f Annual Egg Production Up 5 Percent From Previous Year HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Annual egg production in Pennsylvania for the year ending Nov. 30, 2001 was 6.61 billion eggs, five percent more than the 6.31 billion produced in 2000, according to the Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics Service (PASS). There was an average of 24.4 million layers in Pennsylvania laying flocks during the 12-month period, five percent more than the 23.3 million the previous year. Average annual production per layer was 271 eggs, unchanged from the previ ous year. All chicken inventory (exclud- Hereford Breeders Anticipate Summer Conference KANSAS CITY, Mo. The American Hereford Association (AHA) members and the Oklaho ma State University (OSU) ani mal and meat sciences depart ments are gearing up for the 2002 Breed Directions Summit, June 20-22 in Stillwater, Okla. Hereford breeders from around the globe and beef industry ex perts will convene at the Payne County Expo Center and OSU for three days filled with speak ers and entertainment. Glen Dolezal, Excel Corpora tion, and John Tucker, North Platte Feeders, will use live cattle for attendees to gain knowledge on determining value characteris tics in Herefords and to discuss the type of cattle being selected for the feedlot. In addition, Dr. Tom Field, Colorado State Uni versity and Dr. Dan Moser, Kan sas State University, will address past and present Hereford breed trends, while focusing on the pro gress made and areas seeking im provement for the breed to main tain its status in the industry. Craig Huffhines, AHA execu tive vice-president, says the tim ing of a conference of this caliber is perfect as the demand curve is changing. The Breed Direction Summit will launch the Hereford breed into a higher level of excel lence in performance and will NEW HOLLAND CONCRETE 121 EAST RIDGE ROAD, OFF RT. 1. NOTTINGHAM (610) 932-3222 IT’S A BUILDING MATERIALS CONVENIENCE STORE! Block • Concrete Products • Building Materials • Masonry Supplies • Tools • Ready Mix All with the same great quality and service you expect from New Holland just a little closer to home mmew m mJfOLLAND m m CONCRETE STOP BY AND DISCOVER WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED... CONCRETE BLOCKS TO GO! ing commercial broilers) as of Dec. 1, 2001 totaled 29.3 million, down four percent from the 30.6 million one year earlier. Pennsyl vania ranked fourth in chicken inventory on Dec. 1, 2001. Penn sylvania ranked fourth in layers on hand December 1. Only lowa, with 34.6 million, Ohio, with 30.3 million, and Cali fornia, with 23.8 million, were the only states outranking Pennsyl vania in layers. Commonwealth flocks in cluded 23.7 million layers 20 weeks old and older, down two percent from last year; 5.6 mil lion pullets less than 20 weeks old, down 12 percent; and 78,000 also motivate the breeders to en hance their operations and be come full service genetic sup- pliers. A session led by Dr. Brad Mor gan, OSU, will be devoted to car cass value, product enhancement and new beef marketing specifi cations. Participants will also have the opportunity to partake in sessions directed at under standing EPDs and AHAs new whole herd Total Performance Records (TPR) program more clearly. Wrapping up the conference, seedstock and commercial panels will discuss the responsibilities of a seedstock breeder and what is expected of them from the com mercial industry. In conjunction with the commercial panel, a live evaluation of individual cattle will take place, demonstrating what the commercial sector is de manding from Hereford seedstock producers. Lee Pitts, renowned western columnist and speaker will high light the evening festivities on June 20. Participant cost is $lOO and spouse registration is $5O includ ing four meals. For more inform ation or to register, contact the AHA or log on to www.herefor d.org. other chickens, down eight per cent from the inventory on Dec. 1,2000. The average value per bird on hand Dec. 1, 2001 was $1.60. Total value of all flocks in Penn sylvania on Dec. 1, 2001 was esti mated at 46.9 million dollars, down four percent from the 49.0 million dollars in 2000. Nationally, egg production during the year ending Nov. 30, 2001 totaled a record high 85.6 billion eggs, up one percent from the previous year. Layer numbers averaged 335 million, up two per cent from 2000. The annual aver age production per layer on hand in 2000 was 256 eggs, down slightly from the 2000 average of 257. The inventory of all chickens in the U.S. (excluding commer cial broilers) totaled 441 million on Dec. 1, 2001, up one percent from last year. Hgns and pullets of laying age plus pullets over 13 weeks old but not of laying age on hand totaled 381 million, up three percent from Dec. 1,2000. The average value of chickens in the nation’s flocks on Dec. 1 was $2.42, down two cents from 2000. Total value of the nation’s flocks was estimated at 1.07 bil lion dollars, up one percent from a year ago. Lowes Launches CHB Campaign KANSAS CITY, Mo. Lowes Foods, Winston-Salem, N.C., has teamed up with Certified Here ford Beef LLC (CHB) to under take the largest retail marketing campaign in the history of Here ford beef. The launch includes print ad vertisements, complete in-store signage and the Beef Made Easy labeling program. Lowes is the first CHB account in the state and has 86 participating super markets. “Thanks to Lowes, the de mand for program eligible Here ford and baldy steers has in creased by 1,000 head per week,” said Rob Ames, AHA director of product marketing. CHB will be a full-case branded beef program for Lowes, replacing its commodity Choice beef offering and packer brand Angus beef program sold in some service-case stores. N. Y. Legislation To Propose Ag Venture Capital Program ALBANY, N.Y. Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Bill Magee (D-Nelson) is plan ning to introduce a bill to create the AgriDevelopment Venture Capital Program which would allow the State Comptroller to in vest public retirement funds in new and existing agribusinesses. “The agriculture industry, just like the high tech sector, is in need of the investment capital that this Program would pro vide,” Magee said. “There is no doubt that with an infusion of eq uity farms, farmers and agribusi nesses across the state will begin to grow in profitability and num bers.” The AgriDevelopment Venture Capital Program is patterned after a similar program enacted in 1999 which allowed the Comp troller to invest the assets of the Common Retirement Fund in privately owned businesses but is not specific to the unique needs of agriculture and perhaps has the tendency to focus more on telecommunications and high tech companies. “Too often, agriculture is not looked at as a means to improve the state’s economy, but the fact is that when you talk about the Jean an