A4O-Lancastef Farming, Saturday, February 21, 1998 EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) —The meeting of farmers working to decrease production costs through the utilization of pastures in grazing was held this week as the Sth annual Southeast Pennsylvania Grazing Conference. Sponsored by the Lancaster County Grazers undo* the theme of “Increasing Profits in a Depressed Market,” soil management and reduction of input costs were the major topics of discussion. On Monday, Gary Zimmer. Wisconson organic fanner and soil consultant, opened the conference on the premise that the soil is the stomach of the plant And the plants you feed the cows provide a balanced, healthful diet if the soil nutrients and minerals are also in balance. “Healthy soils keep the animals healthy,” Zimmer said. Jerry Swisher, Augusta County, Virginia extension agent and graz ing consultant, presented profiles of successful grass farmers in Vir- ginia. These farms use grazingc or partial grazing as a management tool to bring down costs. Often tot al production drops, but the bottom line gets better when farms switch to grazing, according to Swisher’s report. At least one farm in the profiles uses seasonal dairying where a large part of the herd is bred to freshen in the late winter to best utilize the growing season for grass, and the remainder of the herd is bred in the fall to carry the milk flow over the winter. Jim Landis, a dairyman from Georgia, returned again this year to bring the economics of dairying into focus. He is very critical of articles in Lancaster Fanning that Paul B. gQGDQC’GDS Install The Gates & Fencing That Are Manufactured To Last! Finished with Top Grade TGIC Polyester Coating All Gates & Fencing manufac tured of 1.9” outsMe diameter high yield steel tubing with 13 gauge wall. 13 gauge steel is 15% heavier than 14 gauge, 45% heavier than 16 gauge & 85% heavier than 18 gauge \\\\\ LAPP S BARN EQUIPMENT Grazing Conference Focus: Cost Of 100 Pounds Milk Production On The Farm show top production, show cows, and promote the idea that milk prices are too low. In his topic “Do you know your cost per hundred weight?” Landis said most farmers do not know this cost and thus cannot make adjust ments to improve their bottom lines. He said you can’t do much about the milk price, but you have almost total control over every pro duction cost Landis divides these costs into operating and capital use costs. To get started, he said you need to set a period of time and take inventory of everything on the farm at the begining and the end of this period. A one year period is usually best because you include all the season al fluctuations. Knowing the increase or decrease of your inventory of hay, silage, and stored grains is impor tant information you need so you can figure cost per hundredweight And the change in value of these resources from one year to the next is often overlooked on the bottom line. Of course you need to account for all your feed, labor, energy, irri gation, and service costs under operating expenses. For capital use costs you should consider the value of your farm and figure the interest costs if you borrowed the whole amount. If you have machinery housed on the farm, count it as a capital expense. If you rent machinery or services, it goes on the operating side. Obviously, low er capital investment lowers your cost per hundredweight These three speakers returned for topics the second day of the conference. In addition, Nate Leo nard, a grazing consultant from New York State, spoke about how to establish and maintain good Hinge lor 3/4" pm Round corners for ' welded to gate J safely S strength Slant Bar Feed Thru Fence Section 5935 OLD PHILADELPHIA PIKE, GAP, PA 17527 PHONE: 717-442-8134 • FAX 717-442-3112 SALES & SERVICE Call or Write For Free Catalog TGIC Powder Coating Finish: • Is superior to epoxy • Resists acid, chemicals • Protects against rust, corrosion • Resists chipping • Stays cleaner Standard Heights • 4 bar 38" high • 5 bar 48" high • 6 bar 54“ high t Stub welded to gale I for automatic latch Vertical bracing ,J Custom Built to Any Length stands of grass. And Nevin Mast, a Pennsylvania organic dairy farmer, discussed the problems and Weaver Family PASA Leadership Award (ConllniMd from Pag* A 1) started practicing low-input/sus tainable fanning methods after ex periencing family and herd health problems. The Weavers currently rotate crops on contoured strips, use no pesticides, incorporate pre digested manure into the soil with in 24 hours, and cultivate their crops. Don believes their 23,000-pound herd average is ris ing because they’ve been concen trating on cow comfort, improving the farm’s water quality, and growing better forages. Over 500 people registered for PASA’s two-day conference which took place at the Penn Stat er Hotel and Conference Center (formerly the Scanticon). The opening keynote speaker Denise O’Brien spoke optimisti cally about the future, about creat ing “a more just and sustainable food system.’’ A farm activist for 21 years, O’Brien raises poultry, berries, vegetables and tree fruit in lowa. She chairs the Women, Food and Agriculture Network, a support and mentoring organiza tion for women in all sectors of sustainable agriculture. She is past president of the National Family Farm Coalition. During a session on local co operative milk marketing, experts from two cooperatives discussed how their co-ops were started. Earl Spencer from Allied Feder ated Cooperative in New York outlined Allied’s services to its members, all county-based, mem ber driven co-ops. “We actually promote MORE co-op start-ups through our federation,” stated Spencer. Members of the Pioneer Valley Milk Producers Co-op told Why Pasture Mat? Pasture Mat is tightly stuffed with rubber and sewn every 4” to prevent shifting. Proven most durable top cover. Least abrasive top cover on the market. Fits any stall. Proven performance. For details and installation with over 4 years experience, call Petersheim’s Cow Mattresses 117 Christiana Pike (Route 372), Christiana, PA 17509 610-593-2242 U.S. Pat. No, 5653195 methods erf making the switch from conventional to organic production. how in Western Massachusetts last year, fanners from 60 local dairy operations gathered to ex plore the possibility of marketing their milk under a value-added la bel. The “Get Milk ... Locally” campaign was launched in Sep tember and has doubled sales for members in just five months. Reknown lowa hog producer, Tom Frantzen spoke about various types of pasture areas, the number, length of time, and animals best suited for grazing, plus fence and water systems. He urged farmers to examine their farming opera tions for loss of biodiversity, erod ing top soil, depleting water re sources, and an increasing de pendence upon outside inputs. When talking about raising hogs with minimal confinement, which he has done for 25 years, Frantzen humorously added that the ideal hog house pays for itself in three years and self-destructs in five! Dale and Kate Thomsen of Wil low Springs Farm in Bedford County spoke of their poultry and dairy sheep operation. The Thom sens market fresh (not frozen) pas tured poultry duriong the summer months and sheep cheese through out the winter. Although they’ve chosen not to label their products “organic,” the Thomsens believe in raising animals for food in a healthy way. Jim McLaughlin of the Pastured Poultry Association of South Cen tral New York (PPA SCNY) talked about his organization’s growth into a soon-to-be state as sociation. Since its inception, PPA SCNY has purchased a mobile processing unit, enabled its mem bers to buy bulk feed, and in creased awareness concerning the Pasture Mat The Golden Standard In Cow Comfort Sam Petersheim Tapes of all sessions are avail able. For more information contact Arden Landis (717) 529-6644. Earns importance of sanitation in pre venting diseases such as Avian Flu. In a session on the Milk Mar keting Initiative, Lori Sandman, Project manager for the Dairy Network Partnership (DNP), dis cussed the progress of the Partner ship, a collaboration of diverse agencies such as Rodale Institute, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, PASA, Penn State, EPA, and others. The DNP’s purpose is to improve environmental quality through market-based incentives to farmers implementing a pollu tion prevention plan aimed at farmyard improvements impact ing water quality. Featured speaker Kathleen Merrigan, a Washington-based senior analyst for the Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture close the conference with her Tale of Two Agricul tures. Merrigan said sustainability is about agriculture and more. “It’s about communities in co operation, answering a deeper need we all have to create on earth an environment, in all senses of the word, able to sustain future generations.” proclaimed Merri gan, a former staffer for the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee who serves on the Steering Com mittee of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture. The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture is a member-based organization dedi cated to promoting a healthy food supply through profitable forming designed to sustain the environ ment for future generations. For more information, call at (814) 349-9856. or write PASA, P.O. Box 419, Millheim, PA 16854. The Rewards • Better Cow Health • Reduced Leg Injury • Reduced Swollen Hocks • More Lactation Per Cow - More Milk • Reduced Bedding Costs • Pasture Mats Often Pay For Themselves Within 6 Months.
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