o
(Continued from Page Al 6)
very new to the villagers. They asso
ciate co-ops with collective farms,
even though co-ops are the opposite
of a collective farm. Many don’t fully
understand the commitment that is
needed to manage the cooperative.
Even more alien is the idea that all
the villagers share in the profits of
the enterprise.
This is the last column for my
weekly dairy outlook report for 2002.
1 will be enjoying some time with my
family. I will also be reflecting on all
SEEDWAY IS YOUR SOURCE FOR
ALFALFA SEED
HIGH PERFORMANCE ALFALFA
SEED'W'^tionl
'SSS&SSSZ
300 V-H
.EAFHOP pEB „
r resistance
m \\ ' ea^°e\S e p oteot ' a '
m* V .hardiness
Good te s'istaoce
EARLY PAY DISCOUNTS IN EFFECT NOW !
MIFFLINBURG, PA 800-338-2137 EMMAUS, PA . .800-225-4131
MECHANICSBURG, PA . .877-788-8982 YORK, PA 800-836-3720
Ken Bailey
Professor of
Agricultural Economics,
Dairy Marketing and Policy
Penn State
the positive things we take for grant
ed living in the U.S. We assume
every time we turn on the faucet,
raise the thermostat, and open the re
frigerator door that there is water,
heat, and food.
That isn't so in much of the rest of
the world. Imagine spending the en
tire winter with very little heat! Trust
me, it’s not much fun.
Let’s hope we start the new year
with lower dairy inventories and
higher milk prices. Have a great holi
day season with your families!
Pa. Cattleman’s College Well Attended
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) On December 14 approxi
mate!) 100 cattlemen from across
the state traveled to the foftrees
Resort. State College to attend
the Pennsylvania Cattleman's
College
Despite a heavy ice storm the
night before, an enthusiastic
crowd was on hand to listen to a
varict) of speakers during the
daylong event.
The keynote speaker was Dr.
Terry Etherton, Department
Head of Dairy and Animal Sci
ence at Penn State University.
Etherton discussed the influence
of biotechnology in animal agri
culture.
“Biotechnology dates back
more than 1,000 years, the first
plant hybrid was developed in
1719,” stated Etherton. However,
the modern era of biotechnology
is recognized as starting in 1973.
Dr. Etherton mentioned the
numerous benefits of biotechno
logy ranging from improving effi
ciency to environmental benefits.
In closing he noted, “Public per
ception is the key to the support
and development of biotechnolo
gy in agriculture.”
seeo'N'tf 5A2
long season
F a " d °M oo"eotol
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 28, 2002-At 9
Following Dr. Etherton’s pre
sentation. attendees were invited
to attend four of nine seminars
on topics including: the livestock
evaluation ccntci. marketing
purebred hulls, new pioducts in
estrous s\nchruni/atiun, keeping
the lannlv on the tannlv taim. le
tamed ownership ot feeder
calves, where did my checkoff
dollar go. nutrient management
OPINION
to pay higher prices, make phone calls, and even vote in such a way as to pro
tect the source of their food, and fai mers who have no such convenient reser
voir of local support. This factor, I believe, made a big difference in the recent
legislative debate, as I am aware that many farmers who opposed SB 1413
asked their customers to help make the case.
Denial of the contrast between old and new models of farming is pervasiv e.
and is beginning to threaten the integrity of all farmers here and abroad. Em
bedded within this denial is the learned forgetfulness that industrial agricul
ture is only “profitable" in the context of huge government production subsi
dies. artificially low energy prices, and long-term environmental damage.
Such arc some of the hidden costs of today's food supply that bring little bene
fit to average fai mers.
The time has come to admit vviiat members ol the Pennsylvania House of
Representatives now know very well, that there are distinctly different news
of agriculture being adyocated across the state Let us noyv initiate a stateyvide
dialogue aimed at achieving mutual understanding and, perhaps, some com
mon stiategies tor addressing important issues such as farm piofltabilily. en
vironmental piotcction. animal welfare, and the wellbe
ing of oin rural communities
Wc have a perlecl opportunity loi such >i dialogue to
begin, with a new slate acliinmstiation about to take of
fice. “If not now-, when'’ If not us. who.’" .. as the sav
ing goes. Governor Ld Rendell should make this matter
a top priority of Ins new administration
I challenge other farm organizations in Pennsylvania
to join us in this call (or meaningful dialogue in 2003
and the years ahead, f urthermore, let us agree that such
dialogue must embrace not only the diversity among
farmers, but also the needs and interests of rural com
munities and individual consumers, including those who
happen also to be township supervisors, or who fit into
one of Mr. Peechatka’s convenient categories
The message sent out early on Thanksgiving morning
when the legislature refrained from taking action on SB
1413 is that the status quo m Pennsylvania agriculture is
no longer suitable as cither a voice or a vision for the fu
ture. Our lawmakers now realize that diversity within
the agricultural community is as natural and desirable
as is biodiversity m our fields and forests
And what all of us should realize before it is too late
for Pennsylvania's 60,000 family farms is that the next
agricultural revolution will come about as a result nei
ther of legislative action nor the development of new
technology, but m response to the urgent desire of mil
lions of consumeis everywhere to be more closelv con
nected to the sources of their food
laws, best grazing systems for PA
beef cattle, or freezer beef liability
and regulations
Producers also had the oppor
tunity to attend the Pennsylvania
Beet Council (PBC ) \nnual
Meeting to learn about checkoff
pmgiams in Pennsylvania Mtei
the day s sessions, attendees y\eu
inMted to a beet and veal pioduct
reception hosted by the Pennsyl
vania Beef Council.
(Continued from Page A 10)