AIQ-Lancatter Farming, Saturday, January 16, 1999 OPINION Measuring Agricultre’s Economic Contribution To The Economy With the expansion and increasing complexity of agribusiness, and the heightened interdependence among activities that pro duce food and fiber products, it grows more difficult to view the agriculture industry solely from the perspective of production agriculture. The activity at the Pennsylvania Farm Show this week certainly proves the point of this interdependence of farm ing and the urban community. Writing in the September/October edition of Farm Economics, published by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, Keith Jones and Milton Hallberg, department of agricultural eco nomics and rural sociology, said producers are obtaining more inputs from off-farm sources and performing fewer activities or processes that lead to a final product. Many producers have inter nalized these activities and processes and have integrated them to the degree that it becomes extremely difficult to isolate them. In view of this, the Exonomic Research Service characterizes the national food and fiber system as the total economic activity asso ciated with providing the food, clothing, tobacco, flowers, and other agricultural products that consumers and government purchase. Based on a full accounting of the interindustry transactions yielding impact multipliers, more useful conclusions about agri culture’s contributions are apparent. In particular, for every one dollar increase in direct output of the agricutural industry, an additional eighty-cent output is generated throughout the rest of the economy; for every additional job generated directly in agri culture, 1.8 additional jobs are generated, and for every one dollar increase in personal income, an additional dollar fifty in personal income is generated throughout the rest of the economy. We are reminded again that changes in agriculture’s segment of the economy has a huge effect on the entire economy. That’s another reason (the first reason is that everyone eats) why we need to keep agriculture strong in eastern U.S. and in the entire nation for that matter. ation Annual Meeting, Old Country Buffet, Harrisburg, 11 a.m. Penn Jersey Grain Marketing Con ference, Days Inn Conference Center, Allentown. Starting Grower Cooperatives, Days Inn, New Stanton, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Pa. DHIA Delegate Meeting, St. Mary's Country Club, St. Mary’s, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Great Lakes Vegetable Growers’ Convention, Grand Center, Grand Rapids, Mich., thru Jan. 22. Beef 2000 Hands-On Ranch to Rail Program, Penn State Uni versity, thru Jan. 20. New Holland Vegetable Day, Yoder’s Restaurant, New Hol land, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Living Mulch Workshop, Penn ‘ Stale Ag Arena, University Park, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Elk/Camcron County Crops Day, St. Marys country Club, 9:30 ajn.-3:30 p.m. Port Allegany Crops Day, St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, Port Allegany, 12:30 pjn.-3 p.m. Farm Calendar ❖ «? , * New Jersey Vegetable Growers Show, Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, thru Jan. 21. Solanco Young Farmer meeting. Animal Health, Solanco High School, 7:30 p.m. Pa. DHIA Delegate Meeting, Ramada Hotel, New Stanton, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Pa. Lime and Fertilizer Confer ence, Nittany Lion Inn, State College, thru Jan. 20. Farm and Home Foundation Annual Meeting, Farm and Home Center, 6:30 pjn. Farm Finance Management Train ing, Washington County exten sion office, also Jan. 26. How To Stay Out of Trouble As An Ag Employer, York Exten sion Office, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Roundtable Discussion For Veget able Growers and Orchardists, York extension office, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Ephrata Area Young Farmers Mentoring Program, Ephrata , High School, 11:30 a.m.-l p.m. Johne’s Disease Control Meeting, Franklin County Administra tive Annex Community Room, Chambetsburg, 10 a.m.-noon. Food For Profit, Wayne extension office, Honesdale, 10 a.m.-l p.m. Dairy Technology Series, York A pile of firewood is an ideal place for insects and spiders to hi bernate through winter, according to Dr. Timothy Elkner, Lancaster County Horticultural Agent. Al ways wear gloves when reaching into a woodpile Many inhabitants of your woodpile are capable of biting. Although there is a little chance of being bitten by a poi sonous insect, any bite will still be painful. Besides spiders, other pests living in woodpiles include wood borers, beetles, carpenter ants, termites, bees and wood roaches Store firewood outdoors in open areas, as far away from the house as practical. Stack firewood off the ground to reduce wood rot and pest prob lems. Never stack wood against your house. Cover the woodpile with plastic or sheet metal roofing to keep the wood dry. Bring only enough firewood into the house to be burned immediately. Firewood stored inside the home over an hour may warm up enough for the insects to emerge from within or under the bark and start their spring activities early. Do not store firewood in a heated garage or basement for the same reasons. To Control Yard and Garden Diseases A little work now will save yourself lots of trouble next summer, according to Dr. Timo thy Elkner, Lancaster County Horticultural Agent. Use the warm weather spells this winter to reduce the chance of plant disease problems in your yard or garden next year. 7 Most of the infectious diseases that occur on landscape and garden plants are caused by fungi that have specialized structures that al low them to survive the winter. As warmer spring temperatures occur, these fungi seek the assis tance of wind and rain to find their plant host and continue their life cycle. Sanitation or cleaning up is important to break this over win tering disease cycle. Sanitation consists of activities 4-H Center, Bair, 9:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Carroll County Md. Mid-Winter Meeting, Carroll County Ag Center. Westminster. 9:30 a.m. | T'hursday' .l l~ Pa. DHIA Delegate Meeting, Mt. View Diner, Clifford, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Pa. State Association of County Fairs 87th Annual Convention, Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, thru Jan. 23. Computer Technology for Ag Pro ducers, Sheraton Inn, Mars, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuckahoe Equestrian Center annu al memcbgcrship meeting, Adkins Arboretum, 7 p.m. To Check Firewood for Insects (Turn to Page All) aimed at removing or reducing disease organisms. Practices such as tilling, removing infected leaves and cutting out sick or dead branches will help reduce the amount of disease that may de velop. diseases that over winter on perennial plants include peony leaf blotch and ins leaf spot. These diseases survive the winter on old leaves and stems. Sanitation involves removing stems and leaves before new growth appears in the spring. Warm winter days are ideal times to practice sanitation in your gar den if you did not clean up in the fall. To Prune Disease Trees Dr. Timothy Elkner, Lancaster County Extension Horticultural Agent, reminds us sanitation measures are not only important for flowering perennials, but are also important for woody plants such as trees and shrubs. Black knot is an easily recog- v np ■■■■■ '//!/,/.'///} BY lAWRENCE W ALIHOUSE ''isasiLg m/ WAS JESUS A RADICAL? January 17,1999 Background Scripture: Matthew 18:1-4; 20: 17-28 Devotional Reading: Galatians 5:13-15 Do your realize that he word radical when used as an adjec tive can have two very different meanings? Today we tend to think of only one meaning: extreme, drastic, or beyond mod eration. But radical can also mean fundamental, essential or basic. In fact, the term origi nates in the Latin word radix, which means “root.” (Thus the name radish derived from the fact that it is a root.) Originally, then, a radical was a person who went to the root of things. In regard Jesus was certainly a radical. What makes his teach ings and his life so authoritative is that he always went to the root of things. He dealt with internal realities rather than external appearances. He was not concerned with ritual so much as righteousness, with words so much as deeds. Even’ when he said, “You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully with her in his heart,” he is emphasizing the fundamental, basic realities of true religion. (Matt. 5:27, 28). A RADICAL ‘GREATNESS’ I firmly believe, however, that Jesus was also a radical in that other sense of the word. What he proposed was not a myriad of moderate changes, but a drastic, even extreme change in spiritual values and actions. His language was uncompromis ing: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away.” His actions-driving the money-changers from the Temple-were no less drastic. His call to discipleship still seems fanatical and he suffered a radi cal’s death on a cross. Truly, Jesus came to help us see ourselves,the world and life with radically different eyes. When he was asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heav en?”, no one in the crowd that day could have anticipated his radical answer. “And calling to him a child, he put him in the nized, widespread disease on cherry and plum branches, eventually causing these branches to die Diseased branches must be cut out in order to stop this disease. It | S often easiest to prune deciduous woody plants after the leaves have fallen. The symptoms are more visible. Warm winter days are again ideal for controlling this and other diseases in your landscape. Re member, when pruning diseased portions of plants, always make cuts in healthy tissue below the infected area to ensure that all the diseased tissue has been removed By spending some time working outdoors during this winter, you may spend next summer enjoying your yard rather than working to control plant diseases. Feather Prof, 's Footnote. "Patience and perseverance have a magical effect in making difficul ties disappear and obstacles van ish." midst of them, and said ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles him self like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heav en.” (Matt. 18:1-4). Two thousand years later these words may not sound so extreme, but they are if we real ly take them to heart. He is proposing not just some changes in our concept of ‘greatness,’ but a virtual revolution in our basic attitudes toward all the things that really matter. He is not a fixer who comes to make minor repairs in our lives, but one who wishes to make extensive reno vations. A DIFFERENT ‘GREATNESS’ This radical new view of “greatness” was something emphasized throughout his min istry. Once was not sufficient for the disciples to get it right. In fact, they struggled with it for the rest of their lives as we do today. Despite our exposure to his teachings and example, we still have trouble with it. The reason: because it is so radically different from what the world teaches us. As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, “the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons and kneeling before him she asked him for something... Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Although the other disciples were indignant, Jesus was not offended and seized the opportu nity once again to drive home his revolutionary teaching on greatness: “...whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (20:28). Jesus was speaking not only about ‘greatness,’ but also his whole concept of live:” .. the son of man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” Now as then it is a radical, yes even extreme concept of what life is for. Lancaster Farming Established 1955 Published Every Saturday Ephrata Review Building 1 E. Main St. Ephrata, PA 17522 -by Lancaster Fanning, Inc. A Stemman Enterprise William J. Burgess General Manager Everett R. Newswanger Managing Editor Copyright 1999 by Lancaster Farming
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers