A22'Uncaster Farming, Saturday, December 28, 1996 VERNON ACHENBACH JR. Lancaster Fanning Staff FREDERICK, Md. A Mary land dairy association representing dairy producers is starting to take form, following an organizational meeting held Dec. 13. The creation of an association has been called for by the state’s dairy leaders for several years, because of a lack of representation by dairy producers’ concerns in developing Maryland policies. In the meantime, despite close proximity to markets and a natural environment conducive to dairy production, the political and busi ness environment has been such that the state’s dairy farmers have been disappearing quickly. While the dairy processors of Maryland and its other leading agricultural commodity producers have associations to promote their respective sectors, the dairy pro ducers have not enjoyed the bene fit of having a strong, recognizable association promoting producer concerns. The need for such an organiza tion was recognized by the 1993 Maryland Dairy Task Force an assemblage of people created by the Maryland General Assembly and tasked to investigate and make recommendations upon the health of the state’s dairy industry. It recommended the formation of a dairy association, among other actions to improve the business environment for its instate dairy industry. The issue was raised again dur ing a public hearing on the preli minary findings of the 1996 Mary land Dairy Task Force, by Myron Wilhide, a Carroll County dairy farmer, leader in the Maryland Tom Dee Grand At Kentucky REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio Judge Murray Reisner of Ontario, Canada, placed the 199 Guernseys shown at the last National Guern sey Show of the year. In a very close placing between grand champion and reserve grand champion, Westlyn Tom Dee once again stole the show at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisvil le, Kentucky. This Westlyn Emory Tom daughter, an Excellent-95 aged cow. is no stranger to the winner’s circle. She has been crowned grand champion at the World Dairy Expo for the past four con secutive years and has production records to 26.540 M 4.8% 1.284 F 3.6% 961 P at 5-11 in 365 days. ‘Tom Dee” was exhibited by the partnership of Mark Rueth, Randy Kortus and Clark and Joy Vilter of Hard and, Wisconsin. Reserve grand champion went to the first place senior 3-year-old, Land of Living O Jamilynn, exhi bited by the Austin and Lucas Ayars of Mechanicsbuig, Ohio. “Jamilynn” is an Excellent-92 Myown Odim daughter. Maryland Dairy Association Takes Form Farm Bureau, and member of that task force. At the time, Wilhide said that the 1996 task force was the third task force including, and since, 1993, and that he served on all three. One of the main reasons for establishing a dairy producer interest association is to help establish the political muscle necessary to bring about public recognition of the efforts of the dairy task forces and the current recommendations. For example, the 1996 Dairy Task Force, in its preliminary recommendations report, called for the Maryland Legislature to provide its state secretary of agri culture with the authority to set minimum retail and wholesale prices on milk, similar to the authority held by the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board, and that of the Virginia. During the hearing of the preli minary 1996 Task Force findings, Wilhide announced that a Nov. 26 informational meeting would be held to gauge producer interest in supporting an association. Wilhide said that as a result of that informational meeting, held at the New Midway Fire Hall, about 130 people attended, representing well the state’s dairy producer regions. With the consensus that a pro ducer organization would be sup ported, out of those 130,24 people representing the various regions were selected, again through con sensus, to form an interim board of directors. The interim board more recently met on Dec. 13 at the Frederick County Extension Office and The American Guernsey Association In the race for junior champion, Lone Acres- Perfecto Catie once again rose to the top. “Catie,” the first place intermediate yearling sired by Lily Lane Penny Perfecto, was exhibited by Quinn Deßruin of Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Reserve junior champion went to the first place junior yearling heifer. Round Pond Mark Lou, shown by Austin and Lucus Ayars of Mechanicsbutg, Ohio. “Lou” is a Round Pond Fayettes Mark daughter and was also junior champion of the junior show at Louisville. The Total Performance Winner and Nasco International Type and Production Award was presented to Round Pond Fayettes Molly. “Molly," an Excellent-94 Dutch Mill Telestars Fayette daughter, has records to 36,1 SOM* 5.2% 1,83 IF* 3.7% 1.333P* at 5-02 in 365 days. The total Performance award is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Guernsey Breeders Association in memory of Lee Yost This award is presented to the cow earning the most points for production, show placing, yield deviation, appraisal established an interim set of bylaws, officers and several committees. The board is to meet again 10:30 a.m., Jan. 21, again at the Freder ick Extension Office. During the Dec. 13 meeting, the interim officers elected by the interim board were Wilhide, as president; Janet Stile, of Boons boro, vice president; and Laura Kaminsky, Wentz, secretary/ treasurer. Stiles is a member of a dairy farm family, while Kaminsky is a field representative for the Mary land Farm Bureau. The Maryland Farm Bureau is allowing the use of its headquar ters building in Randal Is town to serve as a temporary office for the dairy association. Formation of committees and committee appointments were held as key because of the need to act quickly to be properly prepared to represent the state’s dairy pro ducers when the state Legislature begins work in January. Edwin Fry, of Chestertown, a dairy farmer, was appointed as chair of the Legislative Coalition Committee. Other members of the Coalition Committee are William Godwin of Hagerstown, Jesse Bur all of Monrovia, Harold Lenhart of Utica, and Sean Jones of Massey. The committee was assigned a priority to help line up spon sorship for intended proposed legislation, “Fairness in Milk Marketing Act.” The committee is to attempt to seek legislative vehicles to insti tute the recommendations of the 1996 Dairy Task Force. According to Wilhide, “We’ve had the Task Force working real lola Wins Guernsey Futurity REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio The coliseum of the North Ameri can International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ken tucky, darkened while the spot light shined on ring-cento 1 . The stakes were high as the to tal pot of the 1996 Guernsey Gold Futurity was $3,200. For the third consecutive year, Marfred Farms of Saluda, South Carolina, owned part of the win ning Futurity animal. Their part ner and leadsman was Charlie Kelly. Selected by Judge Murray Reis ner of Ontario, Canada, Marfred Bossman lola, was presented with Showmanship Results REYNOLDSBURG. Ohio In the 1996 national Guernsey showmanship contest, the first champion of the day was Brian Schweierjohn* of Pocahontas, Illinois. Brian and his senior yearling heifer, Lambrecht Sentry Connie, received first place honors in the score and bonus points if the ani mal is bred by the owner. Marfred Farm of Saluda, South Carolina, was awarded with the prestigious premier breeder and premier exhibitor banners. Ohio once again placed first in the state herd contest. South Car olina placed second and Wiscon sin was third. The American Guernsey Asso ciation is the national organization for the registration and promotion of Guernsey cattle and is head quartered in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. hard in addressing the problems of the dairy industry in Maryland.” He said that the association needs to support those findings, which include creating fairness in milk marketing legislation; extending milk dating; supporting Maryland dairy industry and get ting programs developed; bringing farmers up to speed in marketing and technology; and to be part of guiding research and programs in the University of Maryland for dairy production. “The first thing is to get (those recommendations) into legisla tion,” Wilhide said. Wilhide, of Keysville, is in part nership with brother Richard on the 600-acre family farm where they milk 160 grade Holsteins. They ship milk to Mid-America Dairymen. Their farm has been in the fami ly for about 130 years. Wilhide said that although he has been involved in organiza tions, such as the Farm Bureau, this is the first time he has helped establish an organization. The Farm Bureau, he said, does an excellent job of representing commodity groups in the state. “The Farm Bureau has been very eager to support, in Annapo lis, that which needs to be sup ported. It’s just a matter that they can’t speak for dairy fanners,” Wilhide said. In other initial committee for mation, Stiles was named to head a Membership and Finance Com mittee. Other members are Will Godwin of Hagerstown. Fern Hines of Union Bridge. Jere F. Deßaugh of Boonsboro, and Stan ley Fultz of New Market who is the extension dairy science agent for the first place Futurity banner sponsored by E.R. Berousek of Yukon, Oklahoma. This Excellent-91 Marfred Bossman daughter has production records over 17,000 pounds of milk. In addition to the banner, “lola” received the Shirley Wright Memorial Award, a silver cham pagne cooler, sponsored by Leroy and Nita Lindley and Ralph and Martha Turley of Ohio. “lola” won $836 and was presented with the best udder award sponsored by Good-As-Gold Guernseys of Hil mar, California. Going home with the second place silver tray sponsored by Dr. junior showmanship class for exhibitors nine to 12 years of age. Brian was presented with a plaque and a $lOO savings bond by Dan and Loretta Mithoefer of Silver Lake, Indiana, sponsors of all first place awards. Sarah Merges of Livingston, Wisconsin, filled the second place spot nicely with the help of a 4-year-old cow. Ocooch Fayette Meka. She received a $5O savings bond and certificate donated by Fowler Branstetter and Family of Edmonton, Kentucky. Rounding out the top three in the junior contest was Anne Mar chezak of Bentleyville, Pennsyl vania, with her intermediate heifer calf. Twin Brook Magic Georgie. Fowler Branstetter and Family also donated the show halter that Anne received for her efforts. The intermediate showmanship (Turn to Pago A3O) Frederick County. The Membership and Finance Committee recommended, and it was agreed to by the interim board during the Dec. 13 meeting, that association dues would be $4O per member with each member having a vote. Although not yet established, it was discussed that dues for those wishing to be charter members may be higher. A Publicity Committee was also formed with Robert Peters, a milk ing management specialist; T. Mil ton Nelson, agricultural editor of the Cooperative Extension Service at University of Maryland; and Nola Ramsburg of Walkersville. Becky Long, the assistant farm editor of the Frederick News-Post is an ex-officio member. That committee is set to create an association newsletter that would be jointly sponsored by the Maryland Department of Agricul ture and the cooperative extension service. Wilhide said the newsletter is to go to every dairyman in Maiyland, informing of the association, goals, objectives and membership. The newsletter is to be used for the exchange of ideas, he said. In the meantime, he said that what dairy farmers can do is to be willing to talk to their respective legislators and to consumers about the importance of the dairy indus try to the state and to its communities. For more information, call Myron Wilhide at (410) 775-7201; Laura Kaminsky at (410) 922-3426; Robert Peters at (301) 405-1401; T. Milton Nelson at (301) 405-4596; or Janet Stiles at (301) 582-2178. John O. Mozier and Family of Stanley, Kansas, was Four Winds Perf Lotus. This 87-point Lily Lane Penny Perfecto-ET daughter is owned by Clark and Joy Vilter of Hartland, Wisconsin, and has production records over 17,000 pounds of milk. “Lotus” won $583.50 for her second place share of the pot and received the best bred and owned silver tray sponsored by Carlton Wenger of Goshen, Indiana. SC Sunny Day Perfect Yell-ET, an 88-point Lily Lane Penny Perfecto-ET daughter, made a clean sweep of all the production awards. Owned by Herby Lutz of Ches ter, South Carolina, “Yell” has records to 19.480 M 5.1% 986 F 3.5% 688 P at 2-05 in 305 days. “Yell” received a silver water pitcher for the high milk award sponsored by American Breeders Service of Deforest, Wisconsin; the high butterfat production silver tray sponsored by Marfrcd Farms of Saluda, South Carolina; and the high protein cheese tray sponsored by Tri-State Milk Cooperative of West Salem, Wisconsin. “Yell" also won the Betty Kess ler Memorial Award sponsored by Bay Meadows Farms of Galt. California, for the high CPI cow award. This year’s fust junior award went to Twin Brook Perfect Jas mine owned by Randi Marchezak of Bentleyville. Pennsylvania, this 87-point Lily Lane Penny Perfecto daughter took home a beautiful picture frame sponsored by Branstetter Dairy of Edmon ton, Kentucky.
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