i24-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 3,2001
a:
Banquets Honor Producers, Highlight Co-op Growth
MICHELLE RANCK
Lancaster Farming Staff
MANHEIM (Lancaster Co.)
Quality work, efficiency of oper
ations, and a hopeful outlook for
2001 were the topics of choice at
Mount Joy Farmers Coopera
tive’s banquets conducted for pa
tron members.
Approximately 250 attended a
meeting at Yoder’s restaurant on
Tuesday, more than 230 produc
ers attended at meeting at East
Fairview Church of the Brethren
in Mount Joy Wednesday, and
another 50 are expected at a
meeting scheduled in Perry
County next week.
Earl and Evelyn Landis, East
Petersburg, received the 2000
Top Quality Producer Award.
Five of the Landis’ last six in
spections were 100 percent, and
they had 12 consecutive months
of quality premiums. They have
since retired from farming.
Lancaster County Dairy Prin
cess Liz Young gave a short wel
come speech, followed by an ex
tension report from Ken Bailey,
Penn State extension.
Optimistic Approach
“The way things get solved is
when people work together,”
said Bailey, who highlighted the
co-op’s important partnerships.
The outlook for the dairy indus
try is improving, said Bailey,
who cited a “tightening down of
milk supply” as reason for hope
in the future of the business.
Rick Smith, CEO of Dairylea,
also had an optimistic view of
the industry’s future. “It’s a
great time to be in the dairy in
dustry,” said Smith. “The year
2001 is going to be better than
anything you’re seeing now ev
erything suggests it.”
Smith also emphasized having
a positive, optimistic approach to
change and adversity. “We will
be a more successful industry if
we do a better job of coping with
change and seeing that the glass
is half full instead of half
empty.”
Price projections are strength
ening, he said. The average pre
mium for an 80-cow farm is pro
jected to be $14.17 for 2001, with
average components adding an
other $.20, a figure which may be
conservative, pending develop
ments in the West, according to
Smith. “2001 will be a great year.
It won’t be a straight line, but the
baseline will go up,” he pre
dicted.
“Attitude” Don Risser, presi
dent of the board, presented his
ideas in an acronym for the word
“attitude” in the board report.
“A,” said Risser, stands for
“aims,” goals of producers; “T”
stands for “team,” or using other
professionals and resources
available for a dairy operation;
“T” stands for “together” as a
family; “I” stands for “integrity”
as producers should keep their
promises and fulfill expectations;
“U” stands for “united” as the
co-op works together; “D” stands
for “doing,” as he encouraged
the audience to “do what we
know,” and follow through on
the information available; and
“E” stands for “excellence” in
the product and in the way the
operation and cows are treated.
Carol Gerhart gave the finan
cial report. The cooperative, she
said, grew in number of pounds
shipped, up 13.3 percent from a
year ago. The organization also
showed a 16 percent increase in
Mount Joy Farmers Cooperative recently conducted several banquets for patron
members. From left stands Gib Martin, fieldman, Elizabethtown; Dale Hershey, general
manager, Strasburg; Jeff Witmer, head driver, Elizabethtown; and Don Risser, presi
dent of the board, Bainbridge.
number of producers, with 49 According to Hershey, co-op counties, increased pounds of
members joining the cooperative, leadership is expecting to ship milk shipped by 13 percent over
Transportation costs increased 500 million pounds of milk in the the prior year, shipping more
and the milk sales price was coming year. than 474 million pounds of milk.
$1.93 less than a year ago. The association supplies nine This year, fuel prices increased
Co-op Expands food processing plants. Covering by 12 percent per hundredweight
Dale Hershey, general manag- 27 routes, the organization has to gg cents pe r hundredweight,
er, gave the fieldman’s report. 52 nonelectric, non-Sunday pick- The co-op projects a minimum of
There were not a lot of new regu- ups, 50 daily pick-ups, and owns 5 . 10 percent increase in pounds
lations, said Hershey, who con- 23 ngs. Because of increased fuel f .*T shinned and „ continued
gratulated the producers for the prices, the cooperative spent an . .
stretch from August until mid- additional $154,000 on fuel last ulc i r i eas f l,l P rod “ c ® r I ”® m rs -
December without a rejected year as compared to the previous Headquartered m Mount Joy,
load of milk. Hershey also gave year. However, according to Her- the association markets milk for
the manager’s report. The co-op, shey, fuel prices have backed off dairy fanners throughout south
tie said, has doubled its member- and stabilized. east and south central Pennsyl
ship inside of six years to 308 ac- The 72-year-old organization, vania through Dairy Marketing
tive shippers. comprised of producers from 11 Services, Syracuse, N.Y.
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