Vol. 42 No. 50 Producer Creates Quality Product, Protects Environment For his efforts in promoting land stewardship while overseeing profitable hog enterprises, Jerry Hostetter of Hostetter Swine Management Systems, Denver, left, was honored with this year’s Environmental Stewardship Award, eastern region. An employee, Scott Bailey, right, won the Pork All-American Award in June this year. Photo by Andy Andrew » State Recognizes 100,000 th Acre In Farmland Preservation VERNON ACHENBACH JR. Lancaster Farming Staff NAZARETH (Northampton Co.) —On a 1,350-acre family farm in the southeast region of the Pennsylvania state governmental and agricultural leadership on Tuesday recognized the milestone of breaking the 100,000 th acre mark in farmland preservation. In addition. Gov. Tom Ridge signed an executive order that calls for continued cooperation between state and local agencies to protect farmland through the state’s farm land preservation program, which secures development rights on that property. Ridge effectively said that his order is to direct state agencies to Leaders, 4-H’ers Receive Achievement Recognition LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) “Winning is nice. But in life, we fail more than we succeed,” Gerald Boyd said to fel low 4-H’ers and leaders at the 4-H Recog nition Night at Bent Creek Country Club Thursday night But 18-year-old Gerald achieved the ultimate win when he received the Super ior Achievement Award. The annual award is given to the most outstanding 4-H’er who best achieves all-around growth in project skills, leadership abili ties, improvement in life skills, decision making, citizenship, participation in club, county, regional, state, and national 4-H events, and in school and community u'-.r',o‘i4 ‘'7o r '':u PI PIDDU Al C, I)i V U,] UN IIMN ST A 11- IJMIVI -Fw JTV w. O'? fA fir. I IDIP'RN UN IV PAKi PA l<-:- :t) -- l • 4 Sections October Pork Month Highlights Environmental Awareness actively seek ways to preserve the state’s prime agricultural land, rather than to take a passive role. According to a news release, “The order provides a common definition of primary agricultural land and a common vision to focus on the importance of preserving the state’s valuable farmlands.” Ridge said that he signed the executive order to, ”... enjoin all state agencies to join to protect farmland.” He said that the state ”... need(s) a common vision. That vision must focus on preserving as much” farmland as possible. The event was held on the farm of the Willard Setzer family, a farming operation started in 1953 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 18, 1997 During a standing ovation for Gerald, he expressed emotional gratitude for being a recipient of the award initiated 14 years ago by his grandparents, the late Elmer L. and Pauline E. Boyd. The award is a legacy of the Boyd family, who recognized the positive influence of 4-H that permeates the attitudes of participants throughout life. Gerald told of joining 4-H 11 years ago and how, at first, he was most thrilled with the ribbons he won in showing hogs and dairy cattle. In his fifth year of 4-H involvement, the 4-H county agent chal lenged him to record the experiences he gained, the things he learned, and the emo tions he felt when charting his progress. that now includes a third genera tion living and working there. The location was selected because, when the family sold the development rights on a 273-acre tract of the farm to Northampton County for $1,093,247, the acreage pushed the state total over the 100,000 acre mark. Because of the overcast condi tions, two large white tents were erected in a hay field next to com fields, off a field lane behind the main farm house and buildings. In one tent a platform and podium with the state seal was setup with folding chair for atten dees. Some stood at the rear of the tent during ceremonies. In the other large tent was the ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Fanning Staff DENVER (Lancaster Co.) If you look at it one way, it could be considered a “preemptive” strike. That “strike” is the culmination of years planning, building, man aging, and ultimately reaping the rewards of good environmental stewardship. And according to one large scale hog facilities manager, all of it is an effort to ward off attacks by environmental groups, those who are opposed to concentrated ani mal agriculture, and myths that certain types of ag companies are too “big business” and could care less about environmental stewardship. For his efforts in promoting land stewardship while overseeing pro fitable hog enterprises, Jerry Hos tetler of Kostetter Swine Manage ment Systems, Denver, was hon ored with this year’s Environmental StewafflfSflfp Award, eastern region, under a program sponsored by the Nation al Pork Producers Council and related industries. Nazareth Area High School Blue Eagle Marching Band, which per formed several pieces prior to the arrival of Gov. Ridge, who was slightly behind schedule, and apologized. HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) The local tax reform referen dum, land uses, the Clean Air Act, high health insurance rates, and tractor trailer regulations are a few of the nearly 90 topics to be dis cussed at the upcoming Pennyslva Gerald Boyd, seated, won the Superior Achievement Award. Kneeling are a sister irah and a cousin Brian. Parents Peb'and 1 Kerry flovd are on either side. At right, $28.50 Per Year State Grange Heads to Reading 60C Per Copy Hostetler, who manages 13,000 sows in eight different locations throughout the state, recently spoke to Lancaster Farming about the challenges the hog indus try faces in fanning profitably while helping to protect the environment. A large part of environmental protection involved the installa tion, in 1992, of one of the first lined manure lagoon systems on Swatara Swine, a 1,400-sow farrow-to-feeder pig farm in Leba non County, managed by Hostet ler. Since then, other farms in the industry have used a liner system to protect groundwater and to help improve the management of nutri ents on the farms. A big reason for installing the liner system, Hostetler said, was a legal one. He said, “When you look at how legally liable you are from manure contamination of leaks or anything else, you try to look at that and say, how do you limit it? And I think you limit your exposure by doing more than the standard.” (Turn to Page A4l) A number of news reporters from newspapers, radio and televi sion attended the event. Also present in the audience were the state FFA leaders, who (Turn to Page A2B) nia State Grange Session, Oct. 25-29 in Reading. The 1997 session marks the 125th annual meeting of the Pen nsylvania State Grange. More than 1,000 Grange mem- {Turn to Page Al 9)
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