AlO-Lanccster Farming, Saturday, December 12, 1998 OPINION Identification For Animals Only The Livestock Conservation Institute has embarked cn a plan to bring animal identification to the national front. At a sympo sium last month in St Louis, officials worked in groups to plan for the cattle, swine, sheep, equine, and llama industries to begin work an national animal identification. Richard Keene, president of the Holstein Association, USA, said that in order to address the issues of export market, genetic evaluation, health and food safety, value based marketing and inbreeding in stud gaieties from a dairy standpoint, we need to have a strong ID system in place. In the beef industry the focus is on measuring cattle yield, ten derness, grade, and performance in general. Swine breeders want to focus on disease control, food chain feedback, as well as the normal genetic evaluations in the industry. While other species may have additional reasons to keep close recc - 'h on animal identification, all agree the need is present and believe the methodology is already available to make it happen. Many officials believe the system should follow the “Ameri can !D“ numbering system established by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. There is also a need for a private entity to allo cate numbers in blocks to maintain unique records across organi zations. Numbers must be attached to the animal with official identification tags or radio frequency identification transporders may be used. We believe the merits of a national animal identification prog ram are undeniable. The technology is awesome but available. We can only hope the program is not setting the stage for people identification using the same technology. To implant identifica tion chips under the skin to be read by an all-knowing computer in the sky is acceptable for the reasons given by leaders of the ani mal associations. But it is not acceptable should governments want to control human movement. Salurchn. IkiTinlnT 12 Sunday. IKiiiiilhi' 13 Muikl.o ■ Diiciiilht 14 Daity Options Pilot Program Meeting, Warwick Township Building, Lititz, 12:30 pjn. Dairy Options Pilot Program Meeting, Leacock Township Building, Intercourse, 7:30 p.m. _____ Fphrata Area Young Fanners Christmas Event, Ephrata Middle School, 6:30 pjn. Soianco Young Fanners meeting. Computer Education; Navigat ing Windows, Soianco High School, 7:30 p.m. Passing On The Farm Workshop, Lighthouse Restaurant, Cham- nology Show and Seminar, Lancaster Host, Lancaster. Pork Forum, Bird In Hand Restaurant, Bird In Hand, 9:30 ajn.-2 p.m. Crop Planning Workshop, Hugo’s Restaurant, Brownsville, 9 Stater Conference Center, State College, thru Dec. 18. Dairy Options Pilot Program Meeting, Fulton Grange Hall, Holiday Inn, Grantville. Top Gun Com Producer Confer ence, Mercer County extension Suikl'.in. IKiriiilni 2(1 Act 6 Nutrient Management Certi fication and Plan Writing Semi nar, Schuylkill County Ag Cen ter. Pottsville. 9 a.m.-3:30 o.m. I urs(l;i\, Dcii-mlur 22 Act 6 Nutrient Management Certi- Gcation and Plan Writing Semi nar, Gratz Community Center, Ihnisda', Dci i’ihlh r 24 Sunday. IKcxiiilh' r 27 Monday, Dicfinhci- 2S luoday. Dcoc-inlui' 29 \\ i (liu -'da,\. IhicinlH r 40 Him-da'. Diiiinlnr 41 To Attend ACE Conference The Ag Computing and Elec tronics (ACE) Expo will be held Wednesday, December 16 at the Lancaster Host Resort located on Route 30 east of Lancaster. Regis trations will be taken at the door. Registration and trade show be gins at 8:30 A.M. The Expo fea tures computers, hardware, soft ware and electronics that relate to agriculture. The program is loaded with ex pert speakers, farmer panelists, seminars, hands on workshops and trade show exhibits. Topics to be discussed include farm finances, labor, pesticide and nutrient man agement records, using the in ternet, developing a home page and horticultural applications. If a computer is on your shopping list or you want to learn more about use of computers in your operation, then plan on at tending the ACE Expo. To Winterize Pesticide Storage Areas The proper storage of pesticides during winter is often overlooked, according to Robert Anderson, Lancaster County Extension Agronomy Agent. Winter storage requires special considerations. While almost all pesticides will maintain their effectiveness for more than one year, they need to be properly stored. Low temperatures, excessive heat and damp conditions while in storage may affect the quality of the pesticide. Storage areas should be a separate room, building or shed devoted exclusively to the storage of pesticides. Solanco Young Fanner Pesticide Recertification, Solanco High School, 7:30 pm. Eastern Pa. Turf Conference and Trade Show, Valley Forge Con vention Center, King of Prussi- Family Heritage Restaurant, Mercer County Extension, 11:30 am. Schuylkill County DHIA Banquet, Dairy Days. Franklin County Dairy Day, Kauffman Community Center, 9 a.m.-2:45 p.m. The area should be heated, diy and well ventilated. Direct sun light should be excluded from the area. In addition, storage areas should exclude children with the use of locks. Pesticides should be kept in their original containers. Complete labels should be at tached to the product and available at another location in case of an emergency like a fire. If large amounts of pesticides are stored, an emergency manage ment plan should be developed and filed with local emergency units like the fire company. Remember, pesdcides need to be maintained, secured and properly supervised during the entire year. To Select Charities Carefully As the end of the year ap proaches, many households expe rience an increase in the number of requests they receive for contri butions to charities, according to Dr. Robert Thee, Lancaster County Extension Financial Man- BY IAWRCNCt W AIIHOUSE f ®aS!L!l WITNESSES December 13,1998 Background Scripture Luke 1:1-4; I Corinthians 15:1-4; I John 1:1-4 Devotional Reading: Colossians 1:15-20 In the 25 years that he was Bishop in Domckal, India, Bishop Azariah’s diocese grew to almost a quarter million outcast Chris tians. In relating this to some visi tors, he was akscd how illiterate outcasts could possibly do Chris tian preaching. “I will tell you,” said Bishop Azariah. “A caste villager asked one of our outcasts, ‘Have you seen God?’ He answered: ‘Sir, you knew me two years ago. I was a drunkard. You know me now. I do not think I should have all this change if I had not seen Jesus Christ'.” Concluded the Bishop, “Is there any better way of wit nessing for God?" I seriously question whether anyone can be a follower of Jesus Christ and not be a witness. What is a witness? In English it began with the word wit, which meant to “see." In Old English witness ori ginally meant ‘knowledge’ or ‘wisdom.' Derived from personal ly seeing something. In Middle English times it included a “per son who gives testimony.” WHAT’S HE DONE FOR YOU? Some of us who number our selves among the followers of Christ concentrate almost exclu sively on the first part of the meaning of witness. We identify with Jesus Christ because of what we have seen ourselves or want to see. We want to witness his bless ings and benefits to our lives. When ill, we want to witness his' healing. When troubled, we want to witness his peace. When con fused, we want to witness his guidance. All of us have already wi messed some blessing, some help from Christ, haven’t we? But it doesn’t stop with what we witness: we must go on to witness to that which we have witnessed. The outcast of India not only ex perienced Chirst’s healing of his alcoholism, he was able to share what he witnessed with someone agement Agent. Charitable contributions are important, but not all charities are created equal. When you receive a request from an unfamiliar charity, seek more information before giv ing. Also, beware of sound like names. Resist pressure to give imme diately. If they need your donation this month, they will still wel come it next month. If you decide to contribute, write a check made out to the charity, not to a com pany or individual collecting the donations. Do not pay cash or provide your credit card number in re sponse to a request from a stranger. If you have concerns about a charitable request, contact the Bureau of Charitable Organiza tion, Pennsylvania Department of State at 800-732-0999 or the Bet ter Business Bureau. Feather Prof, 's Footnote: "To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides." else. It was simply a matter of tell ing someone else what Jesus Christ bad done for him. This is what the New Testament is founded upon witness, peo ple sharing what Christ has done for and with them. Luke tells Theophilus and his readers of the good news that has been passed on to him by “eyewitnesses and min insters of the word" (Luke 1:2). In his first letter to the church at Cor inth, Paul tells that he only shared with them “what I also re ceived. .." (I Corinthians 15:3). And John, writing his first epistle, testifies to “That which from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concern ing the word of life ...” (I John 1:1*). TRANSMITTERS, NOT TERMINALS None of these serves as a point of termination for the good news of Jesus Christ. Luke, Paul and John all arc passing on to others what they have received as wit nesses. John says, “... that which we have seen and heard we pro claim also to you ...” (I John 1:3). Nor arc any of us to think of ourselves as terminals for the good news. Our task is to relay to others what we have experienced and received. Luke passes on what he has wit nessed and received so “that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed” (Luke 1:4). Paul shares what he as witnessed so that his readers may stand fast in their sal vation. And John witnesses so “that you may have fellowship with us; and oar fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ" William Borden was a deeply dedicated young man who gave his life to take the gospel to Egypt Dr. Samuel M. Zwcmmcr sum med up the missionary’s life: “Borden kept the faith, but he did not keep it to himself." Nor should we. Lancaster Farming Established 1955 Published Every Saturday Ephrata Review Building 1 E. Main St. Ephrata, PA 17522 -by -Lancaster Farming, Inc A Stemman Enterprise William J. Burges* General Manager Everett H. Newtwanger Managing Editor Copy right 1998 Lancaster Farming
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