C. WILLIAM HEALD
Penn State University
Dairy, Animal Science
In most businesses growth is
veiy desirable and welcomed by
the stock market. But in daily its
discussion is very hotly contested
in public forums.
One of the first rules of good
business is to face reality.
The reality for dairy producers
is harsh after enjoying govern
ment supports for many decades.
To some producers price sup
ports became entitlements. Enti
tlements have come under attack
with the current call for budget re
ductions voiced in recent elec
tions.
Dairy supports prices are near
ing an end and most are gone.
Nearly 91 percent of our popu
lation want wholesome cheap
food. The minority that want high
er food prices are producers of that
wholesome food.
The majority of voters are dis
tracted by concerns about urban
problems such as violence, drugs,
homeless, gangs, infrastructure,
education, welfare, election re
form, and lowering entitlement
payments.
As a result legislators are fo
cused on urban problems not rural
problems.
Agriculture has too few rural
legislators to make much differ
ence when money issues regard-
No-Till technology and
maximum productivity in
All of the benefits of Great Plains no-till technology are now
available in a new 12 foot size. The new 12' End Wheel No-
Till drill is designed to handle the planting needs of small to
medium sized operations with maximum productivity.
Built to the high quality standards of Great Plains, the
12' End Wheel No-Till drill will plant in the
most demanding of no-till conditions with
extreme accuracy.
The end wheel design makes this drill
extremely maneuverable. Keeping all
ground-working com-ponents in-line with
the end wheels prevents openers from
bulldozing or bridging when working in
rolling terrain. The end wheels also act as
stabilizers to hold the openers steady
when seeding on slopes.
Excess debris is no problem for this
unit. Opener and coulter stagger of
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mini-seedbed allowing openers to
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Planting depth adjustments are quick and easy with the "T
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wheel then presses each seed into moist soil for optimum
germination.
The improved straight-arm, solid stand opener design, combined
with the cushioned press wheel provides maximum down
pressure with less wear and tear.
See The Dependable Great Plains Dealers Listed Below:
Dunkle & Grieb, Inc.
R.D.. 2 Box 14, Center Hell, PA 16828
814-364-1421
C.B. Hoober & Sons, Inc.
Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourae, PA 17534
717-768-8231
Lone Maple Sales & Service
RD #2, New Alexandria, PA
412-668-7122
Is Business Growth Avoidable On The Dairy Farm?
ing agriculture come to the floor.
Can we really expect legislators
to vote in favor of money for agri
culture when placed in office by a
majority of voters with little or no
interest in food issues other than
safety?
Should we bet the farm hoping
legislators that come from the city
will vote tax dollars for agricul
ture?
I don’t think many in the know
can be found that believe recent
trends will be reversed.
Next, let’s consider some un
derlining principles of our fellow
Americans.
U.S. citizens have two strong
but conflicting principles that they
ascribe to passionately. They have
fought wars over these issues.
Tliese conflicting principles
deal with government and busi
ness.
The first principle is demo
cracy.
Democracy means one person
one vote (equality under the law
where farmers now get out voted
on most issues).
The financial principle is capi
talism.
Capitalism is survival of the fit
test
These principles are at odds
with each other but we hold them
deep in our ethical fabrice of U.S.
citizenship.
To complicate matters, indivi-
P Great Plains
12’End Wheel No-Till Drill
New from -
a 12’ size
duals apply cultural and religious
teachings to modify these funda
mental principles. This sets the
stage for controversy depending
on which principle one apply, de
mocracy or capitalism and the in
dividual’s background.
Successful business people,
with the emphasis on die word
business, learn how to balance
these opposing principles.
Put in simplistic terms, dairy
farmers need to decide die life
style they want for their family.
Next, they need to determine
the income it will take to support
that lifestyle.
Once the income is determined
then a business plan can be devel
oped based on realities of the mar
ket.
A business owner should know
their cost of production and their
market price. Easier said than
done some say. Again, one must
apply business realism.
Most fanners have something
close to a cost of production each
year in the income tax report if
they don’t have more complete fi
nancial records.
On the other side of the equa
tion milk prices have jumped to
record highs and are falling back.
It is expected that these fluctua
tions will continue in the future
but the average since the early
’Bos has not been far from
sl2A:wt
The large, welded seed box holds up to 2.4 bushels per foot.
Exclusive Great Plains fluted feed seed cups coupled with the
4-speed gearbox deliver outstanding accuracy in varying rates
and seeding conditions.
Designed with safety in mind, the 12' End Wheel No-Till drill
comes equipped with transport safety lights and a wider
walkboard.
Accessories available with the 12’ End Wheel No-Till drill
include; folding markers, coil tine harrows, seed box agitator
and small seeds attachment.
D & B Equipment
307 Edgar Avenue, Bloomeburg, PA 17815
717-784-5217
Hines Equipment
Rt. 28 Weet, Creaeon, PA 16630
814-886-4183
and Rt. 220. Balwood, PA
814-742-8171
Lehigh Ag Equipment, Inc.
6670 Ruppavllle Road, Allentown, PA 18106
Lancaster Farming, Friday, January 10, 1997<G13
Plan on less than this and bank
the difference for retirement.
After doing this calculation
many farms find that they are fi
nancially short of their lifestyle
goal.
At least four altemadves can be
considered.
Lower production costs, raise
pounds of milk sold, supplement
farm income with off-farm in
come, or find other employment
before the current equity is lost.
Also, one should consider a
combination of these options. Fu
ture dairy extension programs will
be addressing these alternatives.
The Dairy-MAP programs, es
pecially the new program being
pilot tested this winter called Fo
cus on the Future and the four new
dairy extension initiatives will ad
dress these options this winter.
Check with your local extension
office.
If the business planning ap
proach described above is used,
the financial health of individual
farms is no longer a question of
governmental action or inaction
and betting the farm on what agri
culture wishes the government to
do. It becomes a lifestyle decision
over which producers have more
control.
Inquire About Great Plains
Acceptance Corp.
.FINANCE Programs
Chambersburg Farm Service
975 South Main Street, Chamberaburg, PA 17201
717-264-3533 n
Carlisle Farm Service
260 York Road, Carliale, PA 17013
800-447-6829
Norman D. Clark & Sons
Main Street, P.O. Box 27, Honey Grove 17035
It is not a question of growth
but a business decision to change.
I find dairy producers in every re
gion of Pennsylvania that say
“Life is better now” once they
make the business plan to change
their operations and work to make
it reality.
Other comments I have heard
recently are, “I have three boys
that want to go to college. I need
to add cows to generate the money
for tuition and later my retire
ment”
Another farmer said, “I sited the
bam so I can add as many cows as
necessary to provide the income
my family needs. I don’t want to
milk more cows but the family
comes first.”
I suspect that when lifestyle on
these farms is nearer to that of ur
ban friends and classmates, more
children will look at the farm as a
business to return to and more
farms/businesses will stay in these
families.
Farming can still be fun and a
great place to rear a family with
appropriate farm business plan
ning. A great future for dairy
fanning in Pennsylvania can be
had by those who take a business
approach to farming.
—lt.
HfP-
We leud because wt listen, ■
717-734-3682