FARMER Members Care, Make A Difference (Continued from Page A3O) instead, to look farther that just at the fall’s elections. He said that he would recom mend looking to the fall election as a tone-setter for the 1999 primary, and what it can mean to influence Gov. Ridge Proclaims May Pennsylvania Egg Month HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Gov. Tom Ridge has pro claimed May as Pennsylvania Egg Month in recognition of the com monwealth’s poultry industry and reputation as a world leader in egg production. Gov. Ridge said Pennsylvania Egg Month honors the common wealth’s egg producers for the economical and nutritious eggs they provide. Pennsylvania is ranked third na tionally in egg production. The state’s laying flocks produce near ly six million eggs and generate more than $264.8 million for the state’s economy each year. “The Ridge Administration continues to work with the state’s poultry producers to build an in ternational market for the indus try,” said Agriculture Secretary YOUR MANURE IS OUR BREAD 8 BUTTER • Sa • S( •J-*' • Custom Application 1r t 1 Liquid Manure is a valuable resource and a challenge to handle. You need an expert! At Mid-Atlantic Agrisystems, liquid manure is our bread and butter not a sideline. To solve your problems we carry the most (yrnfiffa Mid-Atlantic AgriSystems « 4019 Ashville Rd., Quarryville, Pa. 17566 Dealer in Northeast Last 5 Years 800-222-2948 OKI Second Largest Houle WSA 74 7,52Q.27ft9 Dealer In The World! federal representation and power. But first, he told the group, in essence, that they should be encouraged in their political endeavors, mainly because leader ship is needed and, unfortunately, it appears that much of the general Samuel E. Hayes Jr. “Gov. Ridge and I are committed to helping the poultry- industry expand and to protecting poultry flocks from de vastating diseases such as avian influenza.” Following the 1997 avian influ enza outbreak. Gov. Ridge work ed with the General Assembly to secure $S million to provide finan cial assistance to affected Lancas ter and Lebanon counties poultry producers. Also, the Ridge Administra tion’s Agriculture and Health de partments worked with the Penn sylvania Poultry Federation to de velop the Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program (PEQAP), a public/private part nership designed to assure the quality and safety of eggs pro duced in Pennsyvania. • Installation • Custom Design complete line of equipment in the region, have years of practical hands-on experience, and offer valuable knowledge about products and the latest, most effective manure handling equipment. Call the experts. Call Mid-Atlantic. public is either too busy, too wrapped up in their own lives, or too apathetic to be concerned. “That leaves it to people who really cate,” he said, “and you do.” He said that those attending the banquet should be proud because of their participation in helping to influence the system of public pol icy creation and development Jones said FARMER members should be proud of their efforts because they are the ones who show up at functions and events, who pay to support issues and can didates, and who are not afraid to get out and work for their candidates. But he said that instead of just looking at fall elections, he prefers to consider primary elections as key elections, because they deter mine who is going to be contend ing for seats in November. Likewise, be said that Pennsyl vania's November elections are important because they set the power balance and tone for prima ries next year, when the Republi can majority of the House of Rep resentatives is expected to be challangcd. He said the outcome of the gov ernor’s race this fall, along with the outcome of races for several Pennsylvania seats on the U.S. USED/RENTAL LIQUID MANURE EQUIPMENT May Special 1995 Houle 5,250 gal. w/6 28Lx26 tires, exc. shape, all options Spreaders 1998 Houle 4800 gal. w/28Lx26 tires, steering and brakes $21,900 1998 Houle 6000 w/Brakes 28Lx26 tires $20,400 1998 Houle 3600 gal. w/23.1x26 tires $12,500 1997 Houle 3600 gal. w/23.1x26 tires $11,500 Houle 4,250 gal., used w/ 23.1x26 tires $ll,BOO Houle 6,000 gal. w/28Lx26 tires, self-loading option $25,000 1997 Houle 4,800 gal. w/28Lx26 tires, no brakes, excellent condition $ 15,500 IH Paystar Truck w/approx. 4,000 gal. Diller tank 5,000 gal. 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Jones said that those who feel he is should go out and support Goo dling. “The outcome will depend on those who care,” he said. FARMER members should keep in mind that many political races can come down to the differ ence between “a couple hundred votes or a couple thousand dol lars,” he said. He said that Goodling’s race is important because it helps deter mine whether U.S. Congress for the last two years of Clinton’s term will be Republican powered, or Democratically powered. Voting for individuals not only has bearing locally, butithas bear- $24,000 $15,000 $l,OOO $15,900 $7,000 $7,200 ....CALL ....CALL CALL $2,000 ing on national issues and the polit ical power environment that can allow agendas to move forward, he said. As a group, be said FARMER members need to know where it is they want to go, policy wise, and politically how to get there. In other words, he was advising them to develop a strategy to accomplish their agenda and to develop their politic action strategy upon that foundation. But he also urged them not to became trapped into the politically imprudent practice of becoming “one-issue" voters and decide whom to support on one platform issue. He said this is a dangerous prac tice for those who truly wish to accomplish larger political goals because an announced position on <me issues such as abortion tights, does little to ensure that the candi date has any political savy, under standing of the constituency, com petency to perform, or ability to deliver on any preanises once in office. Instead, he said he recommends selecting candidates who can be “trusted.” By that, he explained that, in his experience, a public representative who generally agrees with the majority of policy positions of his con stituency, who is open to discussing the issue and can intelligently explain why he may dis agree with a position and can’t in good consci ence vote for it, is a better choice as a political representative than someone who champions a single cause, or happens to publicly support one issue. Jones also said he had respect and thanks for those who are willing to lend themselves to public service and the political process. He said it is difficult for anyone because “anything you did bad will be in the newspap ers, and if you never did anything bad, it will still be in the newspapers (that you did).” Public representatives are always vilified for their personal convictions, he said. “When we look at a legislator, a senator or congressman, you may think, ‘That’s a good job!’” Jones said, adding that it really isn’t. “It’s a tough job.” He said that those who don’t feel they have the pockets or free time to dedicate to a candi date’s campaign can do other such things as allowing signs to be placed in their yard, or in cases where local ordinances forbid such sig nage, bumper stickers prominently displayed help create the necessary name recognition needed for election. He said letter writing, willingness to be part of a radio program or advertisement can also be key contributions to carrying out a successful campaign. Personal endorsements are also important, he said, especially from farmers. Though he didn’t specifically refer to the fact that farmers enjoy a public perception of wholesomeness, honesty and family values, despite public sentiment against “corporate farming” and pesticides, etc., he said, “Your voice as a farmer means more. Your public endorsement (of a candidate), any way you can, can make a difference,” he said. He said farmers who freely speak to others about candidates in personal conversations (even at a public store), at public events or in news interviews, will have an impact on the vote. He also said that it should be considered that a person’s livelihood is very much affected by public policy making and those who work as hard for a candidate as they do for a living will have the candidates they want. Additionally, Jones did a brief and rapid review of some of the contested and unusual races in the state for this fall. Though he didn’t delve deeply into them, he mentioned enough specifics to indicate he was aware of the key issues that appear to hold the most influence in the outcome of those races. However, he didn’t predict any of those races, rather mentioning them and advising the group to select carefully.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers