‘Farmer’ Preservation Is Answer To Save Farmland (Continued from Poq» *l9) increasing the fanners’ problems. Barley said that he recognizes the need for fanners to have a more simplified system. Fanners don’t mind complying with regulations, but if they go through all the preli minary planning they should be guaranteed the plans can receive approval and officials should not use what Wenger refers to as stall tacdcs. “The pendulum has swung too far to the side of the regulator. It’s time to swing back to the middle but not at the expense of good planning,” Barley said. Rohrer said that it is important for farmers to realize that builders and other industry people com plain of too much regulation also. Cathy Ascroft from New Hoi- the Next Los Angeles?” % In 1979 Bobby Oldham and EJ. Parker came to Lancaster Co. They brought 609 tobacco seed to Lancaster Co. tobacco farmers. In 1980 they returned as E.J. Parker Tobacco Co. and started buying 609 tobacco. Bobby and E.J. wanted Lancaster Co v farmers to have a tobacco crop they could market yearly instead of waiting years for buyers to come around. Parker Tobacco made a lot of friends among the farmers. Bobby Oldham, H.M. Bowen, and Ron Bowen bought tobacco at receiving stations in the Lancaster/Quarryville area. We enjoyed working on a personal basis with each farmer. In 1985, the farmers decided they wanted an auction. Parker Tobacco became Bobby Oldham Tobacco and we supported the auction. In 1986 we told all our customers we were going to support the auction. We placed ads in the Lancaster Farmer and visited our customers asking that they support the auction also. For 10 years we have bought 95% of our tobacco at the auction. Our share of tobacco has slowly gone down over the last 10 years. We feel we are being treated unfairly. . We need more 609 tobacco than we are receiving at auction, so we would like to ask our customers to come see us at our receiving station in Quarryville. We are located behind Ross' Feed and Grain at 27 N. Church St. We will pay top prices for your good 609 tobacco. Please stop by and visit Bobby, H.M., and Ron or call (717) 786-6135 and we will come see you. We look forward to seeing our friends and customers. land expressed dismay that elected officials supported new toads such as a Route 23 bypass and farmland preservation. “How can new toads help far mers whose land will be taken for .. . parking spaces for every car in the county are needed at aU times or it is perceived that there is not enough parking. meeting, which was advertised as “Lancaster County ATTENTION SOS TOBACCO FARMERS BOBBY OLDHAM TOBACCO 27 N. Church St Quarryville, PA (717)786-6135 roads?” she asked. Wenger, Barley, and Kauffman see new toads as a necessity for farmers who are at risk transport ing farm machinery on heavily traveled roads. They believe that studies are needed to find ways to solve the traffic problem by using as little farmland as necessary. Rohrer said that he believes the county must consider using public transportation now because even if new roads are built, traffic will continue to increase. Dan Garrett, a Warwick super visor, expressed his concern that officials can with a stroke of the pen reduce a farmcr’sequity when they change residential areas into agricultural zones. He also chal lenged the effectiveness of land Darvin Boyd of Corea tatea Bank maintains a posi tive outlook for farming despite the obstacles. He said, "Anything worthwhile is a challenge.” Muss e r - ... believes his tax dollars go to bring more tourists to the area who like it so much they decide to move to the county , thereby increasing the farmers ’ problems . preservation programs by pointing out the shortage of money avail able and the backlog in approving applicants for the program. Panel participants explained the dilemma officials face in establish ing property rights and regulatory legislation and of the need to find a way for all to share in the cost of (Turn to Page A 32) As the ag service manager for the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and industry, Jim Shirk brought together peo ple'Offering different per spectives on Lancaster agriculture.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers