DENVER, Colo.— A reduction of pesticide use and switching to less damaging substances have reduced the risk to the environ ment in the United States by 66 percent since 1987, according to “Farmers since Rio the contri bution of farmers’ organizations toward sustainable development,” a study conducted by the Interna tional Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP). The study also shows that Swedish farmers have reduced pesticide use by 70 percent since 1985 and that German farmers have reduced pesticide use by over 50 percent since 1990. In the Netherlands, energy efficiency in the horticulture sector has improved by 40 percent over the past 15 years and will improve by an additonal 10 percent by the got mi F If ft H This Year’s Field Demos Mowing 11:00 am Tillage 1:00 pm Hay 2:00 pm AUGUST 5,6, 7,1997 9 am- 5 pm lues. & Wed. Sponsored by: Empire State Potato Club, Inc. In cooperation with •American Agriculturist • New York State College of Agriculture & Life Science • New York Equipment Dealers' Association • New York State Farm Equipment Club • New York State Electric & Gas Corporation • Cornell Cooperative Extension • Rochester Gas & Electric Corporation • Farmers Worldwide Go ‘Greener,’ Study Finds year 2000. ‘This is a trend in many parts of the world, as chemical use declines and fertilizer use is better targeted by using better technolo gy,” said Graham Blight, IFAP president On the other hand, said Blight those “who live in poverty aren’t likely to do much for the environment. Someone who’s concentrating on feeding their family the next day cannot have a major interest in the environ ment” National Farmers Union Presi dent (NFU) Leland Swenson, who chairs an IFAP committee that encourages cooperation between developed and less developed countries, said he believes the study demonstrates that indepen dent family farmers and ranchers are the best and most cost- •Over 550 Exhibitors •Field Demonstrations •75 Acres of Agricultural •Dairy Profit Seminars •Farm Health & Safety Center •Tractor Ride & Drive Area http://members.aol.com/espcefd + ROCHESTER -vjJVS Admission: $5.00 per car ? o a v sr Displays •Antique Tractors EXIT WY42 Seneca Falls Geneva EMPIRE FARM DAYS RODMAN LOTT & SON FARM OUR 60TH VFfftf.' Rodman Lott & Son Farm Rte. 414, Seneca Falls, NY efficient stewards of natural land and water resources. The IFAP report was issued prior to this week’s special session of the United Nations General As sembly on environmental and development progress made since the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. National Farmers Union is a founding member of IFAP and a Interstate Sale Of State-Inspected Meat Would Bring $56 Million To Ohio COLUMBUS. Ohio Allow ing state-inspected meat proces sors to sell across state lines could mean $56 million to Ohio’s eco nomy, according to an Ohio State University study. Today’s law allows only feder ally inspected meat processors to ship their products to other states and restricts nearly 260 state inspected plants from expanding into interstate markets. But Ohio State agricultural eco nomist Tom Sporleder found that lifting the restriction would likely • 9 am- 4 pm Thurs. EXIT 40, SYRACUSE* Auburn RT.2O strong proponent of environmen tal sustainability. Swenson was an official U.S. delegate to last November’s World Food Summit, which dealt with balancing world food security and environmental concerns. He was also a particip ant in a follow-up teleconference to the Summit that was broadcast to IS sites nationwide May 21. “Family farmers and ranchers increase the gross revenue of Ohio’s meat processing sector by more than $36 million and improve the sector’s earnings by $3.4 million. About 17 percent of die livestock slaughtered in Ohio are state inspected, compared to only 2 percent nationally. Because of the predicted increase in meat sales, gross revenue for Ohio’s businesses as a whole could improve by more than $56 million and earnings ftcrihcasi *s Agricultural NBUI onm PROFIT FFMINttRS FOR 97! Tuesday Feeding, Managing and milking for the bottom line New York Dairy Initiative Klck-oIT Herd Management, cow comfort& profit Wednesday Transition Cow Day Thursday Managing Your Labor Force Com Day at EFD 716/526-5356 Fax: 716/526-6576 PO Box 566 Stanley. NY 14561 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 19, 1997-D3 are anxious to continue making environmental investments in their land if they are able to retain ownership and if public policy makes it economically feasible to make such investments,” said Swenson. “It is also crucial that international trade agreements encourage such action, rather than make investments in die environ ment economically daunting.” could increase by $17.4 million if the regulations were changed, Sporleder said. The equivalent of about 12S full-time jobs also would be added to the meat processing sector and 588 jobs gained across the economy. "The added revenue and jobs wouldn’t happen the first year, but they would happen as the eco nomy adjusts to the new law,” Sporleder said. He thinks the impact of changing the law could be even larger. The study only accounts for plants that slaughter animals. Companies that buy carcasses and process them into pml products were not included because the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not have statistics on those. The study includes two parts. The first used a computer program designed by Spor leder called OHFOOD that accounts for the linkages of industries in the economy and estimates the potential economic influence of changes in Ohio’s food and agricultural sec tors. The second part looked at how changing current law specifically would affect four Ohio meat processors Broughton Cannery in Broughton, Tyler Meat Company in Toledo, Falter Packing Company in Colum bus and Blue Chip Meats in Cincinnati. “These case studies show that the current regulation restricts small, family-owned slaughter and processing plants from expand ing sales by 27 percent to 40 percent,” Spor leder said. The plants are not allowed to participate in interstate value-added specialty product markets or enter into local supply relation ships with firms that distribute meat products outside of Ohio. While changing the law would also mean state-inspected plants in other states could market in Ohio, Sporleder thinks Ohio pro cessors would still come out ahead. “I think Ohio processors create unique niche market and above-average-quality pro ducts that are ndn-substitutable,” Sporleder said. “Ohio processors have distinguishable brand names and offer farmers a local outlet for their livestock.” State-inspected processors have the option to switch to federally inspected programs, allowing them to ship their products across state borders. But the cost to bring plants and equipment into federal compliance and inflexible federal inspection schedules dis courage many of these smaller plants from switching, Sporleder said. Food safety assurance is not a concern with interstate sale of state-inspected meat, because state inspection standards are required to be at least equal to federal meat and poultry inspections. The Ohio Department of Agriculture asked Ohio State to conduct the study. Sporleder, Ohio State agricultural economics graudate student Elizabeth Belleville and Ohio State University Extension economist Constance Jackson complete the project. ODA joined with three Ohio meat packing companies and the Ohio Association of Meat Processors in a lawsuit filed in February against the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the federal prohibition of interstate ship ment of state-inspected meat and poultry pro ducts. The suit alleges the ban violates the constitutional rights to due process and equal treatment of 26 states and approximately 3,000 state-inspected meat and poultry pro-
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