American Lamb Producers (Continued from Pag* A 1) for 28 years in the Harrisburg area. For many years the family has con sistently supported the 4-H lamb clubs by purchasing many of the iambs at the Farm Show auction and selling those lambs to custom er satisfaction at each of the four stores. Fox indicated that each store is different with different clientele— and the lamb is marketing that way in the stores. Fox provided some helpful information to assist local growers in marketing and selling their lambs successfully to independent retailers. He also provided some of the in-house store lamb promotion strategies he uses. “The stir fry demonstrations have been terrifically succcess ful,” said Fox. He indicated that they have been very proud of the stir fry promotions and other sam pling demonstrations the stores have provided over the years and continues to be happy to support the 4-H program. Fox’s is looking for large lamb dressweights, 55-60 pounds or even better. "I would like to have the opportunity to buy those lambs,” he said. *‘l would like 'to be able to buy carcasses that size if they were young and quality lambs.” He would rather have the car cass lambs over the boxed lambs because they can hold up in the case better. The store trims the meat to 'A inch size or less. “That’s what customers want,” said Fox. Most of the beef sold in the Fox stores, he said, has “no external fat’ ’ and by turning out that ‘ ’user friendly beef," he admitted that he often sees 8S cents to $1 per pound profit Fox noted the importance of the “beautiful" in-store display kit ROHRER'S QUALITY SEEDS • Arrow Alfalfa • Apollo Supreme Alfalfa • Aggressor Alfalfa • Alfagraze Alfalfa • Innovator +Z Alfalfa • Total +Z Alfalfa • Redland 111 Red Clover • Ladino Clover • Birdsfoot Trefoil • Toro Timothy • Climax Timothy • Crown Orchard Grass • Pennlate Orchard Grass • Cert. Palaton Reeds Canary Grass • Perennial Ryegrass • Tonga Perennial Ryegrass • Highland Pasture Mix • Horse Pasture Mixture • Triple Purpose Hay & Pasture Mixture • Waterway Grass Mix • Special Hay Mixture • Hairy Vetch • Cert Ogle Oats • Cert Hercules Oats L. ROHRER & BRQ., INC. J Smoketown, PA HOURS: Monday-Friday 7:30-SPM, Saturday 7:30*12 Noon provided by the American Lamb Council. The display features recipes, stickers advertising lamb, and other items that are attractive to consumers. Fox noted that lamb is the low est percentage of profit on meats obtained in the store, compared to the highest, beef. Overall, from roasters to the choice cuts. Fox said he nets about SO cents a pound on average on beef (about 8 cents a pound on roasters and about $1 on the best cuts). That is close to 30 percent margin. For pork, he averages about 30 cents per pound profit and 20 cents per pound for chicken. For the lamb, the margin falls to only a 23 percent margin, at best, but averages around 13 percent, much less than beef, pork, or chicekn. The key. Fox told the producers, is to get the ‘ ‘actual store managers to participate" in the promotions, which help boost sales. At the store’s demonstrations the market distributes the brochure, “Fox’s 1992 Recipes for 4-H Lamb's.’’’ One of the most successful promotions has been using recipe stickers and fixing them right to the product package. These stick ers are available from the Ameri can Lamb Council. “In-store demonstrations to me really are the best way to promote lamb. Sampling is a big part of get ting lamb (sold in stores)." Dr. Bill Henning, Penn State extension meat specialist, said that U.S. lamb consumption is “going one way straight down." What is happening? Apparently, lamb is available, but in large part because of the huge amount (90 percent of total processed lamb) imported each year from Austra lian and New Zealand. In 1995, Henning noted, the U.S. imported 27,000 metric tons FOR OVER 77 YEARS 1996 Rohrer’s Seed Catalog Available Must Market A Leaner, of lamb. While adding stability to the lamb market for consumers, for domestic producers it has been a nightmare. Why? Domestic lamb is the thing of the past, experts have been saying, because it is simply too fat About 99 out of 100 restaurants that serve rack of lamb obtain it from Australian markets because of its consistent leanness. Henning showed one package df lamb chops picked up at a well advertised many-complex super market chain all over southeastern Pennsylvania. Sixty percent of it is bone and fat sold at $7.68 per pound. Producers have tried to make lamb too much like beef, said Hen ning. It’s been taken out of the pas ture and put in the feedlot and fed lots of com, contributing to the downfall of the domestic lamb industry. While many ethnic groups pre fer the grain-fed lamb and are adamant about it, it has been the western lamb producers that have caused a “lot of problems’’ in the country. He recently saw some lamb out of Sioux Falls, S.D. that had about “one inch of backfat and no legs. ‘ “Wehavetochangethatkindof mentality, and to figure out how to reach the consumer,’’ said Henning. Consumers must be taught how to eliminate the myths of domestic lamb from their thinking, includ ing concerns that it tastes too much like mutton, that lamb is subject to predators, and that disease is a fac tor. Pennsylvania has a viable lamb industry that could package the product similar to the carryout meals now for sale in markets near Philadelphia. Consumers spend $9.99 and cany out a fresh, high quality dinner for two, which can Soybeans •Agri Pro 3800 • Agri Pro 4420 • Rohrer Brand 3775 • Rohrer Brand 4010 Agri Pro Hybrid Corn •AP6I9 • AP-9400 «AP675 • AP 638 • EX-9615 • AP 9843 Special Grazing Grasses • Matua Prairie Grass • Forage Feast Chicory ’ • Dairymaster Perennial Ryegrass Mixture • Tekapo Orchard Grass • Rangiora Rape Seed • Dovey Tall Fescue • Southern Cross White Clover PHONE 717-299-2571 Bill Fox, president of Fox’s Market, left and Dr. Bill Hen ning, Penn State extension meat specialist, spoke about methods to market lamb Tuesday night at the Farm and Home Center. feature some of the best lamb pro duced locally. Value can be added to various United Ag Service Holds Annual Meeting SENECA FALLS, N.Y. United Ag Services Annual Meet ing was held recently at the Holi day Inn, Horseheads, NY. The meeting was conducted by Presi dent J.W. Welsh of Mainesburg, PA. In his President’s report Welsh stated that he was encour aged with the growth in member ship and milk volume that has been made by the cooperative in 1995. Because much of the growth occurred during the last part of the year this increased volume will continue into 1996. Welsh attri buted much of the growth to the recruitment of new members to the organization by the staff, offic ers and producers. He also stated that United Ag Services’s member cooperative participate in strong milk markets which will remain so through 1996, while maintaining a premium level which is above the average in the northeast One area of concern Welsh brought up was the supply and cost of feed grains in relation to how they would affect milk production over the next few months. He said he was encouraged by predictions that the price of milk could be somewhat higher in 1996 than in 1995. United Ag Scrvices’s Coopera tive CEO, James E. Patsos, in his report highlighted the fact that the continuing growth in both co-op membership and volume, manage ment services to other agricultural organizations, and ever increasing efficiencies of United manage ment and staff have allowed oper ations to continue without increas ing producer dues. Rapidly changing market con ditions were addressed by Patsos. In seeking to enhance their bottom line handlers ate more and more contracting with large coopera tives to supply all theior milk needs instead of carrying their own independent producers. This is a means of balancing their milk purchases while freeing them from the costs that go with provid ing check writing, quality control, and reporting for their formers shippers. Patsos then mentioned some unknowns which may affect future milk supply and price. Feed costs and uncertainty about (he farm bill currently in the House- UncMter Firing. Saturday, May 4, HM A3l Consistent Product cuts of lamb that could transfer to profit for the producer and the retailer, according to Henning. Senate Conference Committee are some of that could influence the profitability of dairying and are important considerations. He related that United’s member cooperatives have benefited from some of the best markets over the last several years. In order to pre serve these markets United’s Directors have entered into a lon ger term agreement with milk handlers. These agreements will allow the cooperative to maintain its premiums and member ser vices, while giving the opprtunity to continue to grow in cooperative membership and volume. He stressed that membership is the life blood of United. Their market demands more milk pro duction. Since the future is cloudy regarding the number of dairy sell-outs there may be in the north east, United must continue to strive for additional members in order to keep up with the demands of the market He added, “I con gratulate the members on their ever increasing milk quality. The cooperatives’ refusal to accept members who produce poor qual ity and releasing producers who refuse to be quality produccrs makes their members’ milk more marketable.” Richard P. Smith, CEO of Dairylea Cooperative, Inc., based in Syracuse, NY, was the guest speaker. Directors elected at the meeting were Laveme McCarty, Foiksvil le, of Scenic Mountain Coopera tive, Hubert Dinniny, Addison Cooperative, Leslie Gilbert, Pitch er, NY, of Otselic Valley Cooperative, and Directors-at- Large Roland Schallcnbcrg, Wes temvillc, NY and James G. Patsos, Waterloo, NY. United’s Directors met follow ing the Annual Meeting. Officers elected were J.W. Welsh, Mains burg, president, Robert Nichols, Addison, NY, vice president. Leslie Gilbert, Pilcher, NY, sec retary, and Roalnd Schallcnbcrg, Westemville, NY. United Ag Services, located in Seneca Falls, NY, provides mark eting. quality control, accounting, and payroll services for small to medium sized agricultural organi zations and individual farmers.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers