A36-L«nc*«tef Farming, Saturday, January 29, 2000 (ContlniMd from Pag* A2B) figurines, six milk stools (3 wood, 3 metal), and four milk coolers/aerators. A special feature loaned by the Pasto Agricultural Museum was a rare Mehring foot pow ered milking machine complete with all parts and original teat cups. A new exhibitor (W. Paul Anderson) exhibited his Ben H. Anderson (Madison, Wisconsin) two-unit milking machine used on his home farm in the early 19405. In good running condi tion, it was turned on several times for visitors to hear and feel it operate. Early advertising was in evi dence with several equipment and breed signs. All dairy breeds were represented in a nice dis play of 35 tin and four cupboard DeLaval advertising cows and calves, five DeLaval match hold ers, and related items shown in lighted glass display cases. The exhibits of eight milk bottles collectors added beauty, variety, and additional interest to the overall show. Bottle collec tors coming the longest distance were Lyall and Vivian Shaw from East Hartland, CT. They stayed all six days with their beautiful display. Participation by the milk bottle collectors served as a warm-up for the joint tn-convention of the Cream Separator and Dairy Collectors Association with the National Milk Bottle Collectors and Divco Milk Truck Collectors in nearby Hershey, June 2-4, 2000. Personal visits with exhibitors during the show indi cated all were pleased with this second year show with increased JOHN BERRY Ag Marketing Agent Lehigh Co. Extension Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) is a broad-based crop insurance program regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and subsidized by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). What causes of yield losses are covered? For most crops, MPCI covers unavoidable production losses caused by drought, excessive moisture, hail, wind, frost/freeze, tornado, lightning, flood, insect infestation, plant disease, excessive temperature during pollination, wildlife damage, fire, and earthquake. MPCI does not cover losses resulting from poor farming practices, low commodity prices, theft, and specified perils that are excluded in some policies. There are specific restrictions on some crops based on acceptable farming practices. How much coverage can I purchase? There are two decisions that determine the amount of protection obtained from MPCI: • the level of yield coverage chosen • the level of price coveiage c hosen Your insurance yield is based on your actual production history (APH), which is an estimate of your average yield on the insured unit for four to ten consecutive years. All-Dairy Antiques, Collectibles Show Held At All-American, Scheduled Again attendance and number of exhibitors. They hoped it would be continued again in 2000. Well guess what? It will be held in 2000! Management per sonnel and directors of the Pennsylvania All American Dairy Show have unanimously requested the Dairy Antiques Show to be repeated next year. It will open at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 23 and run until Thursday 12:00 noon, September 28, 2000. Exhibitors are encouraged to stay as long as possible, but are not required to stay all six days. A new feature for the 2000 show will be DeLaval antiques, collectibles, and equipment. Show management, responding to suggestions from exhibitors and visitors, has decided to des ignate DeLaval to be the first of several subsequent features in future years. This will be a grand opportunity for the many collectors of DeLaval memora bilia to exhibit, trade, barter, buy and sell at the only all dairy antiques and collectibles show in the East. Readers are encouraged to put these dates (September 23- 28, 2000) on their calendars right now. Plan to be in Harrisburg, either as an exhibitor or visitor. For more information call or write to Darwin Braund, 238 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802-2600, phone 814-863- 1383, e-mail dgbl2@psu.edu; or Lolly Lesher, PA Farm Show Complex, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17710- 9408, phone 717-787-2905. Multiple Peril Crop Insurance You can insure from the 75 percent of your insurance yield (25 percent deductible) to 50 percent of your insurance yield (50 percent deductible) coverage levels: Your yield guarantee per acre is equal to your APH insurance yield multiplied by the level of coverage you choose. Example 1. Guaranteed yield Assume: 130 bu. APH insurance yield 65% level of coverage Yield guarantee equals; 130 bu. x 65% = 84.5 bu. per acre For what price is my crop insured? You must select an indemnity price level at which yield losses are converted into cash. For example, 1999 maximum price elections set by the Risk Management Agency (RMA) for selected crops were: com $2.10/bu., wheat $3.30/bu., soybeans $5.25/bu., oats $1.25/bu., gram sorghum $1.95/bu. You can choose an indemnity price between 55 and 100 percent of these maximum elections. How are indemnity payments calculated? If your actual average yield (adjusted for quality) is equal to or greater than your yield guarantee, no indemnity is paid. If your average yield per acre is less that your yield guarantee, the indemnity paid is equal to the yield difference times the indemnity price, times the number "Milk Testing Through the Years" was an educational exhibit at the collectibles show. of acres insured. Example 2. Indemnity payment Assume: 84.5 bu. yield guarantee $2.45 price election 300 acres insured 61 bu. actual yield Indemnity payment: 84.5 bu. - 61 bu. = 23.5 bu. 23.5 bu. x $2.45 = $57.58 $57.58 x 300 acres = $17,273 To encourage broader participation, Congress authorized FCIC to subsidize MPCI premiums. The percent of the premium that is paid from this subsidy is about 23 percent for the highest levels of coverage. This year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be offering a premium subsidy up to 10% that is being added to the federal subsidy. Other decisions about MPCI • Consider companion hail and fire insurance. It’s your choice, in any given year, whether to include hail and fire protection in the MPCI policy or insure against these specific risks under a separate policy. • Consider optional insurance units. If certain location, farming practice, and record keeping criteria are met, then your acreage can be divided into separate insurance units This means you could collect tor a loss on one unit even if production on other units is more than the guarantee. For most field crops, producers who elect to insure their acreage as a single unit will receive a 10 percent premium discount. All about butter at the All-Dairy Antiques show. • Consider increasing the yield coverage level or the price coverage level with supplemental policy options. These are available for an additional premium cost to borrowers who wish to have higher levels of protection. • Consider supplemental replacement cost insurance. If market prices at harvest are higher than the RMA insurable Tobacco Prices Up Average 3 Cents Per Pound NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster Co.) The Pennsylvania To bacco Marketing Association Auction reported late Thursday that the sale of tobacco at the day’s auction had some im proved prices, up an average 3 cents per pound. According to Dennis Hess, auction manager, there were about 71,200 pounds of tobacco on the floor Thursday, of which about 51,000 pounds sold. For the old Pa. 41 tobacco, the aver- price, replacement cost insurance will pay you the difference on all bushels for which a regular MPCI indemnity is paid. Multiple Peril Crop Insurance offers many combinations of coverage levels, unit designations, and add-on features. See your local insurance agent to get details about coverage and premiums available for your own farm. age price was 47 cents a pound. The new Pa. 41 tobacco aver aged 44 cents a pound. For the old 609 tobacco, the average price was 48 cents a pound. New 609 averaged 52 cents per pound. There were three buyers at the sale Thursday. Hess noted that more tobacco other than the 20,000 pounds remaining on the floor is needed. Another auction is planned next Thursday and will continue through about mid-March, according to Hess. I