AlO-Lanctsw Fanning, Saturday, February 11, 1995
OPINION
Take Away The Incentive
“Livestock tampering should not and cannot be tolerated,” said
Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Fred L. Dailey. ”Our
best deterrent is the swift prosecution of exhibitors who break the
rules.”
As reported in “Farm and Dairy,” based in Salem, Ohio, the
statement came in response to a guilty plea in court by the father
of an exhibitor whose steer that was shown in a major state show
was found to have been injected with vegetable oil and also
retained traces of the illegal drug, clenbuterol. The guilty pleas
are based on charges of cheating and sale of adulterated meats.
The tranquilizer chloipromazine hydrochloride and falsification
of documents are also involved.
. The father faces up to six months to five years in jail and a fine
of up to $2,500. And the son faces disqualification of his steer’s
seventh place win.
This is not the first report from across the country that shows to
us that the emphasis in youth programs have taken a turn away
from their intended educational value. When families get
involved with 4-H and FFA projects to “show off’ rather than to
learn and be together, the reason for being involved is question
able. The efforts put forth in an honest youth project shows activi
ty that will be impressive on a youth’s Mure work resume regard
less of how the project finished in a show ring. But a criminal
record for involvement in tampering will stick with the youth for
life and put serious limits on what he or she can do.
We think it’s time to return to an educational emphasis.
Among other things, Ohio is recommending the implementation
of a grand champion project that would include a skillathon of
project knowledge in addition to the reserve champion placing in
the show. In addition, they want to increase the current 17 percent
that is deducted from the sale of champion exhibitor’s proceeds
for use in scholarships and bonuses to those exhibitors whose ani
mals are automatically entered into the carcass competition. One
option would be to increase the percentage to reward those who
do well in the skillathon and showmanship competitoris. or pro
vide greater bonuses for the carcass class animals.
Whatever the methods used, we need to make changes. We can
no longer affort to provide the incentive for fine farm families to
be caught in the web of competition that causes criminal and
unethical actions to spoil all the good that is accomplished when a
boy or girl takes responsibility for a youth project.
The laws are in place and will get you if you break them. Now
we need to take away the incentive to break the law as well.
Nuts and Bolts of Sheep and
Goats, Binghamton extension
office, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Quarryville Growers’ Market
organizational meeting, Quar
ryville Fairgrounds. 2 p.m.
Game Bird Production and Man
agement of Hunting Preserves,
Days Inn, State College, thru
Feb. 14.
Poultry Management and Health
Seminar, Kreider’s Restaurant,
Manheim, noon, and Days Inn,
Shamokin Dam, 6 p.m.
Vegetable Growers’ meeting,
Walnut Bottom Fire Hall, 9
a.m.-3 p.m.
Northumberland County Winter
Conference, Otterbein United
Methodist Church Hall, Sun
bury, 9 a.m.-2:45 p.m.
Fayette Dairy Day, Fayette Fair
grounds, 10:30 a.m.
Octorara Area Young Farmers
pesticide meeting, Ag Ed Room
at Octorara, 7:30 p.m.
ABC Dist. 1, Virginville Grange
Hall, noon.
ABC Dist. 5, Hoffman Building,
Solanco Fairgrounds* 7 p.m.
ABC Dist. 10, Fiddlers Bldg., Fay
ette Fairgrounds, 10:30 a.m.
ABC Dist. 12, Cambria, New Ger
many Grove Hall, 7:30 p.m.
ABC Dist. 15, Mercer, County
Extension Office, 10 a.m.
ABC Dist. 15, West Crawford,
Vemon Central Hose Com
pany, Meadville. 7:30 p.m.
itor:
An article that appeared in the
January 199 S issue of Apprise
magazine entitled “Why Vegetar
ianism” by Lisa D. Diantoniis was
filled with misconceptions, myths
and misleading information.
The story contains numerous
fallacies and reads like an animal
rights recruiting brochure. In her
story, the writer questions animal
consumption and the so-called ne
gative effects animal agriculture
has on the environment, our diets
and overall health.
To Install HOPS
Compared to other expenses on
the farm, the cost of installing rol
lover protective structures (ROPS)
is a small price to pay and it could
save your life.
Every tractor you use should
have a ROPS and seat belt
To make installing ROPS
easier, one major manufacturer of
farm equipment has introduced a
new foldable ROPS for row crop
tractors and priced it without
markup. Last year this same com
pany introduced a foldable ROPS
fra utility tractors.
This ROPS program uses attrac
tive pricing to help encourage far
mers to equip their older tractors
with rollover protection and seat
belt Farmers interested in learning
more about ROPS should contact
their local farm equipment dealer.
To Prepare
Winter
Emergency Kit
The recent snow storm reminds
us of the need fra a winter driving
emergency kit
The'kit should contain a snow
shovel, extra warm clothing, trac
tion mats, ice scraper, booster
cables, abrasive material such as
sand or kitty litter, snow brush,
flashlight, cloth or paper towels,
and blankets. Most of these items
could be stored in a plastic or rub
ber storage box in your trunk.
Tiu>sda\, !■ i‘l)ruar\ 14
Happy Valentine's Day!
New York State Vegetable Con
ference and Trade Show, Syra
cuse Sheraton Inn and Com
munity Center, Liverpool, NY,
through Feb. 16.
Montour MFS Workshop, Danvil
le Ambulance Garage; also Feb.
21.
Alfalfa and Com Crop Manage
ment, EAYF meeting, Ephrata
(Turn to Page A3l)
For example, it is a myth, as
Ms. Diantoniis’ article claims, that
“Many pigs, cows and chickens
are confined to small cages or
stalls in crowded, unsanitary con
ditions, where suffering is part of
their lives. Because of such condi
tions, disease among the animals
is widespread.”
This statement is simply illogi
cal. Economics dictate that good
care is good business; animals that
receive proper care are animals
(Turn to Page A3O)
Some driving tips you will-want
to consider are:
• Wear good sunglasses to
avoid the combined glare of snow
and sunshine. At night, let your
eyes adjust to darkness before
driving. Do not wear sunglasses at
night.
• During a nighttime snow
storm, drive with your headlights
xi low beam.
• Check your windshield wipers
md replace worn blades that
streak. Make sure the washer
•eservoir is filled with antifreeze
solution.
To Evaluate
Boarding Horses
The equine industry in Pennsyl
vania has doubled in size since
1967 and continues to expand and
diversify. As a result, the demand
for horse boarding services has
increased
' This growing industry provides
opportunities for small-scale, part
time or full-time farmers to add
income by boarding horses.
However, caring for horses
requires considerable time and
financial commitments that will
affect all family members. Before
i ~T'
BY IAWRtNCE W ALIHOUSf
Till
WHAT DOES IT COST YOU\
February 12,1995
WHAT DOES IT COST YOU?
February 12, 1995
Background Scripture:
Matthew 26:36-68
Devotional Reading:
Isaiah 53:1-12
Sometimes Jesus is depicted as
being eager for martyrdom. But
Matthew makes it clear that was
not so. For one thing, he tells us
that Jesus “began to be sorrowful
and troubled” and he says to Peter
and the twp sons of Zebedee, “My
soul is very sorrowful, even to
death; remain here, and watch
with me” (26:37, 38). That does
not sound like a man who desired
to die on the cross.
Matthew also tells us that Jesus
then prayed, “My Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from
me” (39). First, he asks to escape
the cross, but realizing that escape
might run at cross purposes with
God’s will, he adds: “Neverthe
less, not as I will, but as thou
wilt.” When he prays again a little
later, his prayer has changed to:
“My Father, if this cannot pass un
less I drink it, thy will be done”
(42). Finding his disciples still
asleep, he comes back and prays
once again the same prayer. When
he returns to the sleeping disciples
it is obvious that he has accepted
the passion that lies just before
him: “Behold, the hour is at hand,
and the son of man is betrayed into
the hands of sinners” (45, 46).
AVOIDING THE CROSS
I believe that Jesus could have
avoided Good Friday if he had
not decided to go up to Jerusalem
for the Passover, if he had avoided
the wrath of his enemies by can
celling the Palm Sunday proces
sion, if, knowing that Judiu was
going to betray him, he had sneak
ed out of Jerusalem so that his
enemies could not find him. If he
had done any or all of these things
he probably could have avoided
the cross but he would have
failed to honor his commitment to
•tatting a boardingoperation, you
should carefully evaluate all
aspects of the enterprise.
First, you need to like horses
and be willing to learn and provide
what horse owners want as they
pursue this hobby and recreational
activity.
Second, much knowledge and
experience are needed to manage
horses.
Third, boarding horses results in
i loss of privacy on the farm.
Fourth. Managers must get
along with many types of people
and must deal with complaints or
andesirable client behavior.
Fifth, you will need a lawyer to
Jraw up legal documents and
advise you on legal issues.
Sixth, liability issues should be
a major concern.
When planning a horse boarding
)peration. you should consider the
lemand and growth potential for
such services. For more informa
ion, consult Penn State Coopera
ive Extension publication “Agri
cultural Alternatives Boarding
Torses.”
Feather Prof.’s Footnote:
"Lead with vision and soar to new
ieighls."
the Father. So, Jesus did not seek
death at the hands of his enemies,
but he did accept it as an unavoid
able consequence of his unshak
able commitment to God.
Remaining faithful to God
meant dying on a cross for Jesus.
But what does it mean for us?
Probably no one who reads these
words has ever been called upon
to risk dying for his or her faith, so
perhaps his example seems irrele
vant to us. But it is not: bearing the
cross is just as important as being
willing to die on it. Living for God
is perhaps no less a challenge as
dying for him. Remaining faithful
to God’s will and purpose in the
way that we live means being will
ing to pay the consequences.
PAYING THE PRICE
I read recently of an engineer
who some years ago tried to per
suade his employers that one of
their products was dangerous. Al
though the data he assembled
should have convinced them, they
told him the cost of recalling the
product would be too great a bur
den for the company. Eventually
the man brought his findings to the
attention of a federal agency that
forced the company to recall its
product. But the engineer was
forced out of his job and so far has
been unable to get employment in
his profession. His conscience has
cost him dearly.
We’d all feel a lot better if this
man were to be recognized for his
courageous action and reemploy
ed in his profession, but often it
does not work out that way. Re
maining faithful is no guarantee
that eventually everything will
work out all right For Jesus it
meant death on a cross in the here
and now and the promise of vindi
cation only in the life beyond the
grave. That’s the only promise
God gives us.
It was enough for Jesus, but is it
enough for us?
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
IE. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
—by—
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stalnman Enterprise
Roberta Campbell General Manager
Everett R. Nawewenger Managing Editor
Copyright 1995 by Lancaster Farming