II ill 11 ] UII
Vol. 41 NO. 6
Researchers Work To Better Determine Contributers Of Nutrients
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The future of nutrient
management in Pennsylvania
appears that it will actually be a
statewide, all-activities manage
ment plan and not just a focus on
agriculture and already regulated
industry.
The state developed the nation’s
first mandatory nutrient manage
ment planning laws in an effort to
stem the uncontrolled flow of
Public Hearings On. Regulations Coming
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
LEOLA (Lancaster Co.) —With
the hearings for public input on the
new Pennsylvania nutrient man
agement regulations fast approach
Advertising/News Deadlines
For Holiday, Farm Show Issues
The Christmas and New Year holidays and the annual
Farm Show issue are fast approaching. This means many of
the advertising and news dettdlfnetfor Lancaster Fanning
will need to be early to acconunodate the publication of the
Fifty yaars ago, Clara and Ralph Rlmmoy cam* to farm thasa 100 acraa
•long Rout* 322 aaat of State CoHaga known as Tuaaay RWga. Today thair
MUN Test Provides Basis For Dramatic Milk Production Increase
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
TUSSEYVILLE (Centre County)—Doug Rinuney
thought he was getting about maximum production from
his 70 Holstein cows. But last Tuesday, sitting around
the farm shop table eating fried eggs and potatoes in the
farm equipment and repair shed with Ids dad Ralph,
Doug explained how the use of the new Milk Urea Nitro
gen (MUN) test, offered by Pennsylvania DHIA,
increased milk production by three pounds per day per
cow in leu than two weeks.
“As tight as it is in the dairy business, I thought that
with a hard our size, it would not take too much to recov-
60s Par Copy
nutrients into the stale’s surface
and groundwaters.
While regulations were already
in place to deal with specifically
known sources (point sources) of
nutrients such as wastewater
treatment plants there was
undeniable evidence that other
sources of nutrients were contami
nating groundwater and threaten
ing public health.
These other sources could not be
pin-pointed, though some activi
ties such as agriculture and mal-
ing, Lynn Langer, chief of the
nutrient management program,
Department of Environmental Pro
tection (DEP), outlined basic facts
about the program at the regular
(Turn to Page A 36)
(Turn to Pag* A3B)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 16, 1995
functioning residential on-lot sep
tic systems were suspect These
sources have been categorized as
“non-point” sources.
Starting Named Interim Dean
Of Penn State Agricultural Sciences
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) —Dr. James L. Starling,
senior associate dean and profes
sor of agronomy in Penn State’s
College of Agricultural Sciences,
has been named interim dean of
the college, effective Jan. 1.
Starling succeeds Dr. Lamar
tine F. Hood, who announced last
July that he would step down from
the post, which he has held since
March 1986.
Starling has been responsible
-far fiscal and personnel matters,
strategic planning and physical
facility development for the col
lege. He was named associate
dean for administration in 1985
and senior associate dean in 1993.
His tenure as senior associate
dean has been marked by many
improvements in college facilities,
including extensive renovations to
the Armsby, Buckhout and Tyson
er the price of tfae MUN test,” Dong said. “I didn’t tfaink
it would be wise for us not to try it. We were getting out
of our cows about all we could, but by just adding a
pound of protein per cow per day my, what a
difference.”
Ralph and dan Rimmey rented the 100 acre Tusscy
Ridge homestead that herders Route 322, east of State
College in 1956 after Ralph got out of the U.S.Navy.
They started with one month’s rent paid in advance and
$l5O in pocket. In addition to their shoe-string start,
Ralph claims he didn’t even know bow to run the milk
ing machine.
“You can’t start out small today and make it,” the
Necessary Work
This work into determining
nutrient sources is necessary for
many reasons.
Dr. James L Staiiinik^
buildings, new poultry, dairy and
greenhouse facilities, the con
struction of the Agricultural Sci-
ton and daughter-in-law, Doug and Belinda, and grandchildren Nathan, 17,
and Brandi, 13, cany the fam«y*a love of tanning Into the future.
Four Section*
Starling has provided admini
strative direction to the college’s
farm operations and auxiliary
enterprises such as the Dairy Herd
Improvement Association and the
Agricultural Analytical Services
, Laboratory. He also has coordi
nated academic unit reviews.
Starling was head of Penn
State’s Department of Agronomy
from 1969 to 1985.
Prior to his appointment as
deparment head. Starling was a
research project leader in forage
crop breeding and genetics. His
primary responsibility was with
perennial grass breeding and
gNgetics. He also taught at the gra
duate level, drawing students from
throughout the university to his
(Turn to Pago A 39)
elder Rimmey said. “It’s a shame.”
In 1959 the farm owner gave the Rimmeys nine
months to round up the money to buy the farm, which
they did. And since that time, they have been making a
living at farming and building equity in their hum.
About 17 years ago, father and son went into partner
ship. Doug took over the cows, and Ralph manages the
fields. In addition to the home farm, they tent 130 acres.
But the highway that puts development pressure on the
farm also makes it rough to get to productive landaway
from the farm.
(Turn to Pago A2l)
$25.00 Par Yaar
The nutrient of main concern in
the Nutrient Management Act is
nitrogen. While nitrogen is an
(Turn to Mg* A 32)
enccs and Industries Building, and
the expansion of the college’s land
holdings.