(Continued from Page A 10)
me mites. I know most people will
claim mites can only be spread by
bees but I don’t buy it
The part about “increased fines
and penalties for violations” did
And Forage Quality:
Other Alfalfas Don’t
Stack Up To Sterling.
Outstanding yield or excellent quality. Most alfalfas will give you
one at the expense of the other. But Sterling delivers in both cate
gories. You get a 1-2 yield and quality punch that outstacks the
competition.
Forage yield and forage quality of selected varieties
Wisconsin and Minnesota
Variety
Sterling
LegenDairy 7.55
DK 133
Multi King 1 7.00
5262
Magnum 111 7.27
WL-322
Dominator
SAVE MONEY NOW Jk Q/ Good Until
CASH DISCOUNTS TT /O March 15, 1995
not go unnoticed (Heil Hitler!).
That is bound to create a “good
feeling” of cooperation. As Newt
Gingrich recently remarked “The
people who we have hired to serve
us have decided they are our mas
ters.”
Yield (T/A) RFV Lbs Milk/A
7.74
7.37
7.32
6.98
6.97
HYBRID
SEEDS
145.7
20,699
140.6 19,737
138.7 19,116
143.4 18,503
137 5 18,861
136 3 18,239
140.2 18,166
136.6
17,913
1-800-634-8941
717-731-9599
It is intcrestingto note that the
state of Arizona has rescinded all
bee regulations and no longer in
spects, (American Beekeepers
Journal Feb. 95, P. 87). The state’s
involvement in beekeeping, if any.
should be restricted to the dispens
ing of the information generated
by the informed individuals in our
agricultural universities.
I think I understand this new
emphasis on bee law and registra
tion. It has little to do with bees or
bee diseases. It has to do with
Editor:
What is the proper
way to price milk to
dairy farmers?
For nearly 35 years
the Minnesota/
Wisconsin (M and W)
series has been the
bench mark price used
to determine the value
of grade B milk in the
upper midwest. This
price then basically
becomes the price for
manufactured milk in all
Federal Orders. It also is
the basic formula price
in federal milk orders
that establishes all class
prices, including class I.
While we have been
critical of the M and W
price as not being the
proper way to price
money. The bee law states that re
gistration fees, fines and civil pen
alties shall be credited to the PA
Dept, of Agriculture. $lO from
every 4-H and FFA kid with a bee
project, every hobbyist, just about
every farmer and every beekeeper
in the state. What a boon that will
be to a redundant, archaic, over
staffed bureaucracy.
I can see more registration pro
grams in the future, perhaps next
'milk, the formula did
help return somewhere
near a fair price to dairy
farmers during the
19605, ‘7os and early
1980 s. However, the
reasonable price was
accomplished mainly
because the support
price on manufactured
milk was set at a percen
tage between 75 and 85
percent of parity. In
1981 theU.S. Congress
passed a resolution
which was signed by
President Reagan, that
prevented the support
price from being
adjusted semi-annually,
and further actions by
Congress during the last
14 years have reduced
the support price from a
high of $13.10 per cwt
Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, Match 11, 1995431
year it will be roadside produce
stands or everyone owning a horse
or a goat. The opportunities are
endless now that a registration
program under the guise of dis
ease control is under way.
Be aware of what your legisla
tors are doing. They often have
something other than our well be
ing in mind.
to its present level of
$lO.lO per cwt
Some people will
argue that the manufac
tured milk price has
maintained a level
somewhat above the
support price, conse
quently the support
price has no worthwhile
meaning. In my opinion
this argument is not val
id, because the support
price on milk products
and the purchases of
dairy products made by
thell.S.D.A. does influ
ence the manufactured
price.
Class I Milk
No one has ever (to
my knowledge) deter
mined the value of any
milk and this is especial
true with milk used
Bob Van Ginhoven
Lancaster
for fluid purposes (class
Basically, the class I
price is established by
using the basic formula
price in the federal
orders, and placing
transportation differen
tials on lop of the basic
formula price which
then establishes the
class I price.
The blend price is
determined simply by
using the value of each
class price coupled with
the utilization of each
class of milk.
One important factor
is left out! What does
the dairy fanner deserve
for 100 pounds of milk?
Many experts use the
argument, there is plen
ty of milk, therefore far
mers are receiving an
adequate price.
WRONG.
It’s time to get away
from the fallacy that
enough milk produced
equates to an adequate
price to dairy farmers.
There are many reasons
why dairy farmers con
tinue to produce some
where near enough
milk. The main reason is
the supplemental
income derived by the
dairyman or his spouse.
The other main, unfair
reason is GOING
WITHOUT (health
insurance, etc).
Dairy Farmers
Prices Must Improve
As I reported in an
earlier editorial, three
recent milk hearings
have failed to improve
prices paid to dairy far
mers. It’s obvious that
federal milk hearings
have not and will not
improve, to any degree,
prices paid to dairymen.
In our opinion there
are two ways to estab
lish adequate prices that
dairy farmers need.
1. All dairy farmers
join together and estab
lish the right price.
2. Amend the U.S.
Agriculture Marketing
Act, and pass legislation
that allows dairy far
mers to produce- milk
that Fits the needs of the
real market. (The same
could also be done by
the other commodity
producers.)
So far plan#! has not
developed, and will
happen only if dairy far
mers make it happen.
A 1995 Farm Bill will
be passed. It’s up to all
commodity producers to
make changes in the
Farm Bill that will
reflect adequate prices.
Those of us that are
working oh a new dairy
bill have come up with a
plan that will #1 reduce
(Turn to Pago ASS)