A24-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, November 18, 2000 Farm Bureau Program Encourages Farmers As Proud Water Partners PARK RIDGE, 111. The American Farm Bureau Federa tion (AFBF) has introduced a new grassroots water quality ini tiative that highlights and en courages positive roles for farm ers in protecting the nation’s water resources. The “Proud Water Partners” program includes insights gleaned from successful state Farm Bureau water quality ef forts. Proud Water Partners en courages cooperative leadership from farmers regarding water quality issues, but also recognizes the supportive roles of other groups, government agencies and researchers who are interested in ‘Passing On The Farm’ Workshop In Pottsville Dec. 13 MANHEIM (Lancaster Co.) Transferring a family farm to the next generation seems as natural as the change in seasons. But tax traps, family squabbles, and lack of financing or business planning challenge many families attempt ing a transition and outright threaten the continuation of some farms. To help Pennsylvania farm families navigate these chal lenges, the Pennsylvania Farm Link and Penn State Cooperative Extension program will host a “Passing on the Farm” Work shop from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the Schuylkill County Extension Office. Pennsylvania Farm Link, based in Manheim, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensur ing the continuation of family farms. According to the 1997 Census, three times as many farm opera tors are over age 65 as under 35. Just from the perspective of re tirement age, one-third to one half of farmers will retire in the next decade. How we address this problem will affect agricul ture in Pennsylvania for generations to come. Marion Bowlan, executive di rector of Pennsylvania Farm Link, said, “In addition to pro viding for our food and fiber needs, farm families provide eco nomic stability to our rural area, protect its prime farmland, and steward the land for succeeding generations. If we want to retain family farmers as part of our rural heritage we must do more to encourage new farm entry.” , p* Since 1929, Mt. Joy has served the local Dairy Industry. Now grown to over 300 members, the Co-Op continues that commitment to marketing our member’s milk in 10 counties. • Local Markets • Local Board of Directors/Member Controlled • Mt. Joy’s own trucking • High dollar over-order premiums are ail reasons why Mt. Joy continues to be the leader in the area. agriculture’s success and water quality. “This dynamic water quality program rightfully puts farmers in the driver’s seat,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “Proud Water Partners shows farmers, step-by-step, how they can work through their state Farm Bureau to reach out to their neighbors and others who believe that a strong agriculture is the best way to tackle any water quality chal lenge.” According to Stallman, the program empowers and equips farmers to; • Take an even more active interest in the condition of their “How a farmer plans for his or her successor is one of the most important lifetime decisions that farmers will make. Because it re quires frank and open discus sions about retirement and death, many families either delay or avoid the planning process,” she said. “While it is understand able, this strategy only narrows the choices and options available to both the retiring farmer and the beginning farmer and may result in unwanted tax conse quences. Perhaps the most diffi cult decision to make is the deci sion to get started. Once you have made that decision there are many individuals and organi zations such as Pennsylvania Farm Link that can help you in the planning process.” These workshops are a first step. Speakers will address bring ing the next generation into the farm business, farm viability, farmland preservation programs, estate planning, legal aspects of transfers, retirement planning, and financing for new farmers. In addition, farmers from the re gion will discuss their families’ efforts to transfer their business es to the next generation. Lunch will be on your own at the Pottsville meeting. Please call Pennsylvania Farm Link to reg ister for this free meeting at (717) 664-7077 by Nov. 17. The exten sion office is located on Rt. 901 in Pottsville. For more informa tion on these programs or for di rections, contact Farm Link at (717) 664-7077 or e-mail pafarm link@redrose,net. local water resources. • Understand the true condi tion of local water resources and be familiar with the science be hind such determinations. • Address through changes in management practices any water quality challenge quantified by sound science. • Work with government offi cials to correct any misidentifica tion of water quality problems that are not supported by scien tific fact. The program includes an ac tion notebook, which provides background on the program and the issue of water quality, step by-step guidelines and sugges [Ryder supply] •• » SCHULER "Better Feeders" Models • 1758 F • 2208 F Designed to feed corn silage, haylage and grain rations Patented Feedsaver Design on Schuler "Better Feeders" i extends the elevator chain back under the floor m apron This keeps feed loss between the elevator u\ and floor apron to an absolute minimum Floor flights are tipped by chain lifters in order to clean ...... apron flights of material may be lost due to ) / floor apron drag back Elevator chain sweeps across the bottom of the pan, keeping it clean Call For Information & Dealer Nearest To You! 539 Falling Spring Road P.0.80x 219 Chambersburg, PA 17201-0219 888-464-6379 Fax (717) 263-5573 Products of. %0l!NT FARMERS .3tnr/itty t , ffifA w 1-800-860-6569 • 717-653-5431 tions for developing farmer-fo cused water quality programs at the state level, and examples of programs and ideas developed by state Farm Bureaus that have al ready proved successful. “It is our hope that govern ment officials will serve as help ing hands as state Farm Bureaus put this program into place,” Stallman said. “We expect these cooperative steps to be far more effective and rewarding than fed eral proposals, such as TMDL regulations, that tend to target farmers, create adversarial rela tionships and foster mistrust be tween government and the peo ple it serves. True to the program’s motto, America’s farmers are ’Working the land. Protecting the water.’ Through Proud Water Partners, farmers will further meld those two con cepts into a singular action. Farmers are keenly aware of the vital roles that a healthy environ ment and quality natural re sources play in the production of abundant, healthy, and safe food. And they know it all starts with water.” For more information about the Proud Water Partners pro gram, contact Don Parrish, sen ior environmental policy special ist for AFBF, at (847) 685-8742 or your state Farm Bureau. jot CO-OP
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