Brent Landis
Agriculture SwrvicM Coordinator
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Lancaster
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Phono: (717) 3*7-3531 oxt. 62
E-mail:blandisMcel.eom
The relationship between
today's fanning community and
its local township seems to be far
greater in importance than it has
ever been in Lancaster County.
As a farm operation continues to
grow it may require more of an
advanced farm or non-traditional
farm approach to remain
profitable, which may raise some
questions, concerns or
misunderstandings with the local
township officials. This is one of
the reasons why The Lancaster
Chamber of Commerce &
Industry's Agriculture Committee
recently held an event for
township officials and their
families called Agricultural
Growth in the New Millenium.
The evening provided a fresh look
at the changing family farm and
how it affects the local
municipality.
The Agriculture Committee
presented an informative one
hour seminar for township
officials on the ag industry in
Lancaster County. The first part
of the seminar covered a resource
list that included the many local,
state and federal organizations in
the ag industry which are
available to assist them when
faced with a question or problem.
An update on the farming
community was given with a look
at the past, present and the future
Morton Bu
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direction that agriculture is
headed. Environmentally
responsible farm operations were
a key part of the evening's
discussion, along with their
commitment to nutrient
management and conservation
plans.
The seminar provided the
township officials information on
advanced and non-traditional
farms and their successful fit in a
township. It was pointed out that
advanced farms are often better
managed, more efficient and are
more environmentally
responsible, but the ag-industry
has done a poor job in
communicating these benefits to
the non-farm community. This
has led to some
misunderstandings and
misperceptions citizens have
expressed to their local township
when a new or expanding farm
operation is presented for
approval. The seminar helped to
provide township officials with
the necessary information needed
to help answer these questions. It
also reviewed some ways
township officials can help keep
farming profitable in their
townships. The last component of
the seminar included a panel
discussion with four different
township supervisors, which was
very informative and led to some
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Mt Pleasant, PA 724-542-7930
Strengthening The Farm Relationship
With The Local Municipality
great questions from the audience.
Some other fun attractions for
the more than 230 in attendance
included a free ride on the
Strasburg Railroad, an in depth
tour of Cherry-Crest Farm's
modern dairy and poultry
operation, a com maze
exploration and a barbecue
supper. The Lancaster
Conservation District provided
agricultural-based entertainment
for the family during the township
officials' seminar.
The final rule authorizing im
plementation of the Dairy For
ward Pricing Program has been
approved, with a starting date of
July 19,2000. The program will
exempt participating handlers
regulated under a federal milk
order from paying producers
and cooperative associations the
minimum federal order price(s)
for that portion of their non-
Class I milk that is under a for
ward contract. The pilot
program will be in effect for
milk marketed August 1, 2000
through December 31,2004.
Operation of Program
The program is a voluntary
program that allows dairy farm
ers and handlers to enter into a
forward contract whereby they
mutually agree to terms by
which the handler buys raw
milk and the dairy farmer is
paid. The agreed upon payment
rate and terms (e.g. payment on
milk components or not) may or
may not have any relation to the
minimum prices of the federal
order to which the producer and
handler are associated.
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limit.
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structure with no wind velocity limit.
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Buildings' hi-rib steel panels.
Forward Pilot Program To Begin
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While this event was only a
first step in strengthening the
relationship between the ag
industry and the local township, it
shows promise in continuing
communication between the two
groups. Through providing
opportunities for township
officials to learn more about
farming, they will become better
prepared when faced with
questions from the non-farm
public. With some of the recently
passed regional planning
By entering into a forward
contract under this program, a
dairy farmer gives up the right
to receive the minimum federal
order prices for the amount of
their milk under contract. Dairy
farmers entering into a forward
contract should understand all
of the terms of the contract, in
cluding how their milk will be
priced, the length of the con
tract, and any charges or deduc
tions that will be made.
If a formula will be used to
price a producer’s milk, the pro
ducer should understand how
the formula works and what fac
tors affect its movement. Pro
ducers should understand what
will happen if they cannot fulfill
the terms of the contract. They
also should understand what
remedies are available if the pro
(ess defaults on the contract.
Producer Participation
To participate in the program,
the handler to which a dairy
farmer delivers milk must be
willing to offer the producer a
forward contract. In addition,
the handler must have some
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 5. 2000-A33
legislation, now may be the time
to establish a regularly scheduled
forum for township officials,
farmers, ag industry leaders and
the general public to meet and
discuss current issues and
questions.
For more information on this
Township Agri-Education event,
please send your questions or
comments to Brent Landis at The
Lancaster Chamber at
blandis@lcci.com or 717-397-
3531.
non-Class I used of milk (e.g.
butter, powder, cheese, ice
cream, etc.) to cover the quan
tity of milk under forward con
tract.
A participating handler must
provide a producer with a dis
closure statement along with the
agreed upon forward contract.
Both documents- will be for
warded by the handler to the ap
propriate market administrator
office.
Market administrators are
limited to reviewing completed
forward contracts to be certain
that they are in compliance with
the rules governing the pilot
program. Market administrator
staff will ensure that the con
tract is signed by both parties
and will make certain that a
signed disclosure statement is
attached to each contract en
tered into by a dairy farmer
under the pilot program.
Additional information about
the program is available from
any market administrator office,
or can be downloaded from
USDA’s AMS website at
www.ams.usda.gov/dairy.
From “Market Admini
strator’s Bulletin,’’ June 2000
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