AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 20, 1998
OPINION
Dairy Price Floor
Petition Denied
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has denied a pet
ition to establish a price floor for milk regulated by federal milk
marketing orders.
In making the announcement, Dan Glickman, agriculture sec
retary, admitted that dairy farmers “continue to undergo signific
ant stress,” but he said the hearing in February at the request of
what is now Dairy Farmers of America did not meet the require
ments of the law or have evidence convincing enough to approve
it.
Glickman cited these reasons:
• Dairy farmers most in distress might not benefit.
• The effects of the floor price would not be distributed evenly.
• Consumers are not in danger of having an inadequate supply
of milk.
• Milk cost to consumers would increased, especially to low
income consumers.
• With the better prices, milk production may increase and
dairy prices get lower again.
This is the same old story of why we can not pay dairy farmers
more for their milk. Consumers ARE in danger of not having an
adequate milk supply if we continue to put dairy farmers out of
business. On second thought, we probably can import milk and
put our food supply in the hands of foreign countries just like we
depend on foreign sources of oil to run our industry.
Increased production comes as much from dairy farmers who
need to add more cows to pay the bills as from profitable milk
prices.
As for higher consumer milk prices, those with money buy
what they want, including $20,000 cars produced with high union
wages and car company profits. And the low income consumers
get food stamps. Let them buy milk instead of the luxuary items
they cart out of the supermarket. We have had a cheap food policy
long enough.
Eastern State Master Gardener
Conference, Penn State Berks
Campus.
Lancaster Farmland Trust Pedal
To Preserve Bike Marathon,
starts at Donegal High School,
Mount Joy, 9 a.m., ends at the
high school.
Sullivan County Dairy Princess
Pageant, Main Street, Dushore,
7:15 p.m.
York County Dairy Princess
Pageant, York County 4-H
Center, Bair Station.
Md. 4-H/FFA Spring Show, Gar
rett County Ag Fairgrounds,
McHenry.
Berks Shire Hunt Paper Chase,
Stonehaven Farm, Limekiln, 8
a.m.-2 p.m.
East Earl Community Farm Festi
val, Conestoga School Yard
(behind East Earl Goodwill
Store), 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Armstrong County Dairy Princess
Pageant, Bonello’s Steakhouse,
West Kittanning, 7 p.m.
Clearfield County Dairy Princess
Pageant, Clearfield Agway,
Clearfield.
Berks County Wool Pool, Lees
port Fanners Market, 7:30
Hershcy.
❖ Farm Calendar ❖
4-H Ambassador Conference,
Penn State University, thru
June 24.
Southern Alleghenies 4-H Camp,
Camp Kanesatake, Spruce
Creek, thru June 25.
Schnecksville Community Fair.
Fresh From the Farm Ag Science
Camp, York County 4-H Cen
ter, thru June 25.
Dairy-MAP On Tour, Jo-Bri-Den
Farm, Newburg, 10:30 a.m.-2
Using Milk Futures Session U,
Kent County Extension Office,
Chestertown, 10:30 a.m.-noon.
Fruit Twilight Meeting, GraybilTs
Fruit Farm, Richfield, 6
p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Ohio Fruit Growers Association
Summer Tour, OARDC,
Wooster.
Dairy-MAP On Tour, Shinko
Farm, Union City, 11 a.m.-2:30
p.m.
1998 Eastern Regional Junior
Angus Show, Farm Show Com
plex, Harrisburg, thru June 28.
Living Mulch Tour, Schuylkill
County Meet at Mahantongo
Fire Company, Pitman, 10
a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Open Jacket Wether/Ewe Lamb
Show, Mercer County 4-H
Park, 8 p.m.
Shepherd’s Night, Mercer County
4-H Park and Extension Center,
5:30 p.m.
To See Satellites At Ag
Progress Days
This year's event will show
how computers and satellites are
being used.
Exhibits and demonstrations
featuring global positioning sys
tems (GPS), geographic informa
tion systems (GIS) and related
technologies will be among the
new activities. Visitors will be
able to see firsthand how farmers,
environmental professionals and
local government agencies are us
ing these systems for a variety of
purposes.
Penn State's College of Agri
cultural Sciences Ag Progress
Days will be held August 18 to
20th at Russell E. Larson Agri
cultural Research Center at Rock
Springs (near State College).
Penn State's Ag Progress Days
features more than 500 acres of
educational and commercial exhib
its. tours and machinery demon
strations Hours are 9 a.m to 5
p m Tuesday and Thursday.
Wednesday the hours are 9 a.m. to
8 p in
To Look At Consumer
Attitudes: 1
Animal Rights International
American Farmland Trust Tour of
Cove Mountain Farm, Mercers-
Farm Safety Day Camp, Jefferson
County Fairgrounds,
Brookville.
Lititz Historical Foundation
Annual Antique Show and Sale,
John Bonfield Elementary,
Lititz, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and June
27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Butler Fair, Prospect, thru July 4.
Beekeeping Short Course at Dela
ware Valley College, 9 a.m.-4
Western State Master Gardener
Conference, Penn State Beaver
Campus.
Pa. German Festival), Kutztown
Fairgrounds, thru July S.
Crawford County Dairy Princess
Pagernt, Christ Evangelical
Free C.r-rch, Saegertown.
National Holstein Convention,
Louisville, Ky., thru June 30.
18th Annual Hickory Ridge Anti
que Farm Show, Horace Potter
Residence, Milford, Del., thru
June 28.
Marburger Farm Dairy Open
House, Marburger Farm, Evans
City, noon-6 p.m., also June 28.
Sequoia Riders 4-H Horse and
Pony Club Spring Open House,
Ephrata Area Young Fanners
Summer Picnic, Ephrata Park,
al Convention Meeting, Louis-
(Turn to Pag* A3l)
just released the results of its lat
est two question consumer poll.
Regardless of your views on this
organization, the results do reflect
trends and emerging issues farmers
need to address through their or
ganizations
Question 1. "The United
States government says that meat,
poultry and egg products cause 5
million illnesses and 4,500 deaths
a year. To what extent do you
agree or disagree with the follow
ing statements? The meat, poultry
and egg industries should be held
liable for illnesses and death
caused by their products" 32%
strongly agree, 31% somewhat
agree, 21% somewhat disagree,
16% strongly disagree and 1% do
not know.
To Look At Consumer
Attitudes: 2
Another statement from the
Animal Rights Internationa! con
sumer poll was: "Meat, poultry
and eggs should be labeled 'poten-
WITH FRIENDS
UKE THESE
June 21. 1998
Background Scripture:
Job 2:11; 4:1-7; 11:1-6;
13:1-4; 23:1-7
Devotional Reading:
Job 7:1-11
Last year, while visiting abroad,
we were treated very unjustly by
someone who jumped to the un
warranted conclusion that we had
done something wrong. Although
eventually the situation was re
solved in our favor, we were still
very upset by the ordeal we had to
endure. -
A longtime friend who lived
nearby, heard of our problem and
came to see us. We were shocked
to find that, instead of giving us
consolation, she wanted to know
what we had done to get ourselves
in that situation. We couldn’t help
but think of that old saying, “With
friends like these, who needs ene
mies?”
In retrospect. I’m sure our
friend had not meant to offend us,
but she was quite inept in express
ing her support She had added
hurt upon the hurt we had already
experienced. The experience has
caused me to wonder whether I
have ever been that inept with
someone who needed my support
BEST INTENTIONS
This was certainly Job’s exper
ience. Hearing of Job’s almost un
believable bad fortune, he is vis
ited by three friends: Eliphaz the
Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and
Zophar the Naamathite. It is be
lieved that they came some dis
tance presumably from northwest
Arabia, to visit Job. Apparently
they came with the best of inten
tions and it is only after they lis
tened in silence to Job’s lament
that they speak to him in turn.
Eliphaz is presumed to be the
oldest and most learned, so he
speaks first. Although his speech
is courteous, Eliphaz implies that
Job should accept his plight in
humility and not question the
Lord. “Think now, who that was
innocent ever perished. Or where
were the upright cut? As I have
seen, those who plow iniquity and
sow trouble reap the same”
(4:7,8). He suggests that Job has
perhaps in some way brought this
disaster upon himself.
tially hazardous' similar to the la
bels on tobacco products." 19%
strongly agree, 24% somewhat
agree, 22% somewhat disagree,
33% strongly disagree and 1 % do
not know
On the statement, "Most peo
ple would be healthier if they ate
less meat." 32 % strongly agree,
30% somewhat agree, 20 %
somewhat agree, 17% strongly
disagree and 1 % do not know
Question 2 was "If delicious
vegetarian meals were as widely
available as burgers and other fast
foods, how likely would you be to
eat more vegetarian meals?" 35%
very likely, 39% somewhat
likely, 24% not at all likely, 1%
no effect because I do not eat bur
gers/fast food and 2% no effect be
cause I am a vegetarian. These re
sults show the importance of edu
cating people about our food pro
duction system and nutrition.
Feather Prof, 's Footnote
"Possibilities - the only things
that are truly limitless."
Job replies to Eliphaz. refusing
to change his stance.
Then, Bildad the Shuhite jumps
in with both feet “How long will
you say these things, and the
words of your mouth be a great
wind?” (8:2). So much for cour
tesy and diplomacy! He goes on to
accuse Job of affirming that God
perverts justice. Then, he suggests
that it is because of the sins of
Job’s children that he is suffering.
If Job will just “seek God and
make supplication to the Al
mighty, if you are pure and up
right, surely then he will rouse
himself for you and reward you
with a rightful habitation” (8:5,6).
Easy for him to say!
JUST DESSERTS
Job responds to Bildad and then
Zophar the Naamathite speaks.
His approach is a theological
argument. Job’s suffering is the
just desserts of his gliilt. Job also
answers Zophar and then each of
his friends speaks twice more,
with Job responding each time. As
the discourse goes on, his friends
seem to become less polite and
more militant. Their accusations
grow stronger and more pointed.
The meaning of their separate ap
proaches is clear; if you had not
done something wrong, Job, you
would not be in this mess!
But Job refuses to back down.
He still believes that he is right
“Oh, that I knew where I might
find him, that I might come even
to his seat” (23:3). If God would
appear before him. Job believes he
would present his case to the Lord
as an innocent man. “There an up
right man could reason with him,
and I should be acquitted forever
by my judge” (23:7).
There are a lot of things we ex
perience in life that offend our
sense of reason and fairness. Like
Job, we find it hard to fathom.
Yet, even in the midst of his frus
tration, Job refuses to go away
mad. Outraged by his experience,
disappointed in God’s absence,
still Job will not give tip his rela
tionship with his one true friend.
He will plead with him, complain
to him, and argue with him, but he
will not forsake him. Neither will
his friend.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 B. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
-by
Lancaster Farming, Inc
A Stemman Enterprise
William J. Burges* General Manager
Everett R. Newswanger Managing Editor
Copynghl 1996 by Lancaster Farming