Gov. Schweiker Proclaims
June Dairy Month
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) In celebration of National
Dairy Month, Gov. Mark
Schweiker has proclaimed June
as Dairy Month in Pennsylvania
to recognize the significant eco
nomic benefits that our dairy
farm families and the many agri
businesses make to the state.
“Pennsylvania is proud of its
dairy industry and very apprecia
tive of the many benefits to our
rural communities throughout
the commonwealth,” said
Schweiker.
Pennsylvania’s dairy industry
is the state’s leading agricultural
segment, contributing nearly 40
percent of all agricultural income
and generating more than $1.52
billion in revenues. More than
17,000 people are employed on
Pennsylvania dairy farms and
another 12,000 in dairy process
ing.
The Pennsylvania Department
of Agriculture supports the Penn
sylvania Dairy Stakeholders and
Agriculture Secretary Encourages
Farmers To Participate In Surveys
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Agriculture Secretary
Sam Hayes encouraged all farm
ers to participate in both the 2002
Farm Identification Survey and
the June Agricultural Survey.
The purpose of these two sur
veys is to improve the farm count
in the 2002 Census of Agricul
ture, to begin in December.
“As the lifeblood of Pennsylva
nia’s Number 1 industry, every
farmer should and must' be
counted in the 2002 Census of
Agriculture,” Hayes said. “These
preliminary surveys help ensure
that and greatly help the state
Department of Agriculture,
which depends on timely and ac
curate statistics to develop appro
priate programs that assist and
serve our farmers.”
In mid-April, the USDA’s Na
tional Agriculture Statistics Serv
ice sent out more than 11,000
copies of the 2002 Farm Identifi
cation Survey across Pennsylva
nia. The intent of the survey is to
identify potential farms prior to
the start of the 2002 Census of
Agriculture.
The Farm Identification Sur
vey is a seven-question form to
see if any previously unknown
operations meet the USDA farm
definition, defined as “any place
from which $l,OOO or more of ag
ricultural products were pro
duced and sold, or normally
would have been sold, during the
census year.” The simple “yes”
or “no” questions ask about
growing crops or raising livestock
in any quantity. This short survey
should take less than five min
utes to complete.
Hayes noted that the Census of
Agriculture includes more than
just traditional agricultural crops
the Business Plan Development
Program. This effort is assisting
dairy farm families develop busi
ness plans that will help their
farms continue their leading eco
nomic role.
The Pennsylvania Dairy
Promotion Program has devel
oped an advertising and promo
tion strategy for their dairy prod
ucts and the “got milk?” slogan.
Through their efforts and the
Pennsylvania Dairy Princess Pro
gram, Pennsylvania dairy prod
ucts are well recognized for quali
ty in Pennsylvania and around
the world. And Pennsylvania is
known for its excellent dairy ge
netics.
“We salute the strength and
commitment of Pennsylvania’s
9,600 dairy farm families to pro
ducing delicious and nutritious
dairy products and keeping
Pennsylvania agriculture the
leading economic enterprise in
the commonwealth,” said Agri
culture Secretary Sam Hayes.
such as Held crops, livestock,
dairy, and poultry. It also in
cludes Christmas trees, mush
rooms, nursery and greenhouse
products, honey, aquaculture,
rabbits, exotic livestock, and
more.
Hayes added that while the
USDA will be mailing a second
survey to anyone that did not re
spond in April, the department
will not be contacting farmers
who participated in the 1997 Ag
riculture Census.
As part of the Ag Census Pro
gram, the USDA also does an es
timate for farmers who are not
on the mailing list through the
June Agricultural Survey, which
is used to measure agricultural
production and grower demo
graphics.
During May and June, field in
terviewers will be visiting about
200 one-square mile land seg
ments across Pennsylvania. With
the assistance of aerial photogra
phy, they will check for agricul
ture on every acre within each
segment of land. Information
from these 200 segments, and 100
more in the fall, will allow the Ag
Statistics Service to estimate the
number of farms not on the mail
ing list for the 2002 Ag Census.
As with all surveys from Ag
Statistics, the responses to these
surveys are confidential and will
not be provided to any individual
person or organization. The farm
mailing list is also confidential to
the Ag Statistics Service.
Upon completion of the sur
veys, Agriculture Census forms
will be sent out in December to
2.75 million potential farms and
ranches nationwide. In Pennsyl
vania, these efforts are coordinat
ed by the Pennsylvania Agricul-
In dairy production, Pennsyl
vania ranks fourth with more
than 617,000 cows producing an
estimated 11.16 billion pounds of
milk.
Pennsylvania’s dairy manufac
turers also continue to be among
the nation’s leaders in the pro
duction of butter, ice cream, and
cheese.
Named the state’s official bev
erage on April 29, 1992, milk is
often referred to as “nature’s
most perfect product” for its
great nutritional values and the
wide variety of dairy products
available to meet every person’s
taste. Milk is also noted as an ex
cellent source of calcium, protein,
vitamin D, and riboflavin.
Hayes said, “Every month is
‘Got Milk’ time in Pennsylva
nia.”
To learn more about Pennsyl
vania’s dairy industry, contact
the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture at (717) 787-4737 or
the local dairy promotion organi
zation.
tural Statistics Service, which is
both a USDA field office as well
as the statistical bureau within
the state Department of Agricul
ture.
For information on the Farm
Identification Survey, 2002 Ag
Census, or to request a survey
form, contact the National Agri
cultural Statistic Services at (888)
4AG-STAT or (888) 424-7828.
Questions concerning the June
Agricultural Survey should be di
rected to the Pennsylvania Agri
cultural Statistics Service at (800)
498-1518.
All-American Dairy Show Continues To Grow
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The 2002 All-American
Dairy Show will take place Sep
tember 22-26 at the Pennsylvania
Farm Show Complex, Harris
burg.
Entering its 39th year, the All-
American Dairy Show continues
to exhibit high quality dairy ge
netics from Pennsylvania and
other states. Many dairy animals
entered in the competition have
achieved national recognition for
their pedigree, milk production,
and type quality. Expositions like
the All-American Dairy Show
provide an opportunity for dairy
breeders and other persons asso
ciated with the dairy industry to
exchange ideas and seek informa
tion to help advance America’s
great dairy team.
“The All-American Dairy
Show is one of the great agricul
tural expositions in the nation
and a spectacular showcase for
the dairy industry,” said Pennsyl-
Organic Agriculture Farm,
Pasture Walk June 18
LEESPORT (Berks Co.) Or
ganic agriculture in Southeast
Pennsylvania will be showcased
June 18, at 7 p.m., at Green
Haven Farm, 99 Noll Lane, Fleet
wood.
Hosts Brian and Holley Moyer
farm 27 acres, raising poultry,
sheep, and dairy goats. The prod
ucts are marketed through two
CSAs, restaurants, two farmers’
markets, a food co-op, and on
the-farm sales. They market their
products as grass fed.
Footbaths will be used when
you arrive, so please wear appro
priate footwear (rubber boots). If
you have traveled outside this
country in the past two weeks,
please stay home. Thank you!
Directions:
June Is
Dairy Month
Celebration June 5
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) June is Dairy Month cele
bration is scheduled June 5 at
noon here on the state capitol
steps.
Sponsors include the Promo
tion Program/ADADC Mid East
and the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Asso
ciation. The program includes
budding a giant ice cream sun
dae, a proclamation for June
Dairy Month from Gov. Schweik
er, statements from dairy indus
try leaders, and a celebrity mdk
mustache contest.
For more information, Tom
Smith, industry relations manag
er, Pennsylvania Dairy Promo
tion Program/American Dairy
Association and Dairy Council
Mid East, 2301 North Cameron
Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110,
(717) 787-6903, fax (614)
890-1636, or e-mail:
tsmith@drink-milk.com.
vania Agriculture Secretary Sam
Hayes. “Expositions, like the All-
American, bring the very best of
our dairy industry together. The
Pennsylvania Department of Ag
riculture is pleased to have the
All-American at our Farm Show
Complex; and, we are pleased to
provide financial resources for
the exposition.”
The All-American Dairy Show
was started in 1963 to recognize
the importance of genetic quality
and excellent dairy cattle. At this
time in its history, the All-Ameri
can Dairy Show takes pride in
setting an exemplary standard of
excellence on the national show
circuit. The Pennsylvania-based
dairy show was recognized at the
2001 International Association of
Fairs and Expositions (lAFE)
111th annual convention in Las
Vegas, Nev. as the Best Non-Fair
Agricultural Event.
Over the span of five days,
eight states, regional, and nation
al dairy shows will be conducted.
The All-American will culminate
on Sept. 26 with the Parade of
Breed Champions in the large
arena and the selection of the su
preme champion.
To better serve agricultural ex
positions such as the All-Ameri
can, the PA Department of Agri
culture has initiated a landmark
construction project at its Farm
Show Complex. The historic $76
million investment in Pennsylva
nia agriculture will provide a
world-class facility for many of
the nation’s world-class exposi
tions.
Over $160,000 will be offered
From the turnpike: exit at
Morgantown and take Rt. 176
north. Follow Rt. 176 to the end
and take Rt 422 West. The exit
for this is on the left. Take 422
West to the exit for Rt. 12 Price
town. Follow Rt. 12 for about
seven miles to the traffic light at
Rt. 73. Cross Rt. 73 and go half a
mile to Walnuttown Road. Turn
left onto Walnuttown Road and
go one mile to Noll Lane on your
left. Turn left onto Noll Lane and
go to the very end of the lane.
The lane dead-ends at the farm.
From the north: take Rt. 222
south to Rt. 662. Turn left onto
Rt. 662 and follow it up to Main
Street in Fleetwood. Turn right at
the light onto Main Street, then
turn left at the next light (this is
Rt. 662 again). Follow Rt. 662 for
about 2 or 3 miles to the traffic
light at Rt. 12 (Pricetown Road).
Turn right onto Rt. 12 and go
about a mile to Walnuttown
Road. Turn right onto Walnut
town Road and go one mile to
Noll Lane on your left. Turn left
onto Noll Lane and go to the very
end of the lane. The lane dead
ends at the farm.
From Boyertown: Take Rt. 73
West toward Oley. Go through
Oley to the traffic light at Rt. 12
(Pricetown Road). Turn right
onto Rt. 12 and go about a half
mile to Walnuttown Road. Turn
left onto Walnuttown Road and
go one mile to Noll Lane on your
left. Turn left onto Noll Lane and
go to the very end of the lane.
The lane dead-ends at the farm.
Mne is
in premiums at the 2002 All-
American. Each entry at the All-
American will receive a cash
award.
For the first time at the All-
American Dairy Show, a su
preme champion will be selected
from the Youth Show. The win
ning youth will receive a cash
premium of $2,000.
To help youth exhibitors invest
in their future, each youth breed
grand champion will also receive
a $l,OOO savings bond for their
achievement.
“The future of America’s dairy
industry rests in the hands of to
day’s young men and women.
The All-American Dairy Show
strives to recognize their impor
tance,” Hayes said. “Everyday,
talented young people work with
their dairy herds, gaining hands
on experience in dairy genetics,
striving to breed high quality
show cattle, learned responsibil
ity, and demonstrating good
showmanship.”
Over $8,400 in premiums will
be offered to recognize the high
quality of dairy animals taking
center stage during the youth
shows in the large arena of the
Farm Show Complex. This is the
first year that premiums will be
offered in all six youth breed
shows.
Total youth premiums offered
at the 2002 All-American reflect
a 137 percent increase from 2001.
For more information on the
2002 All-American Dairy Show,
contact the Pennsylvania Depart
ment of Agriculture at (717)
787-2905.
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