A2frUncMter Farming, Saturday, December 27, 1897
Farmers Urged To
Complete Census
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
Fanners across Pennsylvania
and the nation are being asked to
lake a few minutes to fill out the
1997 Census of Agriculture report
form. This is the 25th time since
1840 that data have been collected
on America’s agricultural activity,
but the 1997 Census will be the
first one conducted by NASS,
USDA.
In Pennsylvania the 1997 Cen
sus of Agriculture will be coordin
ated by the Pennsylvania Agricul
tural Statistics Service (PASS).
American agriculture is a dyna
mic, evolving industry and many
changes have occurred in rural
America in the five years since the
last Census of Agriculture was
taken. The need for reliable statis
tics about our nation’s farmers and
ranchers has never been greater.
Conducting the agriculture census
is the only way we get information
to measure trends in the structure
of American agriculture at the na
tional, state, and county level. It is
WATERLESS TOILETS
"Sun-Mar”
Composting
Toilets
Several models available
Including non-electnc.'
• NO Septic System
• NO Chemicals
Save the Environment!
Recycle Back to Nature!
FREE:
12 Page Color Catalog
H'e Reclaim Failing Septic Systems
■ Guaranteed Results!
ECO TECH Call Today 1-800-879-0973
the only source of uniform, com
prehensive data on production, in
ventories. sales, expenditures, and
operator characteristics on a
county-by-county basis for some
3,100 counties.
Agriculture census data serve as
a foundation for agricultural sta
tistics. They are widely used by
farm organizations, legislators,
and those who provide goods and
services to farmers and ranchers.
The census report form is de
tailed, but all information on indi
vidual farm operations is kept
confidential by law. Only statisti
cal totals are published, and only
sworn National Agricultural Sta
tistics Service employees see the
individual report forms.
Considering the need for accur
ate information to face the chal
lenges of the next five years, sit
ting down and filling out the 1997
Census of Agriculture report form
may be the best few minutes farm
ers and ranchers can invest in the
future of American agriculture.
READ
LANCASTER
FARMING
FOR COMPLETE
AND
UP-TO-DATE
MARKET
REPORTS
— »^
©PG3&T7QH]® S^WffiflSKTO 1 m
it
w
Tee/efa
©l sm ©® 09 QKl© o D^‘
Om SCOT PUMP « TUTHILL
Division of Ardox Corp CORPORATION
«... Mißi*
Agri-Truck 500
• F-Senes Trucks w/7.3L Turbo Diesel
• 3 Yr/36,000 Mile warranty
• XLT Package
• 500 Gallon Poly Tank Or SS Elliptical
Tank
• 45’ or 60’ Boom
• Quick Mount Spray System
• Raven Auto Control
THE #1 LEADER IN MANUFACTURED
SPRAYER EQUIPMENT
Agri-Chem 45'OR 60’ TPH Booms
• Rugged & Dependable
• Hydraulic Fold, Raise & Level
• Outer Tip Breakaway
• Center Boom Section Pivots On Spherical
Radial Bearing To Provide Self-Leveling Action
• Two Gas-Charged Shock Absorbers Further
Promote Overall Stability
ag’chem
ECNNPMCNT CO. MC
I. , ,
A4A4A«iA«.* A i A * t j a a a i * i
Strategies For A Too-Low Milk Price
(Continued from Page Al 9)
own yogurt and cheese.
Does this make financial sense?
Just look at grocery market
shelves.
Typical cheese prices charged
by stores range from $3 to
$25/pound, depending on type,
age, origin and import (which in
cludes customs duty).
Cow milk cheeses range from
$3 to $l5, while sheep and goat
milk cheeses, such as Roquefort,
Pecorino, Chevrc and Feta (some
from domestic production), often
command higher prices.
In England, the new alternative
on some farms has become milk
ing sheep for the high prices sheep
cheeses bring. In Norway in recent
years, the alternative for some cow
farmers has been milking daily
goats for their popular goat
cheeses.
Packaging in smaller units in
stead of gallons or pounds also im
proves the final price per pound; so
does “low fat “low salt," “low
cholesterol" or organic designa
tions.
If one assumes that SO percent of
the retail price reflects the cost for
processing, storing, packaging and
ag-eham
,-z ' - ~’’ <jfr fc "'^
yp.^, if
/'S’ 1 -’, .** Ijj-Jy p’_ v /j, y
Agri-Chem Pull-Type Sprayer 750& 1000
• 750 & 1000 Gallon Features A Heavy Duty
Frame, Polyethylene
• Elliptical Tank With Sump & SS Sprayer
Tube For Agitation
• Large Accessory Platform, Adj. Hitch
• 2000 Lbs. Tongue Jack & 8 Gal. Fresh
Water Tank
*.'« • ■ x v.
/ // */" '*
Agri-ChemSK4oo Skid Mounted Sprayer
• Slides In & Out Of A Standard Pick-Up Bed, Is
• Self-Leveling Recommended For Use With 3/4 Ton Or Larger
Vehicles
• 45' or 60' Boom Featuring Hydraulic Raise, Fold
And Level
SEE THE AG-CHEM EQUIPMENT DISPLAY AT THE
KEYSTONE FARM SHOW
January 6 & 7 - York Fairgrounds, York, PA
1-800-760-8800 - prampi *2
Dmmtmr InquMmm Wmlcomo
promotion, then the cheese prices
from $4 to $25 per pound mean
$1.50 to $12.50 per pound toward
the cost of the milk in each cheese.
If we assume 10 pounds of
cheese are derived from 100
pounds of milk, then the milk price
looks better for fanners retailing
their own milk in the form of
cheese $l5 to $125.50 per 100
pounds milk!
In addition to the ‘‘produce-less”
strategy, the “sell-more" strategy,
and the “value-added” strategy,
you might try what some Florida
fanners have done for years. In
stead of sticking with low-fat
Holsteins, breed for high-test Hol
steins or add Jerseys to the herd.
How does this strategy make
financial sense?
A herd with 100 Holsteins at
1,300 pounds bodyweight and
20,000 pounds milk per year might
be equal to 130 Jerseys at 1,000
pounds bodyweight and 15,000
pounds milk, in terms of total feed
z*\®o©oosffia Q
Ag-Chem Stable/Poultry House Washer
• 2,000 Lb. Jack Durable Frarrfe
• 2 Yr. Warranty
• 500 Or 760 Gallon Elliptical Tank, Full
Length Stainless Steel Sprayer Tube
Several Pump Options, 24 GPM 31
GPM, 43 GPM, Adjustable Nozzles &
Booms For Cleaning Ceilings, Floors &
Side Walts
l'l/i n iJ/hgf-*-
y'
eoatom
rlpfvfi
fhwlinA
Ag-Chem 502 T Pull-Type Sprayer
• Formed Steel Channel Frame For Extra
Durability, Tongue Attaches To Axle
• Maximum Pulling Strength, Tandem Axle
• Row Crop Ad|ustable, 60” to 80”
• 2000 Lb Rated Tongue Jack
• 500 Gallon Poly Tank, Deep Sump
• Stainless Steel Sparger Tube For Maximum
Agitation
• 10" Diameter Top Fillwell Opening With A
Splash Guard
Agrl-ChemTPH 250 Three-Point Spraysr
• Allows You Greater Maneuverability In Tight
Areas
• Frame Attaches To A Category 2 Or 3
Hitch & Is Engineered
• 250 Gallon Rated Teardrop
• Ultra-Violet Inhibitors
• Stainless Steel Full Length Sparger Tubs
• 10’ Wide Splash Guard Cover
• Deep Withdrawal Sump
• Markings Molded In The Tank
consumption, although more labor
and houscing are needed.
hr terms of bodyweight, the two
herds are equal; they also are about
equal in terms of total milk pro
duced 2,000,000 pounds Hol
stein milk vs. 1,950,000 pounds
Jersey milk per herd per year.
However, the farmgate price for
Holstein milk is currently about
$l3 per 100 pounds; for Jersey
milk, it is $l5 per 100 pounds,
because of the difference in
composition.
This is $260,000 per year for the
100-head Holstein herd verus
$292,500per year for the 130-head
Jersey herd. A nice little extra
$32,500 milk money for the Jersey
herd per year.
The same could be said of any
Holstein herd, if they are bred to
produce a higher milk composi
tion.
My wish for you for the New
Year is that one of these strategics
will prove to be a solution to your
current too-low milk price.
ari4KMi
a w mg
r
j ‘ -s
■fn
OJ '>
■— ’ O.
m
SSE-Sm'
ISFaraEl^S'
iwknmiwi
m