A24-L(tocaster Farming, Saturday, November 21, 1998
Tobacco Marketing Cooperative
Asks Farmers To Join Now
(Continued from Page A 1)
Association will attempt to attract
the southern tobacco buyers for
Type 609 cigarette tobacco to the
county by holding auctions, hope
fully beginning after the start of the
new year.
Jane Balmcr, a Mt. Joy tobacco
farmer who is voluntarily spear
heading the effort, said they want
to have as many of the 1,100 tobac
co farmers as members as possible.
Those who support the effort need
to get their membership returned
before December 1, so that the
committee can know how many
farmers wish to be part of the effort
and how many of the 20 million
pounds of tobacco grown each year
they will have for sale.
“The committee will decide
shortly after December 1 if we
have enough cooperation to move
forward with the effort," Balmer
said. “How many of the farms or
what part of the total poundage we
need to be effective is the tough
question. We arc hoping for 70 per
cent but may be able to make it
work with 60 percent But if far
mers want to see some effort put
forth, they need to get their mem
bership to us now.
“The question is raised, “What if
it doesn’t work?” Balmer said.
“But I tell farmers we have nothing
to lose. We have no market now,
and if we can’t get it to work, we
will return a good part of the $5O
membership fee back to the fanner.
We will need to hire a lawyer to
make sure the cooperative is legal
in Pennsylvania, but I work cheep,
for nothing. So what do you have to
lose? Maybe $lO or $l5. And we
wouldn’t be in any different situa
tion than we are now. But suppose
it does work? United we stand,
divided we keep on rolling down
hill."
In talking to buyers, local far
mers have some favorable verbal
indications these buyers think the
cooperative marketing effort is a
good move. But because of the
ongoing litigation against the
tobacco companies, they have been
advised by their lawyers to not dis
cuss marketing to anyone.
Not only does the loss of the
tobacco market put hardship on
individual farmers, the supporting
agri-businesses feel the lost
revenue as well, tbbacco money
pays off production loans, farm
mortages, and equipment and ser
vice purchases.
About 25 percent of the county’s
tobacco is Type 41, used in cigars
and chewing tobacco. Lancaster
Leaf, a local company, usually
buys the bulkof this crop so there is
less pressure to find buyers. The
committee hasn’t decided if Type
41 will also be marketed through a
cooperative. Balmer tells the far
mers to list seperatcly the number
of pounds of each type they have
for sale.
If a majority of the county’s
tobacco fanners support the effort,
committee members expect the
cooperative to be up and running in
a few weeks. Members will elect a
nine-member board of directors. If
there is not enough support, the
cooperative will dissolve and those
who paid a membership fee will
receive a partial refund.
An agreement form is printed
with this stoiy. Balmcr said far
mers who wish to suppon the effort
may cut the form from the news
paper, fill out the necessary infor
mation, and mail it with their $5O
fee to the Lancaster County agent’s
office. The address is: Penn State
Cooperative Extension, % Robert
Anderson, extension agronomy
agent, 1381 Arcadia Road, Lancas
ter, PA 17601. For more informa
tion you may call Anderson at
(717) 394-6851.
Additional meetings were sche
duled for Thursday night at the
Terre Hill Community Building
and the Kirkwood Auction Bam.
The meeting held Thursday
night at the Terre Hill Community
Building attracted 110 fanners.
Balmer was pleased with the num
ber who came. An additional meet
ing in the series was scheduled for
Friday night at the Kirkwood Auc
tion Bam after our press deadline.
,
a producer of agricultural products, hereinafter referred to as "Producer "
2?”“! agncreofagreemcnu similar hereto, propose to organize a cooperative association under ibe
laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the purpose of marketing tobacco.
&=aM«^.Qr The Association shall be organized with suitable articles of incorporation
and bylaws as determined by an organizational committee consisting of the following persons:
Name
1. Jancßalmer
2. Vernon Balmrr
3. Daniel S Dicnncr, Jr.
4. Victor Dohncr
X ”?* y VOtC 0f a of its ®“*c* increase its membership, fill any vacancy therein,
ana appoint any subcommittees deemed necessary to conduct its affairs. The committee may incur neccssarv
?L^!!f^!!!i ei,ecc^“^l^a, * ukcan^^
advisable to Anther flic organization of the association
2]!!!!!!!!?™. Pro<^, S TOto^»l^=toeapwmmtW < »iniiiaaUlhetype6o^'r Y r*
tobacco produced by Ptodacer. on land owned orleased by Prcdacer, to the association for q,
processing, or other disposition as the association sees fit.
Producer estimates aich production will total (pounds) in 1998
JL ASS ° dM “ m - ““tbotoostptovidc A*<i«onv,ith
7*™* romrmtinrnt Producer agrees to pay a membership fee of $ 50.00, payable when this
* CCCP u Ud by AssocUtion °° cs a ibis membership agreement and the
attoaatKm is activated, member must pay association commissions even though he may sell to an off-farm
Mtrtinc K 0r brfolC Dcccmbcr the organization comnuttee is of
S ? acnt ** I be “ to the Association to oper2ed^7.T
f** 11 *** * ttmc P l 3" for * m c«ing of those persons who have signed this agreement to
. by majority vote, whether to proceed with the formation and operation of die and to
consider such othtt-business as may be deemed appropriate awodauoa.
tCT tbtys before the meeting, notice of the time and place of the meeting shall be sent to all signers
be published in one or more topers of
in the area in which those who signed agreements like this one reside. general circulation
S pic o«EMii2alioo ronuniuee shall kcqi detailed, accurate acoonnls of all lucrioig
board of diiiy, f f . 1 s * u^ iavc such accounts audited and render a written report thereof to the
And it shall thereupon turn over tofoeassociatioii any
Association is no, organized, such tmcxpc«Wb2L
A«ociatiOTL* ted amonB, ** rttUmCd t0 * tho “ Wbo contribu,cd to * c oißamzatioii fond. This is a non-profit
Date
Producer's Name
■umber
Producer's Siputure
Date Paid:
Cooperative Extension Offers
Two Agronomy Workshops
DAUPHIN (Dauphin Co.)
Penn State Cooperative
Extension in Dauphin County is
offering two agronomy work
shops on Wednesday, Dec. 9,
from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the
Elizabethville Public Library.
The morning workshop is
“Crop Rotations That Make
Sense (and Money) on Dairy
Farms.” This workshop explores
the application and benefits of
different crop rotations on
Pennsylvania dairy farms.
A video will be shown that
features five Pennsylvania pro
ducers sharing their experiences
with crop rotations on their
farms. The producers will dis
cuss short a corn and alfalfa
rotation; incorporation of soy
beans and rye, or barley, into a
3. David S. Esh
6. Henry S. Esh
7 Benual Fisher
8. Darnel S. King
199*
J Paid By;
Cash _ Check; Received By;
com/alfalfa rotation; three-year
alfalfa and two-year corn rota
tions; and short growing season
rotations.
The afternoon workshop is
“Using the Agronomy Guide to
Make Crop Management
Decisions.” Over the years the
Penn State Agronomy Guide has
become the standard reference
for crop production in
Pennsylvania. The workshop
will provide an overview of the
Guide and how to use it to make
crop management decisions
regarding weed control, fertiliz
er recommendations, nutrient
management, variety selections,-
and budgets. Those registering
for this workshop should bring a
recent edition of the Agronomy
Guide to the workshop.
Assqi
Name
9. Aaron Lantz
10. Lawrence Martin
11. David Riehl, Jr.
12 Daniel B.Zook
Address
Social security number or Tax LD. Number.
For Association Signature
Participants can purchase the
new 1999-2000 Penn State
Agronomy Guide at the Dauphin
County Extension office.
Participants can attend one
or both workshops. Cost is $5 for
each workshop. Lunch is on your
own. Registration forms are
available by contacting the
Dauphin County Cooperative
Extension office (717) 921-8803
during regular business hours
from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Registration deadline is Friday,
Dec. 4.
got milk?