A24*Lancacttr Fanrtno, Saturday, Ndvambar 11,1915 ■
Department Of Ag Hears Cries Of Help From Family Farms
(CondniMd from Pag* A 1)
One Idler, Brosius told those at
the banquet, he received spoke
•boat a fourth generation farm that
was suffering from the costly
drought this past summer. The
dairy was trying to sustain itself on
milk prices the same as 14-15
yean ago. The fondly believed
they had no option but to sell out in
the spring.
According to Brosius, the fami
ly asked the department, “what
can you do for us?”
The state government “has the
opportunity and ability to reduce
taxes,” said Brosius. but if the for
mer does not profit, he doesn’t pay
income taxes. Brosius said what
the state government has the power
to do is control the costly regula
tions what he calls “another
form of taxation through over
compliance” —and provide more
educational opportunities with the
help of cooperative extension to
help the fanner sustain.
Soil and resource conservation
remains the “major issue that agri
culture faces in the common
wealth,” said Brosius. He believes
that farmers were the “original
environmentalists” and care deep
ly about land stewardship. But far
mers must work, said the secretary
of agriculture, to “enlist the sup
port of suburban neighbors to raise
their awareness to and responsibil
ity for our environment as well.”
Famen are faced with the 1995
Farm Bill, which will show drastic
reductions in federal farm program
support; the state nutrient manage
ment regulations, a result of the
failure of state voluntary programs
to curb nitrate contamination of the
Chesapeake Bay; the fact that so
many farms —70 percent and ris
ing have family members who
are employed off the farm to help
the farm sustain; and that the farms
and businesses of today will “not
DAVID BIGELOW
Training Coordinator
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.)—On Nov. 1, Pa. DHIA held
a milk urea nitrogen (MUN)
workshop for veterinarians and
nutritionists at the Bird-In-Hand
Family Restaurant in Lancaster
County.
The keynote speaker was Dr.
James Ferguson, associate profes
sor of nutrition at the New Bolton
Center, University of Pennsylva
nia. The main objective was to
update and educate the vets and
nutritionists on the new milk urea
nitrogen testing.
S tale wide there are currently
more than 600 herds enrolled on
Lancaster Workshops Set
DAVID BIGELOW
Training Coordinator
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) Pa. DHIA will hold three
workshops in the Lancaster Coun
ty area on the new milk urea nitro
gen (MUN) testing. These work
shops are open to dairymen in
Lancaster and surrounding
counties.
' The workshop is to feature pro
fessional speakers, with Dr. Linda
Baker, VMD, keynoting the dis
cussion on the MUN testing.
Reproduction, herd health and
be the forms and businesses of
tomorrow” as a result of constant
changes, including increasing
urbanization.
As a result, the department will
continue to evaluate the effective
ness and efficiencies of the groups
appointed, said Brosius, and make
sure the agencies will continue to
work toward helping the farmer
remain profitable.
Brosius praised those in exten
sion, which he called "a big part of
my life since I was a youngster,
and which meant a great deal to me
and my family when I was growing
up.”
At the banquet. Dr. Gary J. San
Julian, regional director of the
Penn State southeast cooperative
extension, spoke about the ways in
which extension works to provide,
through 4-H and other programs,
“possible bags” for youth.
The "possible bag” was a bag
that was tied to the neck, carried by
forefathers to this country, con
taining tinder, steel, and flint
the supplies necessary to live in the
wilderness in case the necessary
items in the pack were lost or
stolen.
San Julian said the material in
the “skin bag between their cars
and eyes” is die “possible bag” to
help adults and young people
“develop skills to help in educa
tion” and thus to help them get
through life.
He encouraged those present to
help adults and youth in the county
“build their possible bags”
through the many extension prog
rams available.
Jody Hewitt, a graduate of the
Pennsylvania Governor’s School,
spoke about her experiences in the
program. The program, lasting five
weeks, was conducted this past
summer from July 2 to Aug. S at
Penn State.
Only 64 sophomores and juniors
participated in the program. Jody.
Workshop Held For
Vets, Nutritionists
the MUN option. Ninety-five per
cent of the Pa. DHIA member
ships in Lancaster County are par
ticipating in the program. A mem
ber can receive these results at an
additional 15 cents per cow. How
ever, non-members can receive
results through the sample analy
sis program.
Dean Amick, director of field
operations, and David Slusser,
general manager of Pa. DHIA,
gave a few remarks concerning
the success of the MUN testing as
well as updated the audience on
the performance economics pro
gram that will be available to the
membership in the near future.
This program will assist the dairy-
underfeeding or overfeeding pro
tein can directly affect the MUN
levels in a cow. Dr. Baker brings a
wealth of knowledge due to her
extensive research on this subject.
Each workshop is slated to
begin at 11 a.m. and end at 1 p.m.
with lunch being provided.
The throe workshop dates and
locations are Nov. 20, Willow
Street, at the Willow Valley
Restaurant; Nov. 21, New Hol
land, Yoder’s Restaurant; and
Nov. 22, in Mt. Joy. at the Country
Table Restaurant
16. daughter of Robert and Daniel
le Hewitt, Spring City, is a junior at
Owen J. Roberts High School
Jody said the school was a “great
experience” where she “learned a
lot about ag and people.”
At the meeting, Russ Albright
provided an update on the Romano
4-H Center. The first building’s
plan has been finalized and the site
work has been done on the
entrance way. The building con
struction is in the bidding stage,
and Albright said the first building
would start construction in early
spring. Cattle could be exhibited in
the new bam “next year” he said.
Also, Laurie Anne Albrecht was
noted to serve a three-year term on
the county cooperative extension.
More than 150 Chaster County Cooperative Extension representatives and friends
gathered on Thursday evening for the annual meeting and banquet at the Guthriesvll
le.Fire Hall. Jody Hewitt, far left, is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Governor’s School.
Also on hand were county cooperative extension directors and speakers at the ban
quet. From left, Hewitt; Eileen Schafer, vice president; Dr. Gary J. San Julian, regional
director, Penn State Southeast Cooperative Extension; Walt Moore, president: Char
les C. Broslus, Pennsylvania secretary of agriculture, who sppke at the banquet; Bob
by R. German-, treasurer; Marjorie Keen, secretary; and Alan C. Johnson, second vice
president.
men in tracking costs associated
with their farms. This program
will be available at no extra cost to
the dairymen.
Please feel free to contact your
DHIA technician of Pa. DHIA at
1-800-344-8378, if you have any
questions concerning MUN
testing.
Bolton Center, David Slueser, general manager
Pa.DHIA’s Lancaster County technlciane.
Honored at tho bonquol wore, at Ml, Kathortn# Smilty,
and Trudy Ooughorty, county extension director, second
from right and LaurteSnha, far right Dr. Gary J. San Julian,
regional director, Form Stale Southeast Cooporatlvo Exten
sion, presented the awards.
•mf t* rfffTTTn Tifi ii n ii n 11 ji i mnnj iii n n iimumii mirrn in mm n ‘■tirrni vm i ij n i n i — r
Rtofw.oiwof