A2B-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 16,2002 (Continued from Page A 10) tion of a state order and to in stead improve dairy farm profita bility by increasing per-cow production and by lowering so matic ceil counts. He used skewed statistics to support these recommendations, and his final piece of imparted wisdom to Minnesota was to amend local statutes and zoning regulations to promote dairy herd expansion. Fortunately, several of those in attendance called him on his in accuracies and withholdings of fact. His standard reply was “Good point. I’m glad you brought that up.” Really, and what if they hadn’t? Am I to be lieve that Bailey was not aware of these crucial points? For Bailey, Feb. 9’s meeting followed the conclusion of a week-long tour sponsored by Monsanto for the purpose of promotion of futures and forward contracts. I find it amazing that Bailey can support a program that encourages lower, flatter raw milk prices while on the other hand he attempts to discourage a state effort that would lead to a more accurate means of deter mining market prices for manu factured dairy products and at the same time encourage inter state commerce cooperation among leading dairy states. As a dairy farmer, I follow dairy issues closely, and as a re sult have attended numerous meetings hosted by Bailey. I have found that he consistently sup ports a philosophy promoting global trade and elimination of any local, state, or federal price enhancement provisions. The time has come for Penn State to rein in Dr. Ken Bailey. Until this happens, he will con tinue to give the commonwealth a bad image as he promotes his aggressive views for a deregu lated, global dairy industry. ❖ Farm Forum ❖ Is it too much to ask to start hearing the truth from Penn State’s Department of Agricul tural Economics and Rural So ciology? Cyrus S. Cochran Dairy Farmer Westfield Editor. Adolph Hitler once said, “It is great luck for rulers that men do not think.” Looking back, it’s safe to say that Germany would have been a much different and better place in the 1930 s and ’4os if Germans had thought for themselves and acted on what was right. Today it might be said that it is great luck for multinational agri business that many people do not think for themselves. One way to stimulate the thought process is through asking questions. For example; Is the rapid pace of agribusiness mergers a good thing? Do fewer competitors in MORE MILK PER ACRE crease competition? Why are cor porations and cooperative exten sion holding joint meetings with farmers? Why is the dairy indus try pushing forward contracting so hard when farmers are not likely to gain? Is it because they are seeking a captive supply of milk? Do they envision a day when dairy farmers will own facilities and shoulder the risks while cor poration X will own the cows and dictate management procedures? Why is there a continual push for larger dairies when there is grow ing concern about the environ mental impact of CAFOs? Why do ag economists encourage ex pansion when both Cornell Uni versity and University of Wiscon sin studies found that the lowest cost of production among top herds was in herds of less than 150 cows? Why is a higher milk price for large dairy farms justified by dairy industry strategists while they ignore the Capper-Volstead Act, which envisioned small farms jointly marketing milk to obtain a fair price? Who will be able to buy the large megadairies in the future? Are land-grant ag economists on corporate retain ers? If so, why? Since farm Class I price for milk in Boston was $1.46 per gal lon in January 1998, while retail SEEDWAY SILAGE HYBRIDS The "IN SITU" Results Are Conclusive... MILK PER ACRE PRODUCED IN TESTING ( Seedway tests conducted in 2000-2001 ) VARIETY SEEDWAY E39OL SEEDWAYE4O9L 96 day (early-med) Mycog©n TMF94 97 day (eariy-med) Pioneer Brand 37M81 98 day (ean y -med) SEEDWAY E 538 SEEDWAY E 695 SEEDWAY E 705 Pioneer Brand 33K81 Pioneer Brand 33Y18 *UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN CORN SILAGE EVALUATION EQUATIONS USED COMPLETE YOUR FORAGE SEED PROGRAM WITH SEEDWAY ALFALFA AND SPRINT ! MIFFLINBURG, PA 800 - 338-2137 YORK, PA 800 MECHANICSBURG, PA 802 - 897 - 2281 EMMAUS, PA 800 was $2.60 and farm Class 1 price was $1.31 per gallon in January 2002, while retail was $2.99, how does Ken Bailey’s “Standard Mark-Up Model” work? Why does Penn State and the milk processing industry strongly de fend Ken Bailey while farmers are critical of his work? Why does officialdom continue to push biotech when many na tions keep our ag exports out as a result? These are only a few of the many questions that need an swers. The most important ques tion is, why do so few people speak out? Gerald Carlin, Dairy Fanner Meshoppen Editor. I am compelled to write this letter after what 1 had witnessed this weekend. My husband and I attended a benefit auction for a fire compa ny. Just like any other benefit auction for any other fire compa ny or school, they were selling ev erything from soup to nuts, horses to equipment, etc. As usual, I like to watch the horses being harnessed and worked around the track. Now, I have seen my share of accidents with horses, I know the dangers of being around things like that. But what I am about to tell you is something that should not have happened. MATURITY 94 day (early-med) 100 day (early-med) 108 day (late) 111 day (late) 111 day (late) 112 day (late) One of the sellers was harnes sing up his horses. As he brought out this standardbred, I noticed the horse was a little quick. Not afraid, just quick. There were two men holding the front of the horse and the other man hooked him up to the sulky. No sooner did the man in the sulky ask the horse to walk, the horse bolted. In the process of running away, the horse ran over an elderly gen tleman. This was definitely an ac cident that could have been pre vented. I feel that the responsibility for this accident lies with the fire company and the seller of the horse. Isn’t the seller aware of what he is selling? Doesn’t the fire company want to conduct a safe sale, so folks come back? The auctions advertise these sales and bring in all types of people. There are horse people and city folk attending. There were children and elderly, babies in carriages anyone who has attended one of these sales know what I am talking about. I am just appalled over the whole episode. It seems to me that their only concern is for how much money they can bring in and it doesn’t matter how they do it or who gets hurt. What is it going to take for these people to see the light? Someone to get killed? A concerned reader S MILK / Ai 19,605 17,275 15,955 16,155 17,039 21,336 23,399 19,363 22,300 836 3720 225 4131 E*
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