(Continued from Pago A 10)
member of the Board of Directors
of the National Assoc, of Conven
ience Stotts, said higher milk
prices could impact his industry.
Well, Mr. Markham, I do not
agree. 1 am a shift supervisor for a
local convenience store, and can
tell you that the bulk of what goes
out of a C-Store is not dairy prod
ucts. Most of our gross profit is
from convenience Goods such as
pizza, subs, and soda. Let’s not
forget gas, cigarettes, and “novel
ty” items such as an over-the
counter, highly volatile drug
called Ephedrine. I have been told
the reason our stores are still car
rying this item is because it is a
high profit one. (So much for
ethics.)
I have no idea what other C-
S tores carry for product, but ours
has a pizza franchise. This repre
sents a huge chunk of our profits
and I do know that on the
nights we are low on milk prod
ucts the pizza, subs and soda
still fly out the door at an amazing
rale.
Mr. Markham your industry
will always have some control of
the pricing of your products. We
sell our pizza for a profit it
would he self-defeating not to
right? Well, that is all dairy farm
ers are asking—to be able to have
a profit margein to work with.
They are still desperately trying to
operate their businesses (farms)
while being paid at the same level
they were in the 19705. How long
could your industry survive at
those prices? How many employ
ees would you have if you only
paid them the minimum wage of
1975??
I was proud of our store and the
compliments we receive from cus
tomers, but now I am ashamed to
represent an industry that is ob
viously not for the family farm. I
would also like to mention that a
Registered
Cnarolais
Bulls.
American-International Charolais Association
RO. Box 20247 • Kansas Gly, MO 64195 • (816) 464-5977 • FAX (8)6) 464-5759
E-Mail: diarusa@sound.net • www.diarolajsusa.com
Tbi AKA is ihi offtdalngßlry for florofcfc and Charbmy.
lot of C-stores got their humble
beginnings by selling their fami
ly’s farm products how soon
we forget (Wawa, Turkey Hill
do these ring a bell?)
I would like to suggest that any
one involved in agriculture to boy
cott C-stores. Cook at home—get
your gas at the neighborhood sta
tion (there are still some left).
STOP PAYING FOR CONVEN
IENCE THEY ARE NOT
HELPING YOU ONE BIT]!!!
Deborah L. Mitchell
Wife & Mother
Dairy Farmer
Shift Supervisor
MeOertou, PA
Editor:
The Farm Act of 19% removed
farm support programs and
eliminated disaster relief for crop
loss. To offset the blow these pro
visions would have on the agricul
tural community, die government
promised to expand the Federal
Crop Insurance Program so that
Crop Insurance would be a sturdy
safety net for farmers in distress.
If the proposed legislation that
is currently before Congress
should pass, the government
promises to stand behind the
Federal Crop Insurance Program
will be broken. Congress has pro
posed the following:
• CAT Crop insurance policy-
Upcoming Charolais Events
Charolais Sale
Maine-New England Beef Expo
April 25
Colonial Charolais Association
World Class Sale, Futurity and Junior Show
Myers Charolais Farm
Clear Spring, Maryland
May 9
Colonial Charolais Association
Field Day
University of Maryland
Clarksville, Maryland
July 11
Profit
For assistance locating or marketing quality Charolais genetics,
contact an A/CA Field Representative
(816) 587-3070
CentrallNortheast
Field Representative
holders pay either a $6O adminis
trative fee or 10 percent of the pre
mium for the 1999 growing sea
son.
■ • Higher 1999 Catastrophic
Coverage Premiums.
• CAT coverage reduced from
60 percent of the established price
to SS percent of the established
price.
• Service Fees to insurance car
riers reduced.
In short, growers will be paying
more money for reduced coverage
and reduced service. This policy
will impact high dollar farmers
(apples, grapes, cranberries, blue
berries, potatoes, cotton, citrus, to
matoes) much harder than most
other growers (com, soybeans).
See illustrations following this let
ter.
The vote for this bill is currently
being delayed, due to increasing
support from growers across the
nation. It is critical that you con
tact your senators and representa
tives immediately and make these
three points:
1) Contrary to the notion that it
impacts only the large wealthy
farmers, this policy actually dis
criminates against farmers grow
ing high dollar crops (apples,
grapes, cranberries, blueberries,
potatoes, cotton, citrus, tomatoes).
Most growers (com, soybean).
(423) 878-4607
Southeast Field
Representative
Unctar Ftnrtng, Saturday, April it, 1998-All
will not be impacted by this
policy.
2) The proposed change in
government policy would break
the government’s promise that
crop insurance will replace farm
support programs. Crop insurance
is the oily safety net for the agri
cultural community.
3) The change in policy will un
intentionally undermine the
Federal Crop Insurance Program
by forcing the larger, more pro
gressive growers to drop out of the
program and self-insure their
crop. With the majority of the re
maining growers being the higher
risk farms, either rates will have to
be increased or subsidies will have
to be increased. As taxpayers, we
find both of these options unac
ceptable.
4) Believing that specialized
servicing would increase the qual
ity of the service, the government
transferred the servicing for crop
insurance policies from the FSA
to private insurance carriers. Like
farmers, private insurance carriers
have to allocate their resources
based on profitability. In short, re
duced service fees to carriers
mean reduced service to farmers.
This government mentality will
destroy the Crop Insurance de
livery system.
Thank you for your prompt at
tention to this matter. This issue is
vital to the agricultural com
munity. If you have any questions,
please call me at 1-800-422-8335.
Bernard C. Morrissey
Ephrata
*• ,0 r
■i *■#>*& &,<*'*>* •*
Cumberland Valley Tractor
Pullers' Association
1998 Pulls
April 25 (Raindate May 2), May 16,
June 13, August 12, September 12
Newville Fairgrounds, Newville, PA
6:30 PM
Combination of Classes will put! each night
Information: (717)776-576\
(717)249-8434
Clip and Save
bale splitters
Distributed By;
[gill CUMMINGS and BRISKER, Inc.
lOOStoverDnve 100 120 Lehigh Ave P080*928
Carlisle PA 17013 Batavia NowYortt 14021-0926
717/249-6720 716/343 5411
1-800-222 8969 1 800-252 1552
Serving Farmers Through Farm Equipment Dealers Since 1961
(Turn to Figo Ml)
W f 5.
rIUGENT
ENGINEERING I
Easy Connection
with Universal 3
Point Linkage
Safety Guard
Unique Two-sided
Blade
4 Quality Forged
Tines
Hardweanng Enamel
Finish
Manufactured From
Heavy Gauge Steel
Cuts Bales of all
Sizes
High Speed Cutting
Action
Cuts Easily, Cleanly
& with Minimum of
Effort
WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS