A26-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 3,2001
‘City Boy ’
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
RHEEMS (Lancaster Co.)
“I’m a city boy who’s still trying
to figure out how I got here,”
Andy Bradford said of his recent
appointment as president of the
Lancaster County Poultry Asso
ciation.
Don’t allow that statement to
create the misconception that
Bradford isn’t qualified or
doesn’t enjoy the appointment.
Since he was graduated with a
degree in animal science from
Penn State, Bradford has filled
several different career positions
for the poultry industry.
Now he is eager to tacide the
concerns facing the industry. As
president of the association, one
of Bradford’s main concerns is
the misunderstandings that erupt
between the agricultural and
nonfarming community.
“People tend to fear what they
can’t see,” Bradford said. He
pointed out that the public often
fears swine barns and large
chicken houses because they can
not see inside of them, and
therefore don’t understand the
need for the barns.
“We fear most what we can’t
understand. The more we can
show the public what is actually
happening, the more positive
message we are portraying,”
Bradford said.
He has some ideas how com
munication can be improved. But
first, a look into Bradford’s back
ground provides some perspec
tive on his position.
While reviewing the signposts
along his career path, Bradford
said, “I guess you could say, ev
erything happened in college.”
The “city boy” had planned to
become a veterinarian because he
was always intrigued with ani
mals and agriculture. One of the
first professors he had at Penn
State reminded the students that
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less than one-half of those pursu
ing a veterinarian degree would
achieve it. Bradford was told that
an ag science degree would en
able him to do anything a vet
could do except prescribe med
ication.
At that time, a four-year de
gree seemed much more enticing
than a long, rigorous course of
veterinarian studies. But “chick
ens” was still a long way from his
mind—except when he traveled to
the Delmarva area to visit rela
tives.
Bradford said, “I fell in love
with that area and admired the
thriving poultry industry.”
During Bradford’s senior year
at Penn State, he was elected
president of the Poultry Science
Club. After graduation, Bradford
was employed by Pennfield Feeds
for one and a half years. Immedi
ately, he became active in the
county poultry association and
was soon appointed secretary of
the board.
Bradford resigned from that
position when he was offered a
job as a broiler flock supervisor
for Perdue in North Carolina. By
this time, Andy had married
Amy, who grew up on a beef
farm and was active in 4-H.
He and his wife moved to
North Carolina. But they missed
Lancaster County, so when Pen
nfield offered him a position 10
months later, Bradford took it,
and the couple returned to the
county. Again, he became active
in the poultry association.
Bradford soon jumped fields to
become feed salesman for Weng
er Feeds.
“I had nutrition classes in col
lege and soon developed a knack
for it,” Bradford said of decipher
ing nutritional needs.
He works with independent
layer customers a dwindling
number among poultry produc
ers.
“We value independent grow-
/
Ebbbl
ers. We believe in the family farm
and want it to prosper,” Bradford
said. Independent producers are
more inclined to drop out of the
industry than contract growers
who are guaranteed a paycheck,
regardless of fluctuating prices.
Bradford said that Wengers has
nine million chickens under con
tract, compared to three-quarter
million owned by independent
growers.
“The ag industry has faced
some tough times in the past 30
months, and many of the inde
pendent producers have been los
ing money,” Bradford said.
He said the industry blames
much of the tough times on the
influx of eggs from the Midwest.
The Midwest has an abundance
of grain and build poultry com
plexes simply to use up the grain,
even if they have not established
markets for the eggs. This com
plicates the local market for eggs.
Although grain is cheaper in the
Midwest, transportation costs are
higher, resulting in a more level
playing field for local feed com
panies.
Bradford isn’t certain how the
Sept. 11 events will influence the
egg industry. Although reports
show fewer consumers are eating
out and this reduces the volume
sold to restaurants, recession
often benefits the ag industry.
During a recession, people pinch
pennies and cook more at home.
Eggs are a great source of protein
and cost less than other protein
sources.
Bradford said that he has en
joyed working with different as
pects of the poultry industry. He
believes his experience with
working with broiler and egg pro
duction and with contract and in
dependent growers enables him
to grasp the complexity of the
different problems each group
faces.
“This county benefits from the
strong support of industry and
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C B Structure, Inc, producers of
growers for the poultry associa
tion,” Bradford said. Although
North Carolina has a bustling
poultry industry, it does not have
a local poultry association.
“Producers here can rely on
the industry to fight in behalf of
their best industries,” Bradford
said of legislative issues. “We are
lucky to have people we do in po
sitions such as Penn Ag. They
look after everyone’s benefit. It’s
important to see both sides of an
issue. Without one, you do not
have the other.”
One benefit that North Caroli
na has that is not available in
Pennsylvania is no sales tax for
poultry equipment.
As president, Bradford would
like to keep the focus of the or
ganization which is to promote
the products and educate con
sumers.
He believes in the need for con
tinually building public relations
with the community. Bradford is
proud that the association pro
vides and serves an annual din
ner for patrons of Water Street
Mission.
Bradford said that eggs were
sent to aid in the relief effort at
Ground Zero. Mark Lovett of
Tyson Foods cooked nine million
pounds of chicken for relief
workers.
“It’s tougher today to be in the
industry because of all the legisla
tive changes,” Bradford said.
“We went from not requiring a
nutrient plan to a bureaucracy
that is changing from nitrogen to
phosphorous-based nutrient
management. This is a disadvan
tage to animal agriculture.”
Farming today requires keep-
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ing up with the times and not
putting our heads in the sand,
Bradford said of the misunder
standings that develop between
the ag and the non-ag popula
tion.
“It’s important to listen to peo
ple’s concerns and correct mis
conceptions without offending
people. This is where education
comes through,” Bradford said of
the association’s educational
thrust to consumers through
seminars, educational dinners,
and literature.
“It’s important for the ag com
munity to get involved and evalu
ate situations to see if it is an
emotional or legitimate com
plaint,” Bradford said of local
government.
A beneficial way to stop mis
conceptions between fanners and
community members, Bradford
said, is to conduct tours. Recent
ly, township supervisors were in
vited to tour a layer facility. An
environmental coordinator ex
plained the steps to ensure a safe
environment. The township su
pervisors remarked that they
were impressed with the facility.
The supervisors discovered that
environmental concerns were not
as bad as what they had been led
to believe by a small vocal oppo
sition group.
Bradford believes that farmers
in Lancaster County are better
stewards of the land and adhere
to belief in stewardship more
than farmers in many other
areas.
“We don’t abuse what we
have. And that puts Pennsylva
nia ahead of many other states,”
Bradford said.
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