X3&fehcastdr''Farming, 'Saturday, 'November'ti,' Ir9^61 r 9^6 WHAT’S IN A NAME? Sustainable agriculture. When you hear this term, what do you think of? Organic fanning? “Convention al” agriculture? Something in between? The dictionary definition of sus tain is “to keep in existence; main tain.” Based on this definition, any farmer in the U.S. will be practic ing sustainable agriculture if they want to stay in business. However, as I perceive the gen eral perception to the term “sus tainable agriculture,” it seems that most people would describe some system of organic fanning. This idea is most likely rooted in the environmental movement that started in recent years and used the terms sustainable and organic interchangeably, particularly when referring to farming operations. The Federal Government defined sustainable agriculture in the 1990 Farm Bill as “an inte- r Farmer Boy Ag Systems ] I Inc. I 1 „ vst THANKS and CONGRATULATIONS TO Luke Martin Family Featuring: Full Line of Parts in Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 to 5:30 Stock For Your Poultry. Hog Sat 7:30 to Noon and Cattle Needs a 34 how Farmer Boy Ag Systems *^“ Service ItlC. 410 East Lincoln Avenue, Myerstown, PA 17067 ™ ™ 1 1/9 717-866-7565 • 1-800-845-3374 *sSps“® grated system of plant and animal production practices having site specific application that will, over the long term, satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environ mental quality and the natural resources base upon which the agricultural economy depends; make the most efficient use of non renewable resources and on-farm/ ranch resources; and integrate, where appropriate, natural biologi cal cycles and controls: sustain the economic viability of farm/ranch operations; and enhance the qual ity of life for farmers/ranchers and society as a whole.” Based cm this definition, it is easy to see why there is such a wide perception of exactly what sustainable agricul ture is. The main thrust of a sustainable agricultural program is examina tion of the production system as a whole rather than looking at the individual pieces. But what exact ly does this mean? Suppose you apply a fertilizer to your fruit or vegetable crop. You then evaluate the effectiveness of A Division of<H|) Feeding Systems the fertilizer during harvest either through produce quality or the amount of produce harvested. But using a systems approach you would also consider the impact of the fertilizer on the environment. Was there any runoff during later rainfalls? Did any of the fer tilizer reach the groundwater supp ly? Obviously, evaluation of some of the many potential impacts of our farming practices are not easily achieved. Am I saying that fruit and veget able growers need to start monitor ing water runoff and groundwater for fertilizers? Hardly. My main point here is to both define what is meant by sustainable agriculture and to have you start thinking about your farming practices bey ond the immediately visible results. You will probably be see ing more references to sustainable ADC Meeting In Lancaster SOUTHAMPTON (Bucks Co.) Atlantic Dairy Cooperative is gearing up for its 1996 annual meeting, which will be held Nov. 21-22 at the Holiday Inn/Lancas ter Host Resort in Lancaster, Pa. The theme of the 79th annual meeting, “Platform for Progress,” reflects Atlantic’s commitment to providing progressive programs and services to dairy fanners. The cooperative’s platform revolves around its goal of maximizing overall returns to members. During the 19% fiscal year, At lantic marketed a total of 4.5 S bil lion pounds of milk, of which 3.82 billion pounds was produced by the cooperative’s members. The net margin stood at $5.8 million, the equivalent of IS cents per A Division of (IB) Fans and Ventilation Controllers agriculture in the future as researchers and society continue to examine how farming impacts the environment, society, and the economy. I’m certain many of you have already adopted practices that fit the definition of sustainable agri culture. Some changes, such as the reduction in pesticide inputs, may have been forced upon you by the loss of registrations for some chemicals. Additional chemicals will probably lose registrations in the future. However, newer chemi cals are generally targeted toward a specific pest or group of pests and thus have the reduced environ mental impacts desired in a sus tainable agriculture system. Many of the current Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs involve timing chemical applica tions to pests at certain population levels. This results in fewer pesti hundredweight. The annual meeting will begin on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 9:45 a.m. with reports by Atlantic’s officers and staff. At this time, a complete financial report will be presented by Michael A. John, chief finan cial officer. Robert M. Dever, chief execu tive officer, will present his report during the afternoon session, which begins at 1:20 p.m. Follow ing Dever’s report, Thomas M. Suber, senior vice president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, will provide an update on his organiza tion’s work in securing overseas markets for U.S. dairy products. The annual banquet will begin Thursday night at 6:15 p.m. in the Showroom, William Perry, vice of Utitz, PA for choosing Farmer Boy Ag Systems, Inc. to construct their new 44' x 500' Tunnel Ventilated Broiler House! big oran ojmtna r*c. m . '’’ . ;-%ip for information ■ on Available Contracts! cide applications and a potential reduction in environmental impacts. However, fewer spray applications also means a reduc tion in production costs. This could result in more profit to you, the fanner. So both the farmer and the environment will benefit in this system. IPM is an excellentexample of a practice in a sustainable agricultur al system. The use of disease resistant varieties is another. If you use either of these practices, you are using parts of a sustainable agricultural system. As I wrote earlier. I expect that many Lancaster County farmers are already using one or more prac tices that fit the definition of sus tainable agriculture. And as long as new sustainable production practices are financially beneficial to the farmer, they will continue to be adopted quickly. president of governmental affairs and member relations for Milk Marketing Inc., will serve as mas ter of ceremonies. The guest speaker will be Jeanne Robertson, a former basketball coach turned motivational speaker. The program on Friday will in clude presentations by Jane Bro sius, farm partner and wife of Pennsylvania Secretary of Agri culture Charles Brosius, and Dorothy Stambaugh and Kim Jureckson on “Home Decorating on a Budget.” For further information about the meeting and/or a registration form, please contact Jean Palum bo, Atlantic Dairy Cooperative, at (215) 322-0200. dE> Feed Bins and Augers
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