~ I ff E
01.43 No. 35
Tulpehocken Watershed Receives Conservation Funding
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Fanning Staff
STOUCHSBURG (Berks Co.)
When people hear the saying,
‘it was a real gully-washer,” they
:ould be referring to an area of a
125-acre dairy farm operated here
by Richard and Nelson Troutman.
When it stormed, rains would
cause such a flood of stormwater
down the stone farm lane that,
almost every time, the owners
would have to haul stone and
repair it, according to Richard
Troutman.
But with the help of the conser
vation district and a 319 Water
Quality Grant, in March last year a
clean water collection system,
including six collection boxes and
1,500 feet of pipe, was installed at
a cost of $6,900.
Gone were the problems of lane
loss to water. The outlet system
would drain into a stream that
feeds into the Tulpehocken Creek.
Now the farm managers could con
centrate on their feed and dairy
work and less on farm lane
erosion.
Similar farm improvement pro
jects could be getting a new boost
for farm owners in the Tulpehock
en Creek watershed area.
Areas of Berks and Lebanon
counties, through Public Law 566,
will have access to cost-share
funds from a multi-agency prog
ram to install a wide array of con
servation practices on farms.
] FARMER
On this Independence Day, July 4,1998, we the staff at
Lancaster Fanning commend the farmers and agribusiness
Industry for your help to make America strong. Without you
the nation perishes.
Farmers Should Be Prepared
For Local Farm Tag Checks
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Fanning Staff
LANDISVILLE (Lancaster
Co.) A recent legal incident
involving a hay producer using a
farm license tag on a rig to deliver
a load for sale in Lancaster County
has left that producer uncertain
about what is expected of a farmer
these days.
While the incident isn’t com
pletely over, the producer this
week had to give up a day’s work
to travel fours hours one-way to
attend a rescheduled (at court’s
convenience, with a three-day
notice) hearing in a Lancaster
County locality.
As a result of the district justice
hearing, all but two of the charges
Four Sections
There are several major compo
nents to the $8.9 million program.
Evaluation units include agricul
tural waste management, cropland
treatment, riparian area treatment,
wetland and floodplain conserva
In the spring of 1997, grass waterways were Installed to separate two corn fields
where Richard Troutman stands. That Is one of many programs the new watershed
program can provide to farmers. Troutman said that the limestone, clay-bottom
ground holds water In a dry year. Last year, despite a persistent drought, the farm
harvested 150 bushels per acre of corn. Photo by Andy Andrews
have been dismissed. The last
two one each for the same
thing against the producer and his
driver arc to be dismissed if the
producer sends to the district jus
tice, through certified mail, a
notarized statement giving evi
dence of the leasing of the farm
land from which the hay came.
Though willing to be identified,
it seems that the specific identity of
the individuals involved aren’t
necessarily important.
What seems most important is
whether the incident is isolated or
if it is a common incident
According to the producer
involved, in his discussions with
other producers, there have been
(Turn to Pago A 24)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 4, 1998
tion easements, and aquatic habitat
improvement.
The Tulpehocken project allows
up to $lOO,OOO per farm in a
10-year period at 75 percent cost
share to participate, indicated
How About A Pasteurized, Whole Egg?
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Fanning Staff
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
Milk is pasteurized. Why not
the same for whole shell eggs?
One business has learned to do
“Weedy Retreat Mallards,” an original painting by FFA member Greg Yoder, will go
to the highest bidder at the auction held following the annual Fore FFA Golf Tourna
ment to be held July 20. The proceeds will benefit the Pennsylvania FFA Foundation. _
Limited edition prints of the painting are also available through special orders. For'
more Information, read the article about Greg and the upcoming benefit auction on
page B 6. Photo and atory by Lou Ann Good.
$29.50 Per Year
Charles W. Wertz, Lebanon Coun
ty Conservation District manager.
According to Wertz, projects
include waste management struc
tures, barnyard runoff manage
ment, soil erosion control, stream
just that
Pasteurized Eggs, LJP., a New
Hampshire-based food technology
company, demonstrated Big Pete,
its egg pasteurizer, late last week.
The demonstration was held
600 Per Copy
bank fencing and crossings, ripa
rian forest and buffer filters, and
other projects.
Wertz noted the flexibility of the
program. Farm managers can
adopt aspects of the program to the
farm. The government pays 75
percent of the total cost.
“If somebody has a serious sink
hole problem, the program could
do sinkhole repair,” Wertz said.
(Turn to Pag* A2O)
Dairy Options
Program In
Your Mailbox
GETTYSBURG (Adams Co.)
Within the next four to six
weeks, dairy producers in Berks,
Bradford, Crawford, Chester,
Franklin, and Lancaster counties
should be carefully watching their
mail. Producers in these counties
will be receiving information
about the Dairy Options Pilot Pro
gram that is being introduced by
the Federal Risk Management
Agency.
**Thc Dairy Options Pilot Pro
gratji (DOPP) is an educational#*-*
forty authorized by USDA, that
provides financial assistance to
producers in selected counties
who want to begin using BFP milk
options to limit their downside
price risk. Six counties in each of
(Turn to Pag* A 32)
before more than two dozen egg
agri-industry representatives at the
manufacturing facilities of Food
Processing Systems in Greenfield
Industrial Park.
(Turn to Pag* A 34)