> S3orUrx^»ter’Pwt^tl^ai{;ajnMnr^ > »i' i lW7
Years Of Successful
(Continued from Page G 24)
Even though Romig describes
himself as a semi-retired poultry
producer, birds that can be directly
traced to his flock are still winning
at the shows.
“The man who had the largest
number of. exhibitor points last
year in the American Poultry
Association is Lyle Nole from
Green Bay, Wisconsin. A number
of the (birds) he won with were my
birds,” Romig said.
Because of a new line in the
Farm Show rules which states that
all birds shown must be housed in
Pennsylvania, Romig will not
compete at the Farm Show this
year. However, he hopes that in
future years he will again be able to
take part in the show.
In his many years of showing,
Romig has had numerous champ
ions in many different breeds and
varieties.
"A few years ago I had grand
champion chicken at the Farm
Show and had my picture taken
with Boyd Wolfe when he was sec
retary of agriculture. That was a
highlight,” Romig said.
His success can be attributed to
three important factors, Romig
said.
First, he would get the best
breeders he could find.
“I know where the good breed
ers are nationwide. A lot of the
times, people will only buy birds
for breeding purposes that are
within a reasonable distance. 1
bought wherever I could find
them.”
Next in Romig’s recipe for win
ning is to specialize in breeds that
other people don’t have.
“I have bred everything that is in
the American Standard of Perfec
tion, which is the guidebook and
standard by which poultry is bred,”
Romig stated.
Romig has also helped develop
some of the varieties, including the
Salmon Favoralle. A few years
ago, there were very few of this
variety in existence. Now, largely
because Romig bred many and
sold them, the variety is gaining in
popularity.
“There was a well-known judge
from England over here a few
years ago that saw my Red
Sussex which I was the only
breeder that I knew of that bred
Red Sussex and he said mine
were better than what they had in
England.”
The third reason for his success
is attributed to experience.
“I know what to breed with
what, to get the good quality. That
just comes from years of experi
ence. There’s no way you can get
that in a short period of time,” he
said.
“You don’t read that out of a
book, though there are some good
books, a lot of it just has to be years
of experience.”
Just what makes a prize poultry
exhibit?
Pomig explained that first on
the list is type.
“Within each particular variety,
you’re looking first of all for type.
Then you go for color. But of
course one of the big things that
you take into consideration at a
show is the condition of a bird; if
they’re clean and in good feather,”
he said.
According to Romig, the Pen
nsylvania Farm Show is kind of a
Poultry Breeding For Roland Romig
combination of a show and fair.
At fairs, they’re generally inter
ested more in a display of poultry,
where a poultry show is interested
in extremely good quality, not
such a big quantity.
“One of the reasons I showed
more at fairs than at shows was that
I needed some income to feed this
huihongous flock of birds, and you
get prize money when you’re
showing at the fairs,” he said.
Additional income was attained
from his flock by the sale of
chicks, ducklings, eggs and breed
ers. Exhibiting at a fair often gen
erates interest from buyers looking
for birds to show, for meat, or just
to have a flock in the back yard.
One other role of the purebred
poultry industry is to supply com
mercial growers with new
bloodlines.
National Farmers Union Calls
For Propane Price Investigations
DENVER, Colo. National
Farmers Union (NFU) President
Leland Swenson asked for
government inquiries into the re
cent price hikes in propane gas.
“Rural America deserves an
swers on the issue of drastic in
creases in propane prices in recent
months. Propane is an important
source of energy for fanners and
rural citizens. We use it to heat our
home, dry our crops and power
many other agricultural imple
ments.”
NFU is urging congressional
hearings on propane supplies and
prices. Swenson also called for
■ “Most commercial flocks are
cross breeds and occasionally they
need some purebred poultry to
strengthen their gene pools,” Rom
ig said.
Not only is Romig a veteran
poultry breeder, promoter and
showman, his is also actively
involved in the Pennsylvania Poul
try Partners. Currently he serves as
president of that organization.
"That’s an organization mainly
of poultry exhibitors and we’ve
tried to draw different clubs
together. There are five different
clubs across the state,” he said.
The clubs are the Central Pen
nsylvania Avian Club, Union
town, Butler Association, Berks
and York. Each of the five clubs
hosts its own poultry show.
Romig is also a volunteer judge
at various shows and has volun
teered his services at many poultry
Secretary of Agriculture Dan
Glickman to initiate an analysis of
the impact skyrocketing prices
have on the production agriculture
sector.
Additionally, the organization
is urging a Justice Department in
vestigation of possible antitrust
violations in the energy sector.
“We are also concerned with re
cent congressional attempts to
eliminate domestic home heating
assistance programs for the
needy,” stated Swenson. “We urge
continuation and full funding of
these vital programs.”
On a related item, NFU recently
auctions.
Romig also is a strong promoter
of poultry and is always willing to
help people get started in the
business.
“Anytime anybody wants to get
a few birds, I say, ‘Get the best
there are,’” Romig said.
“They tell me what they’re
interested in. A lot of times I will
show them the American Standard
of Perfection and say, ‘See what
catches your eye, and I know
where those birds can be found.’
“I guess one of the sad things is
that there are some (varieties) you
just can’t And.”
With the help of Romig and
other breeders, however, the many
breeds and varieties of poultry will
persist and, as Romig hopes, the
keeping of backyard poultry will
once again become commonplace.
requested the removal of propane
from the list of approved alterna
tive motor fuels included in the
clean air bill.
“Propane supplies are not infin
ite. The recent price hikes in pro
pane prices illustrate the delicate
balance of supply and demand of
this vital commodity.” remarked
Swenson.
“There are many other more ap
propriate alternative fuels which
can be utilized to meet federal
clean air requirements, such as
grain based ethanol and its deriva
tives.”