A32-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, April IS. 1995
VERNON ACHENBACH, JR.
Lancaster Fanning Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Gov. Tom Ridge visited
the state Department of Agricul
ture building in Harrisburg Thurs
day to join Agriculture Secretary
Charles Brosius in meeting with a
delegation from the Mexican state
of Hidalgo interested in establish
ing trade with Pennsylvania.
The visit by Gov. Ridge also
included an address to the depart
ment’s personnel, held in the lobby
of the building. He told the
employees that he wanted to thank
them for service to the 12 million
citizens of the state and for the
employees’ “advocacy on behalf
of Pennsylvania agriculture.”
In fact, it was evident from those
involved with the day’s events that
many employees, not necessarily
those of the department, have been
working outside the expected
boundaries of their jobs to support
efforts to increase interest in Pen
nsylvania’s agricultural
commodities.
O. Frank DeGarcia, executive
secretary of the Pennsylvania Milk
Marketing Board, was a key figure
in bringing the delegation to Har
risburg. Last year he traveled to its
capital city of Pachuca with Har
risburg Mayor Stephen Reed to
establish better ties with the state,
which has become a sister-state
and sister-city to Harrisbuig.
DeGarcia introduced the dele
gation before an audience of
department officials, interested
legislators, media representatives
and several others in a conference
room in the agriculture building.
Manuel Angel Nunez, secretary
of commerce and economic deve
lopment for Hidalgo, was the act
ing head of the delegation.
Nunez said that the reason for
the delegation *s visit to Harrisburg
was to “establish a solid basis” for
ge displays_ pi.
in his other hand. The gifts are handmade items from the
Mexican state of Hidalgo.
State Gov. Tom Ridge and Agriculture Secretary Charles Broslue stand with mem
bers of a Mexican trade delegation. From the left Is Manuel Angel Nunez, Hidalgo sec
retary of industry and commerce: Secretary Broslus; Rafael Arriaga Paz, constitution
al municipal president of Pachuea, capital of Hidalgo; Gov. Ridge; Margarita Ramirez
de Arriaga, wife of Paz; and Prof. Joel Guerrero Juarez, Hidalgo secretary of
agriculture.
Gov.
Ridge Visits
trade between the two states.
He said that, thanks to the North
American Free Trade Agreement,
commerce has increased “dramati
cally,” and even though the eco
nomy of Mexico has been initially
hurt and the peso devalued, those
problems will be overcome.
He said the “policies are painful,
but they are the right ones,” adding
that within a short time, “We will
be on track.”
He said that he and the others
were impressed by last year’s visit
by Mayor Reed. “He impressed us
because of the job that was done
with Harrisburg.”
Nunez also talked about the tre
mendous support received from
DeGarcia and others from Pen
nsylvania, and that they are inter
ested in buying 3,000 dairy cattle,
as well as sheep and technology,
among other Pennsylvania agricul
tural commodities.
Nunez also said that the delega
tion was interested in visiting facil
ities in Pennsylvania, which was
included on the tour following the
official introductions.
Nunez said he also talked with
Mayor Reed about a 120,000-acre
development in Hidalgo including
a new airport He said the two areas
complement each other well.
The international port in Phi
ladelphia was also mentioned
because of the import/export activ
ities taking place there now.
“It is our intention to buy more
from Pennsylvania, and yes, it is
also our intention to sell more to
Pennsylvania,” he said, in order
“to create wealth” for both com
munities, and more jobs here and
there.
He also said that the leadership
of Pennsylvania and the personal
initiative of its leaders is known to
leaders of Hidalgo.
In his address, state Ag Secret
ary Brosius welcomed the delega-
Pa. Department of Agriculture
tion, speaking in Spanish, telling
them that agriculture is the largest
business in Pennsylvania, and that
Pennsylvania has the largest agri
cultural community of any in the
nation.
Brosius said, “As secretary, it is
a priviledge to represent the rural
community in the (Ridge) admi
nistration. It’s an honor to be part
of the administration, and a pri
viledge to serve with as fine a man
as Gov. Ridge.”
Ridge spoke next, saying that
while Thursday was his first visit
to the agriculture building, it will
not be the last.
He said that he appreciated the
work of Nunez and the rest of the
delegation in laying groundwork
better trade.
“With an eye toward the key
stone state of Mexico, Hidalgo,
Pennsylvania has had an extraor
dinary relationship. Trade has con
tinued to grow.”
The governor said that while
serving as a member of the U.S.
Congress he supported both the
NAFTA agreement and the Uru
guay Round of the General Agree
ment on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT).
Further, Ridge said, “All of us
share that, in our mutual best inter
est as neighbors, we need not set
up defenses from each other,” say
ing. in effect that it is best to deve
lop a trusting relationship as a trad
ing relationship is developed. He
said that working from a defensive
position wastes resources.-He said
that an enhanced trade relationship
and partnerships is in the best
interest of the people in both states.
Ridge also commented about
the prat of Philadelphia, and he
said he was informed that currently
Mexican products can be pur
chased there cheaper than in the
port of San Francisco.
Ridge said, “We want to deve
lop a better economic relationship,
and lode forward to exploring
ways of doing that.”
He said he would like to see
“ships from Pennsylvania loaded
full of cargo going to Mexico, and
returning from Mexico full of car
go. Trade is a two-way street We
must work together to see that
happens.”
In discussing the heed to do
more to increase Pennsylvania’s
exporting capabilities, Ridge com
plimented Mayor Reed, saying
that he is “an incredible leader, not
only within Harrisburg, but within
the region.”
“We have not been as aggres
sive as we need to be,” Ridge said
about government helping to deve
On the sidewalk in front of the headquarters building to
the state Department Agriculture, Gov. Tom Ridge is
greeted by state Secretary of Agriculture Charles f rosius. It
was Ridge’s first visit to the agriculture department^
lop or support more export possi
bilities. “This (delegation visit) is a
step in the direction to building a
foundation.”
The delegation presented Gov.
Ridge with a present a hand
made comforter and pillows with a
bird design similar to the Pennsyl
vania German Distellink while
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
Walter Peechatka presorted the
delegation with a gift basket filled
with Pennsylvania commodities.
After making his remarks to the
delegation, Gov. Ridgeand Secret
ary Brosius left the room to
address the department employees
in the building’s lobby.
In the meantime. Holly Gerke,
who works with the Pennsylvania
Dairy Promotion Program, and
Pro Genetics To Sponsor Pig Sale April 21
ELIZABETHTOWN (Lancas- pounds will be auctioned off by
ter Co.) —Pro Genetics, a division Auctioneer John D. Stauffer,
of White Oak Mills, Inc., will hold AU-1509.
its Seventh Project Feeder Pig All feeder pigs are from vali-
Sale on Friday, April 21 at 7 p.m. dated or monitored herds. 4-H and
at the Manheim Farm Show I’FA members are encouraged to
Building. attend. Refreshments will be
Approximately 175 Pictrain x available. For mote information,
Duroc, Pietrain x Hampshire, and please call Marlin Becker at (800)
other crosses weighing 40-100 468-5524 or (717) 665-7283.
** #d€r P*o* W,H •>• auctioned off at v
Pl 2s2£ wd#r Pl » ** -*P»t2i at tha
Manbaltn Farm BhowßaHding, f" ■ v
speaks Spanish, gave a slide pre
sentation to the delegation, outlin
ing the functions of the agriculture
deparment and its laborafoy
systems.
Following the presentation, the
delegation was taken on an all-day
tour to a variety of Lebanon and
Lancaster County .businesses:
Weaber Timber Mill, Pennfield
Poultry Processing. R.W. Sauder
Egg Processing, and Wenger’s
Feed Mill, before finishing with
dinner at Groff’s Family
Restaurant
Accompanying the delegation,
in addition to agriculture depart
ment officials were state Sens.
Noah Wenger, David Brightbill,
and Roger Madigan.
, }