i26-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday a: Who Will Work Your Farm In The Future? Roland P. Freund Penn State Farm Management This is the question to be an swered at the Franklin County Farm Management Forum scheduled March 6, beginning at 9 a.m. The forum is designed to meet the interests and needs of the general farm audience not en terprise specific. It is sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Ex tension and supported by Frank lin County agribusiness organi zations. It will be at The Lighthouse Restaurant on Rt. 11 north of Chambersburg, approximately one mile south of Rt. 997. Will there be a future for your farm? This is the first aspect of the question posed in the pro gram title to be presented by Re gional Farm Management Agent Roland Freund, discussing such succession issues as: Is there a next generation to take over the farm? Is the next generation building equity in the business? Is the next generation involved in management and decision-mak ing? Which farms will have a fu ture? For a farm to have a future it needs to have certain attri butes. Brad Hilty of Dairy Alli ance will discuss how we can ii*. Grandrib 3 9 PLUS Buy the Best from A company that only sells Quality. All this adds up t 0... Grandrib 3® PLUS is backed by an industry leading: 35 Year Sidewall & 30 Year Roof Paint Warranty 25 Year Sidewall Corrosion Warranty 20 Year Roofing Corrosion Warranty 10 Year Edge Rust Warranty Complete Building Packages, Trusses And Glue-Laminated Timbers 717-866-6581 761 E. Linden St. Richland, M 17887 March 3,2001 measure these and suggest benchmarks that managers can use to evaluate their own busi ness resources, level of technolo gy, solvency, profitability, and labor efficiency and availability. The future farm workforce. There will be a panel to discuss how the future farm will be able to hire and retain good employ ees. The panelists include Ronald K. Statler, former partner in Statier Farms, Joseph S. Mid dour of Middour Farms, Way nesboro, Sam Miller of Franklin Feed and Supply Co. and Jerome K. Harness DVM of Franklin Veterinary Associates. The audi ence will have opportunities to raise questions with the panelists and speakers. Organizing and managing the future workforce. Richard Ship of Dairy Alliance will discuss a general strategy for effective or ganization and management of a farm workforce. The program will conclude at 2:30 p.m. with an ice cream send off. The registration fee for the program, including buffet lupcfy, is $l5 per individual and $lO for each additional person from the same family or organization. To register and for further in formation, contact the Franklin County Extension Office, 191 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambers burg, PA 17201-3086 or call (717)263-9226. RIGIDPLY... Land O’Lakes To Purchase Kraft’s Cheese Plant MELROSE, Minn. Land O’Lakes, Inc. and Kraft Foods, Inc., recently announced that they have reached agreement for the purchase of the Kraft cheese plant in Melrose, Minn., as an ongoing operation. Separately, Land O’Lakes and Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. (DFA) announced that they have reached agreement for a joint venture, Melrose Dairy Proteins LLC, which will own and operate the Melrose plant. Located at 1,000 East Kraft Drive, the plant has approxi mately 150 employees and pro duces bulk cheese, which is shipped to other plants for fur ther processing and packaging. The plant purchases over one bil lion pounds of milk per year. As part of the agreement, Land O’Lakes will offer employ ment to the Melrose facility’s workforce, and Kraft will pur chase a portion of the plant’s output. The sale price was not disclosed. The sale is expected to be final in early March. Kraft’s manufacturing facilities in Al bany and New Ulm, Minn., are not part of the transaction. Officials of Land O’Lakes and DFA said the decision to form the joint venture reflects a strong, shared commitment to the Upper Midwest dairy indus try and a focus on market access for member milk. “This is driven in part by our two organizations’ long-standing commitment to Upper Midwest dairying,” said Jack Gherty, Land O’Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer. “Per- wmt^ fte 'V : Best Metal Warranty 10 Layers ¥ Protection Up to 50% Stronger Thicker 29 Gauge Steel 25% - 50% More Galvanized Coating 301-334-3977 1283 Joni Miller Rd. Oakland, MO 21550 haps even more important, this joint venture illustrates our con tinued confidence in the ability of the Upper Midwest dairy in dustry to be competitive long term. Our goal is to maintain and upgrade the region’s dairy infra structure, as well as to preserve market access for the region’s dairy producers.” DFA President and Chief Ex ecutive Officer Gary Hanman said the new partnership is a very positive match. “As farmer owned enterprises, we share spe cific cooperative values...like a commitment to producer profita bility and productivity...which make our organizations very compatible partners,” said Han man. “A key aspect of our coop erative commitment is preserving market access for member milk, and this joint venture directly addresses that issue.” Officials at Kraft said they were pleased to find committed buyers for the plant. “Over the past year, we have looked for the best option for this plant, recog nizing the changing dairy indus try dynamics,” said Tom Hedge, Land O’Lakes Board Elects New Chairman MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. The Land O’Lakes board of directors elected Jim Fife, general manag er of the Ag Supply Company of Wenatchee, Wash., as its 2001 board chairman. Fife is the eighth board chair man in Land O’Lakes 80-year history. Fife, who has served on the Land O’Lakes Board since 1991, most recently served as chair of the board’s Agricultural Services Committee. He is also Land O’Lakes shareholder representa tive on the board of CF Indus- Call Us For Your Nearest Dealer! LEBANON VALLEY ENTERPRISES, INC. Manufacturing • Powder Coating * Precast RO. Box 187, Myerstown, PA 17067 • (717) 866-2030 Vice President of Operations for Kraft’s Central Area. “We be lieve this is the best outcome for our business, for >e long-term viability of this p’ it, for our em ployees, milk itrons, haulers and the c > imunity. Land O’Lakes is r ming the expertise of a highl’ skilled, outstanding work force. And, because it is being purchased as an ongoing operation, the plant will continue as an important contributor to the local economy, as well as pro vide a market for dairy patrons’ milk. We are committed to mak ing this a smooth transition to new ownership.” Land O’Lakes has been a long term supplier of raw milk to the Melrose facility. DFA has signifi cant milk supply in the region. Land O’Lakes and DFA, which will each hold SO percent ownership in Melrose Dairy Pro teins LLC, said current plant op erations and service to existing customers and producers will continue, adding that plans are to further upgrade plant technol ogy and tailor ongoing produc tion to market needs. tries, an interregional crop nutri ent manufacturing cooperative. Fife, who has been General Manager of the Ag Supply Com pany for more than 28 years, is also a member of the Washing ton State Council of Farmer Co operatives; former chair of the Cenex/Land O’Lakes Ag Services Council; and past president of the Western Area Managers As sociation. He is an alumnus of the University of Washington, where he earned a degree in Business Administration-Mar keting.
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