges from urban or
suburban systems.
“A regulation that further constrains pro
duction agriculture in this basin may in fact
not be in the best interests of water quality or
quantity.”
William Adams, director of natural resour
ces for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, has
served on the SRBC Agricultural Advisory
Committee for two years.
In Adams’ testimony, he said the PFB
opposes the proposed fees to agriculture, that
agriculture should be exempt from consump
tive use regulation, and that the comment per
iod should be expanded.
“PFB supports the water registration
requirement contained in the proposed reg
ulations. PFB also supports the regulations
that allows for the transfer of a certificate of
pre-compact use to a subsequent agricultural
owner. Unfortunately, these areas of agree
ment are overshadowed by the fee issues.”
On behalf of the Pennsylvania State
Grange, Brenda Shambaugh, legislative
director, reiterated the Grange’s policy on
water allocations and agriculture.
She said that the Grange “... recommends
that any legislation passed make dear agricul
ture’s rights to water... that any farm be allot
ted a full allocation of water for the purposes
of food production.”
Shambaugh also said that the SRBC keep
in mind the benefits of agriculture to the basin
in conserving water and providing for
recharge; that fees are detrimental, and that a
50-percent credit toward the amount of com
pensation is appreciated, but insufficient.
“In conclusion, the Grange agrees that the
SRBC should monitor water use in its jurisd
iction. We suggest to you, however, that exor
bitant fees are not the answer.”
Last year an outbreak caused by
a similar Type 2 BVD virus occur
red in Ontario and Quebec, Can
ada. Animal health officials in
Canada reported that hundreds of
herds have been affected with se
vere BVD and attribute a higher
death rate in young and adult cat
tle to this disease.
Canadian information about
BVD outbreaks in Ontario indi
cates that herds that were not vac
cinated or were inadequately vac
cinated became affected by the
disease. Vaccinated cattle in Can
ada may have shown some of the
clinical signs of BVD, but those
herds did not experience high
mortality.
Precautionary measures that
producers can use to prevent a
BVD outbreak from occurring in
their herd include the following:
—Vaccinate the entire herd for
BVD. Revaccinate according to
the instructions on the vaccine
manufacturer’s label.
—Maintain a closed herd as
much as possible by limiting the
movement of cattle on and off the
farm.
—lsolate newly purchased and
sick cattle from the rest of the
herd.
—Avoid overcrowding cattle
and minimize any stress they may
experience.
—ldentify cattle that may be a
persistent source of BVD infec
tion and remove them from the
herd.