Penn State Researches
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) How do young people
learn about agriculture, and where
do they get the information? Is it
based on science? Or is it from
self-serving organizations? To
find the answers, Penn State
researchers are studying public
perceptions of farm animal pro
duction methods.
“The information children
receive will influence their opin
ions for the rest of their lives,”
says Dr. Lowell L. Wilson, profes
sor of animal science. ‘To make
sure children have a balanced
view of the use of animals, we
need to determine what they know
and how they get their
information.”
Students and their teachers are
being surveyed about animal agri
culture, animal. agriculture by
products, food safety, animal
well-being, how animal agricul
tural affects the environment, and
what farmers do to protect the
environment for future
generations.
Students in grades 6-8 are asked
questions such as “Do you know
which farm animals these pro
ducts come from?” and “How did
you leant about farm animals?”
They also are asked to rank the
importance of topics such as safe
ty of the food supply, disposal of
animal wastes, use of chemicals
on food, how farm animals are
treated, and how animals are
treated in research. Students in
grades 11-12 are asked similar but
more detailed questions about top
ics such as pesticide residues,
water contamination, growth hor
mones and antibiotic residues in
food.
Preliminary results indicate
teachers are students’ primary
source of information about agri
culture. “This emphasizes the
need to determine what teachers
know about animal agriculture
and where they obtain their infor
mation,” Wilson notes. “Most
If this is all your
farmowners policy replaces,
replace it
We invite you to compare your current
farmowners policy against coverage from
Agway Insurance You’ll find we can
protect you and your farm &gamst much
more than just the basics
INSURANCE AGENCY
SOS WcstMarket Street
Pottiville, PA 17901 (AOWAY]
Phone; (717) 622-1350 V
Fax: (717)622-6660
LINDA M. LORAH, Account Executive
01991 Agway Insurance Company
teachers do not have direct experi
ence with agriculture. They rely
on information provided to them,
which may come from activist
organizations. Teachers need
access to factual, science-based
information to give their students
a balanced view.”
The primary concern of stu
dents and teachers in all grade
levels surveyed was the safety of
the food supply. “This may reflect
recent publicity about contami
nated unpasteurized apple juice
and undercooked hamburger caus
ing illness and death,” Wilson
notes. “These incidents reveal the
power of public perception. Public
education has been shown to be
the best tool against unfounded
negative public perceptions.”
All groups also were concerned
about animal well-being. “Farm
animals are treated differently
than companion animals, such as
cats or dogs,” Wilson says. “With
out sufficient understanding of the
reasons for farm animal proce
dures, the general public may
view some practices as cruel and
unnecessary.”
As part of this project, Penn
State researchers developed a best
management practices manual,
which explains practices such as
tail docking, beak clipping,
enclosed housing, individual stalls
and antibiotic use. Other mater
ials, which address issues such as
food safety, animal welfare, and
farm safety, were developed by
members of the Penn State student
club Students for the Responsible
Use of Animals and are made
available at events such as Ag
Progress Days and the Pennsylva
nia Farm Show. These materials
also are distributed to Penn State
Cooperative Extension county
offices and other educational
groups.
Farmers in Lancaster County
also are being surveyed to deter
mine how they think they are per
ceived by the public and to give
CPAFr-BIIJ
CONSTRUCTION, INC.
(717) 653-4023
Post Frame Buildings
!"■. <S£fES>
Storage Pre-Engineered
Commerical Buildings
* EASTBROOK
SEED COMPANY
Better Forages For Better Profits
Genetically Modern Forages From Holland
• Barcel • Fuego • Dovcy
BRASSICAS
• Barkant Forage Turnip
• Barabas Forage Turnip
• Kapeti Kale • Rape
• Forage Feast Chicory
• Matua • Stockmaster
• Pizza Orchard Grass
• Annual Ryegrasses
Call For Free Catalogue
1-800-680-3167 - 412/654*4319
11 VISA/Mastercard accepted JCJ
Ptß UPS deliveries available [p-J
Perceptions Of Animal Agriculture
them an opportunity to assess their
industry and its methods.
“We chose Lancaster County
because it has a growing urban
population in a traditionally rural
fanning area,” explains Patricia A.
Nordstrom, project assistant “We
asked fanners if they had received
any complaints about their opera
tion and the nature of the com
plaints. They also were asked to
rank the concern level of how they
believe the public feels about
issues such as agricultural chemi
cals, food cost disposal of animal
waste and farm animal welfare.”
The researchers also surveyed
1,500 non-farm residents of Lan
caster County. “We also wanted to
identify concerns of these resi
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
On behalf of Gov. Tom Ridge,
Agriculture Secretary Charles C.
Brosius announced the appoint
ment of Keith Eckel to die Pen
nsylvania Agricultural Land Pre
servation Board at its regular
meeting.
“Mr. Eckel’s leadership in the
agricultural community, familiari
ty with state government and his
commitment to the preservation of
our valuable farmland certainly
make him a welcome asset to the
board,” said Brosius, who chairs
die board.
Eckel is a full-time fanner in
Clarks Summit, Lackawanna
County. He served as president of
the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
from 1981 until April 19%. On
April 4,19% he was elected to the
Board of Directors of the Nation
wide Insurance Enterprise.
In partnership with his brother,
Doug, the Eckel farming opera
tion consists of more than 1,400
acres of field crops and a success
fid green wrap tomato production
and marketing operation.
and New Zealand
• BG-3-Tetra-Plus • BG-14
• Alice • Barabian • Pitau
• Southern Cross • Huia
dents about area farms,” Nords
trom says. “Farmers who are
aware of how they are perceived
by the general public will be better
equipped to address the public’s
concerns.”
Producers, students, teachers
and members of the general public
are encouraged to participate in
this project by contacting Wilson
at (814) 863-3659 or Patricia
Nordstrom at (814) 863-6059.
Producers are also being asked
to participate in a separate Penn
State project about animal hand
ling and transportation. “Money,
time and effort can be lost if ani
mals are improperly handled or
transported, resulting in losses due
Eckel Appointed To State
Farmland Protection Board
In 1982, Eckle, his Cither and
brother were awarded the coveted
Pennsylvania Master Farmer
award by Pennsylvania Farmer
Magazine and die Pennsylvania
Slate University.
Created in 1989, the Pennsylva
nia Agricultural Land Preserva
tion Board is responsible for the
oversight of the state Farmland
Program. The program allows the
state and counties to purchase
development rights, referred to as
easements, to guarantee that farms
will remain as agricultural land.
The board approved today ease
ment purchases of 12 farmers
encompassing 1987 acres of prime
farmland.
Following is a list of the 12
properties, including owner,
township, acreage and purchase
cost
•Adams Edward and Susan
Sanders, Mt. Joy Township, 99
acres, $103,874.
•Berks Eugene L. and Dar
lene R. Moser, Oley Township, 63
acres. $126,920.
•Chester Omar and Ruth
Beam, West Nantmeal Township,
203 acres. $617,130.
•Chester—Kimberton Waldorf
School, East Vincent Township,
165 acres, $686,932.
to stress, bruises, hide damage or
injuries,” Wilson says. “We’re
surveying producers about the
industry’s handling and transport
ing practices. Producers are asked
to identify improvements they
have made and where further
improvements can be made.”
These projects are supported by
research funds administered by
the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture and Penn State appro
priations. Other researchers parti
cipating in the project include Dr.
Timothy W. Kelsey, assistant pro
fessor of agricultural economics;
Dr. Audrey N. Maretzki, professor
of food science: and Dr. Charles
W. Pitts, professor of entomology.
•Lehigh—Mildred E. DeLong,
Weisenberg Township, 133 acres,
$304,811.
•Lehigh Marion P. Houck,
Joan L. Drey, Diane F. Wilson and
Carol A. Reimert, Weisenberg
Township, 84 acres, $184,710.
•Lehigh Pauline Seidel,
Lower and Upper Macungie town
ships, 98 acres, $244,466.
•Perry Roy C. Byers, Tus
carora Township, 369 acres,
$233,354.
•Wayne—Jack D. and Kathryn
Downton, Starrucca Borough, 217
acres, $151,900.
•Westmoreland Richard O.
and Sharon Love, East Hungtin
don Township, 97 acres,
$174,221.
•York Melvin M. and Helen
E. Glatfelter, Lower Chanceford
Township, 99 acres, $131,580.
•York Joseph and Ada May
Koepper and J&J Associates, Inc.,
Lower Chanceford Township, 360
acres, $445,500.
Including these easements, 728
farms in 37 counties will have
joined the program or had ease
ments approved, protecting
91,593 acres.