CS-Lancaster Farming, Friday, January 9, 1998
1
ARDEN TEWKSBURY
Manager of Pro Ag
MESHOPPEN (Wyoming Co.)
—On December 18,1997, one by
one dairy farmers from all sec
tions of New York State went to
the podium to inform the members
of the New York State Governor’s
Task Race of the seriousness re
garding the financial plight of
New York State fanners.
It didn’t seem to matter whether
the dairymen had SO cows or 500
cows; the message was still the
same; if something isn’t done to
increase and stabilize milk prices
to dairy farmers, then many of
these dairymen would be forced
out of business. These farmers
spoke the same message that thou
sands of dairy farmers have been
exploiting at the same meetings
Pro Ag has held since November
of 1996. The farmers that attended
Pro Ag’s meeeting were not radi
cals, nor were the ones that testi
fied in Syracuse.
However, more importantly; it
didn’t matter what organizations
these dairy farmers belonged to,
they all had the same message.
The same message that I’ve lis
tened to altogether too often dur
ing the last IS months.
To me, there appeared to be a
solid support for the Northeast
Dairy Compact, and a new pricing
for milk that will cover the dairy
farmers’ cost, plus a return on
their investment
We can’t change the past, but
we sure can change the future. We
can’t change the fact that some co
ops and organizations have been
dragging their feet on die North-
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Tewksbury Reports On New York Task Force
east Dairy Compact but we now
must work together and give six
additional states the opportunity to
join. After this happens, then other
slates may jointly form additional
Compacts. We can’t change the
fact that many people have been
willing to accept a milk pricing
formula that has cheated dairy
farmers out of billions of dollars
across the United States.
However, all of us now have the
responsibility to develop a pricing
formula that is fair to our dairy
fanners, without gouging our con
sumers. This can be done.
We must all strive to have Con
gress place a floor price under the
Basic Formula Price of $14.50 for
an indefinite period of time. If we
fail to obtain a decent flow price,
then unfortunately the predictions
of many of the dairy farmers that
testified on December 18, 1997
will come true.
In support of the dairy farmers
testimony, many feed dealers, im
plement dealers, etc. went to the
podium explaining the difficulty
they were having to maintain their
businesses as a result of the low,
unstable prices paid to dairy farm
ers. Alarmingly, these are the
same remarks that I have heard
over and over again during the last
IS months.
The remarks of these business
people alone should be enough to
warrant quick action for higher
prices to our dairy farmers.
However, the most alarming
testimony was given by Bob
Smith from the Farm Credit Sys
tem. Farm Credit has done a sur
vey of 11,387 dairy fanners from
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New England, New York, and
Pennsylvania that use the services
of Farm Credit. The survey
showed:
1. 3,456 clients in a healthy
position 30.4%
2. 3,909 some problems
34.3%
3. 1,707 greater problems;
showing stress 15.0%
4. 1.220 greater problems than
Category 3-moderate stress
10.7%
5.) 1,097 sever problems;
severe stress 9.6%
While production credits fig
ures are alarming, they further re
port that if the price-cost squeeze
does not improve then they expect
a further increase of dairy farmers
falling into the stressful categor
ies.
At our Pro Ag rallies it has al
ways appeared that nearly 75% of
the dairy farmers were experienc
ing some form of problems.
Farm Credit figures support our
findings.
The main opposition to increas
ing prices to dairy fanners came
from 3 consumer groups or watch
dog groups. While these groups
appeared not to be against the
family farm, however, they did
call such programs as the North
east Dairy Compact a milk tax and
the Compact should not be imple
mented. When Clyde Rutherford,
a member of the Task Force asked
the groups what alternatives they
would suggest, they basically
were mute.
My observation is that these
groups are on a self-styled mission
to promote their organizations and
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State
times
they don’t represent the average
consumer. I asked the spokesper
son for Public Yoke to stay and
listen to my testimony. During the
last 15 months, Pro Ag has inter
viewed 30,000 consumers (several
from New York City) and only
three have not agreed with our ef-
GETTYSBURG (Adams Co.)
With January 7, 1998, the
deadline for membership renewal
in the Pennsylvania Holstein As
sociation’s incentive program, the
board of directors of the Adams
County Club learned that they
have some work to do to meet
their goal The board met on Mon
day, December 29. 1997, at the
Adams County Extension Office
in a membership wrapup meeting
and agreed to make some addi
tional personal contacts. Unpaid
members will lose benefits after
January 7 and the local club will
be disqualified for the goal at
tained bonus.
Kevin Holtzinger thanked Mar
vin Brown and Rose Wenger for
their special effort on behalf of the
successful cheese sale. A total of
64 cases were sold, the profits go
ing to support the club’s scholar
ship and programs for youth and
product promotion.
Club secretary Phil Van Lieu
reported on his findings of pro
grams conducted for junior mem
ben in neighboring Cumberland
and Franklin counties. He agreed
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Adams Holstein
Board
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forts.
In addition, we have spent
20,000 petitions signed by con
sumers to Washington, D.C. sup
portint our efforts.
It is now up to all of us to ac
complish what must be done for
our agriculture producers.
Meets
to call a meeting of the local junior
members for the purpose of estab
lishing an agenda for the new
year. He will alert these members
of the September IS deadline for
applications for the club
sponsored college scholarship.
Marvin Brown, state director,
reminded the directors that the
deadlines are approaching for pre
registration for both the Pennsyl
vania Holstein Convention and the
1998 Pennsylvania Holstein Con
vention. The latter will be held
February 6-8 at the Holiday Inn,
Union town.
President John Clowney ap
pointed a committee to explore in
terest in the Dairy Princess pro
gram. Club support is available
provided interested qualified can
didates can be identified. Potential
contestants should call him at
334-7011.
Committees are at work on
plans for a late winter tour and a
summer bam meeting. Plans will
be announced at the next meeting
of the board which was set for
Saturday, February g, 1998, at the
Cross Keys Inn near New Oxford.