Leaders Agree: Establish ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) —The gulf between planning and actually doing must be narrowed if dairying is to survive in Pennsylvania. And it won’t happen unless groups with different priorities learn to set aside their differences and work toward helping dairy farms thrive, according to experts who spoke Thursday morning at a meeting of Pennsylvania dairy stakeholders at the Dixon Univer sity Center in Harrisburg. More than 80 producers, proces sors, legislators, bankers, and agri industry related representatives met at a forum to vote to establish a formal group in Pennsylvania and discuss methods to finance that organization. Since June 1992, industry meet ings have been held to address this issue. At several times in 1993 through 1995, the Pennsylvania Dairy Industry Futures Committee (PDIFC) has met to focus on all industry stakeholders. As a result, in June 1994 and 1995, two state dairy forums were held. A man date was given to Penn State and Lancaster Trust Receives Overwhelming Support LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)—Lancaster Farmland Trust announces the end of its 1995-1996 Annual Funding Cam paign. The Campaign kicked off in mid-September of last year and ended successfully four months later in mid-January. The Cam paign goal was the highest ever— sl6o,ooo and it the most money that LFT has ever success fully raised from the Lancaster community. Right on the coattails of the Campaign’s success, the Trust received welcomed news from the William Penn Foundation in Phi ladelphia. The Foundation awarded the Trust a grant of $550,000 to be used over a three year period. The giant will be held in the Trust’s Land Preservation Fund and will be used exclusively toward the preservation of prime agricultural land in Lancaster County. The grant is meant to aid Lancaster Farmland Trust in its plans to preserve at least 30 farms over the next three years. This is the third grant made by the William Penn Foundation to Lancas ter Farmland Trust and is the largest gift pro vided to the organiza tion. Combined with other grants received from the Foundation, it represents nearly a mil lion dollars gifted to the Trust for the express purpose of preserving Lancaster County’s pre cious farmland. Lancaster Farmland Trust is overwhelmed at this generous display of financial support for its efforts. “We feel strongly that the gener ous support received from individuals as well as the generous support received from founda tions such as the Wil liam Penn Foundation the state Department of Agricul ture to convene a stakeholders group to decide on future structures. At the Thursday meeting, stake holders were brought together for the same reason to decide if a representational organization is necessary. But this one focused on ways to finally organize it However, those who attended agreed that attempts could be ham pered to establish an organization now. This is because of the transi tions taking place the lack of a Farm Bill (the current version under review has no provisions for the dairy industry), die dissolution of federal support payments, the uncertainties regarding new mark ets as a result of the North Ameri can Free Trade Agreement, and the continuing search for a Penn State dean. But there are models that could be followed. At the meeting, 11 discussion groups were estab lished. Of the 83 in attendance, all voted unanimously to establish an organization for Pennsylvania that could mirror successful ones in other states. The organization could be simi- Farmland major concern in the public sector is the preservation of farmland in Lancaster County,” said Phyllis Whitesell, president of the Board of Trustees for Lancaster Farm land Trust. Lancaster Farmland Trust is a not-for-profit organization active ly working to preserve farmland in Lancaster County. It is committed to supporting farmers who are good stewards of the land and to encourage the growth of the agri culture industry, recognizing that our farm heritage has enriched the lives of all citizens. M ALUMINUM GRAIN BODIES & ALUMINUM REPAIRS by <& ** These ultra-light bodies are designed for strength through engineering, not strength with bulk. For example, a 16' grain body with tailgate and 48" weighs only id.on * ■ length or any side height up to 60" AISP • Double swinging hay hauling tailgate • Barn door type tailgate • Slide out cattle chutes HEWEY WELDING Box 2312, RD4 Lebanon, PA 17042 (717)867-5222 Dairy Organization, Work On Funding lar to the Minnesota Dairy Leaders Roundtable, established in 1992, or the Ohio Daily Strategic Plan ning Task Force, established in 1993. Representatives of the Minneso ta and Ohio organizations spoke to the dairy stakeholders Thursday morning. Edward Frederick, Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota and facilitator of the Minnesota Dairy Roundtable, spoke about the literal “growing pains” of the “structure, not orga nization” established to recapture the 1990 market share of total U.S. milk production. When Frederick worked for extension from 1958-1964, there were 130,000 dairy farms in the state. In 1990, that number had shrunk to 14,000 farms. While 40,000 are employed in some aspect of the dairy business in Minnesota today, associated employment is actually about 85,000, amounting to an annual $3.5 billion industry. This is happening while Minne sota is dropping production to less than 10 billion pounds of milk yearly. Where once they had 6.8 percent of the market share in 1990, in 1995, that number dipped to 6 percent Clearly, there was a need to do something to stop the state from “losing its production, market, and infrastructure.” As a result the roundtable was formed. Stake holders in the roundtable oversee the Minnesota Dairy Partnership, Inc., approved by the roundtable in December 1992. The partnership, a collaborative partnership between the entire dairy sector in the state, the University of Minne sota, and related industries, was established to “bring them together so at least they can talk together” and work for the benefit of the entire dairy industry, according to Frederick. Altogether. 350 people are involved in the non-profit round table structure and partnership. Proposed funding for the partner ship is $500,000 per year for three years, half from the dairy sector and half from the state of Minneso ta. The money is to be allocated to committees in charge of market ing, supply, services, and farm, trade, and breed organizations. Plans are under way to pass Well build you any ivallabte: , • Diamond flooring • Pull out panel tailgates • Any size grain chute Stakeholders In the Pennsylvania dairy industry met on Thursday at Dixon University Center. From left, Donald Schiiver, CEO, Milk Marketing, Inc.; Charles Broslus, sec retary of agriculture; and Edward Frederick, facilitator of the Minnesota Dairy Leaders Roundtable. through legislature a bill to estab lish the Minnesota Dairy Develop ment Fund, to set up a fund in per petuity trust to fund the partnership. In the meantime, the activities of the roundtable “set a tone” for the industry, said Frederick. Donald Schriver, CEO, Milk Marketing, Inc., spoke about the Ohio Dairy Strategic Planning Task Force established in Decem ber 1993. “If your put your minds to it, you can make some major changes,” Schriver told the stake holders on Thursday. The task force is assisted by the Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environ mental Sciences, Ohio State Uni versity Extension, and Ohio Sen. Grace Drake. A steering commit tee. comprised of industry leaders, appointed panels to asssess the industry in environmental, finance, legislative areas, market ing, and production. Like Minnesota’s Roundtable, the Ohio task force’s mission state ment emphasizes the goal of strengthening overall profitability and long-term viability of the Ohio dairy industry, said Schriver. lire state slipped from 6!h to 9th place in overall productivity. With that in mind, Schriver said it was important to change the “mentali ty” of thinking that “we have to own the farm.” If we are locked in our current thinking, we can’t move projects to promote the industry along. «d v\ A high net return and a strong board of directors - the outstanding benefits that Richard and Janet Kriebel refer to - are among the strengths of the premier dairy cooperative in the region. Atlantic Dairy Cooperative has a 78-year history of excellent service to its members. Financially strong, ADC guarantees a market for all member milk and excels in maximizing returns. ADC is a leader in providing equity payments, quality bonuses and over-order premiums to members. Nearly 4,000 dairy farmers agree that "ADC is the Place to Be." For free information on how you can secure the future of your dairy farm operation, write or call: Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 2, 19M-A29 ADC Is the Place To Be Atlantic Dairy Cooperative 1225 Industrial Highway ISkg ldl Southampton, PA 18966 1 -800-645-MI LK He told the stakeholders to think about the efforts of the dairy pro ducers in Wyoming County, N.Y., who meet and are doing many things to strengthen their represen tation in the marketplace. A proposed forum, the Ohio Dairy Industry Forum (similar to the Minnesota Roundtable’s dairy partnership), would act to provide ways to facilitate production, pro cessing, marketing, promotion, and other supporting activities for the industry. It would be composed of 11 members two producers, two processors, one retailer, one support industry, one consumer representative, one Ohio State rep resentative, one representative from the Ohio Departmentof Agri culture, and two ex-officio mem bers of the state legislature. The financing would be pro vided by processors, lenders, and state sources. Overall, those who attended the stakeholders forum agreed that the industry is in trouble and some thing needs to be done. Several industry leaders indi cated their commitment to funding the oiganization. The purpose of the meeting was to “search for direction and deter mine your desire, your committ ment to the future of dairying in Pennsylvania,” said Charles Bro sius, Pennsylvania secretary of agriculture. Brosius asked the forum, “Will we have dairy farms in Pennsylva nia in the future or will they be in New Mexico or someplace else?” “A strong, prudent board of directors challenges management and staff to seek the greatest return on our investment in ADC, creating the highest net return to its members back on the farm. ” —Richard & Janet Kriebel Benton, PA
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