Vo). 42 No. 8
Lancaster DHIA Presents Awards
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
SMOKETOWN (Lancaster Co.)
Officials of Lancaster DHIA
reported a good year, with an
increase in number of herds on test
and a growth in the margin for the
year. The county organization now
has 1303 members in Lancaster,
Chester. Lebanon. York, Dauphin,
and Berks counties. The financial
repot showed a margin for the year
Ag Awareness Across State
AIRVILLE (York Co.) The
Agriculture Awareness Ambassa
dors are preparing to carry Penn
sylvania’s story of agriculture
across the state. Through a part
nership spearheaded by the slate
Agriculture Awareness Founda
tion, fanners, agribusiness people,
and other ag professionals will
speak to non-farm groups. The
presenters are getting ready to
make speeches to consumers of
Pennsylvania about the impor
tance of agriculture to the eco
nomy and our lives.
Through a matching grant from
the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture, AAFPA is working
with Penn State Cooperative
Extension to place a slide set,
Ag Plastics: Disposal Challenges Mount As Solutions Become Costly
Plastic disposal continues to be a problem which chal
lenges farmers. At this Penn State display at this year’s Ani
mal Housing Expo in Lebanon, James Garthe, Penn State
ag engineer, reminds producers not to “cook their own
goose” by improperly disposing of plastics options
which are few.
Four Sections
of 79.599.85.
Dave Garber in the treasurer’s
report said the additional cows on
test and the cost reduction in being
an independent affiliate with
National DHIA had been leading
factors in the increased profitabili
ty picture. Garber said the profits
were used to reduce the debt from
$138,000 to $47,000 with the goal
to be debt free by the end of the cur
rent fiscal year.
“Agriculture is Everywhere,” in
each county accompanied with
background materials for speakers
use.
Three of six orientations ses
sions have been held. Anyone
interested in attending one of the
remaining three sessions is wel
come. All sessions are from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes lunch.
They will be: Dec. 16 at the
Embprs (Best Western), Rl 11,
Carlisle. Feb. 4 at the Oakhurst
Tea Room, Rt. 31, Somerset. Feb.
11 at the Inn at Franklin, Rt. 8,
Franklin.
Though pre-registration is
appreciated, it is not required.
Please call, Pat Sueck, executive
director, at (717) 862-3486.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 14, 1996
Jay Mylin, manager, reported an
addition of 174 herds, 113 of which
had never been on test before. Ten
years ago the association had 1,060
herds and now they have 1303. The
testing lab has increased produc
tion by 5,000 samples per month to
bring the total to 55,000 to 65,000.
The future goal is to continue to
manage the flow of samples that
will maintain quality testing at the
current levels.
Steve Hershcy reported for the
Lab Committee giving an over
view of how DHIA has changed
from an organization that guaran
teed records of integrity to one that
leaves the dairy farmer to decide
what service is wanted and to judge
the published records by the inte
grity of the dairy person who is
advertising them.
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Goss Family Receives Mifflin Award
GAIL STROCK
Mifflin Co. Correspondent
LEWISTOWN (Mifflin Co.)
In the spring of 1945, Guy and
Lena Goss handed over half of
their savings to purchase a
10-cow, 123-acre farm - all $lOO
of it. The other hundred went to
buy a team of horses. Now, 225
Editor’s Note: Last week, Part
1 of the series on disposal of ag
plastics examined the challenges
farmers face. There are few
options, other than open burn
ing, for farmers to dispose of
plastics. Part 2 looks at some
proposed solutions to the plastic
dilemma.
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
MANHEIM (Lancaster Co.)
“It all boils down to economics and
the American mentality don’t
do it if it isn’t economic,” said a
Penn State ag engineer.
On a mild day in November,
James Garthe, agricultural engi
neer, spoke to Dale and Clair Her
shey at the Hershey dairy farm in
Manheim.
What the dairy producers talked
about are the options for disposing
of ag plastics, which are fast
diminishing.
The Hersheys calculate that they
dispose of a total of about 2,200
pounds of ag plastics each year.
The plastics, from an array of sil
age bunkers and forage bags, are
burned in an open cage.
Dale said that he uses a knife to
cut the forage bag material, a for
age plastic wrap bag, used for stor
ing high' moisture com. Twice a
week, using paper bags that hold
several days of minerals for his tot
al mixed rations, he throws the
paper bags together with the thick
plastic film into a six- foot square
bum basket.
Included in the bum, conducted
during the day in good weather
Part 2 of 2
Winning both the top milk production and the top protein
awards in Lancaster DHIA is Marvin Stoltzfus, Leola, right.
Marvin’s 56 Holsteins averaged 26,616 m 923 f 842 p for the
year. Making the award presentations are from left, Jay
Mylln, manager, and Joe Graybeal, president.
cows, 800 acres and six sons later,
Guy and Lena watched their son
Larry Goss accept the Mifflin
County Farm Family Business
Award during the Farm/SRy ban
quet held recently at the Penns
Valley Christian Retreat Center
near Lewistown.
Guy and Larry formed a part-
conditions, are pieces of plastic
from the three large silage bunkers
at the farm.
In many parts of the country, the
concern producers have is that
farm neighbors could complain
about the burning.
“As the farm community and the
Advertising/News Deadlines
For Holiday, Farm Show Issues
Now that we are Into the month of December, farm
families are preparing for the Christmas holidays. In
addition, the New Year Is not far behind and then
thoughts turn toward the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
For Lancaster Farming this means many of the advertis
ing and news deadlines will need to be early to accom
modate tbs publication of the December 28, and Janu
ary 4 and 10 issues. Some of these deadlines are the
week prior to the week of publication.
The deadlines are as follows:
December 28th Issue
Public Sale Ads Noon, Monday, 12/23.
Mailbox Markets— Noon, 12/23.
Classified Section C Ads 3 p.m., Tuesday, 12/24.
All Other Classifieds 9 a.m., Thursday, 12/26.
General News Noon, Thursday, 12/26.
January 4th Issue
Public Sale Ads 5 p.m., Monday, 12/30.
Mailbox Markets 5 p.m., Monday, 12/30.
Classified Section C Ads —5 p.m., Tuesday, 12/31.
All Other Classifieds 9 a.m., Thursday, 1/2.
General News Noon, Thursday, 1/2.
January 10th Issue
Public Sale Ads 4 p.m., Friday, 1/3.
Classified Section C Ads 5 p.m., Tuesday, 1/7.
All Other Classifieds 9 a.m. Wednesday, 1/8.
General News Noon, Tuesday, 1/7.
$27.50 Per Year
nership in 1972. Sons Mark and
George joined in 1987. Hopes for
a third generation will be met
when Larry’s son, Jason, gradu
ates from Penn State this month
with a degree in Dairy Sciences.
The family farm is in Decatur
Township.
non-farm community heads furth
er and further apart, or as the non
farm community knows less about
farming, we get more of that,” said
Dale Hershey. “We haven’t had
serious problems but every now
and then somebody will stop in and
60$ Per Copy
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