A2B-l_ancaster Farming, Saturday, December 28, 2002 Dairylea, DFA Working To Stop Imports Of Raw Milk From Canada SYRACUSE, N.Y. Dairylea Cooperative Inc. and the North east Council of Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. (DFA) are working on a number of initiatives at the state and federal levels to close loopholes permitting the impor tation of bulk raw milk from Canada. Currently, there are reports of small volumes of milk from Can ada being delivered to cheese plants in Pennsylvania, New Jer sey, and Indiana. Dairylea and DFA are asking that all imports of raw milk from Canada be pro hibited in an effort to prevent any negative effects on U.S. farm milk prices. The importation of bulk raw milk is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as established in the Im port Milk Act of 1927. The FDA is an agency of the Federal De partment of Health and Human Services. Under this act, the FDA is responsible for granting li censes for all imported milk and ensuring that necessary inspec tions are completed. “Unlimited imports of Cana dian milk would ultimately lower farm milk prices in the Northeast and throughout the U.S., ” said Clyde Rutherford, president of Dairylea Cooperative. “Although at this time the problem is small, Canadian milk brokers have shown interest in bidding out sig nificant volumes to U.S. buyers. The problem will only escalate.” “This milk is a part of Cana da’s surplus and is being dumped in our markets. This can potenti ally worsen our supply/demand issues,” said Lewis Gardner, chairman of the Northeast Coun EPA Ruling Concerns Land O ’Lakes ARDEN HILLS, Minn. Land O’Lakes, Inc. voiced con cern that the Environmental Pro tection Agency’s (EPA) new Con centrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) rule, released earlier this week, will add to the financial pressure farmers are facing after an already difficult year. While the national farmer owned food and agricultural co operative appreciates the impor tance of the new regulations, there is concern among its mem bership regarding the cost of compliance, according to Steven Krikava, Land O’Lakes director of government relations. Office Closed New Year’s On New Year's Day, Wednesday Jan 1, I ancas ter la rating office is closed. The office will reopen Thurs day Jan. 2. For the Jan. 4 issue, there are some early deadline changes: Public Sale and Mailbox ads, 5 p.m.. Friday, Dec. 27. Classified, Section D ads 3 p.m., Monday, Dec. 30. Classified, Section C, Farm Equipment ads, 3 p.m., Monday, Dec. 30. Sect. A ads, 9 a.m. Thurs day, Jan. 2. General news Thursday, Jan. 2. cil of Dairy Farmers of America. “At a time when we are starting to see positive signals that U.S. milk prices will improve, it is crit ically important to eliminate a problem that could negatively impact farmer income if left un checked.” Dairylea and DFA’s Northeast Council are working on the fol lowing initiatives: • Meeting with Tommy Thompson, secretary of the De partment of Health and human Services, to discuss the negative impacts of the FDA’s practice of granting licenses for imports. • Asking Northeastern state departments of agriculture to take action to prohibit milk plants in their states from receiv ing Canadian milk. New York, Vermont and Ohio have already taken measures to prohibit these imports. • Requesting Congressional support in pressuring the Depart ment of Health and Human Serv ices to make the appropriate ad ministrative changes, which would prohibit raw milk imports from Canada. Both cooperatives are also generating grassroots support from members on this issue. Members are being asked to con tact their state’s secretary or commissioner of agriculture and congressional leaders to make them aware of the problem. “I believe that if dairy farmers work together to voice their con cerns on this issue, we will see ac tion,” said Rutherford. “This is an instance where government officials have the ability to reme dy a problem before it gets out of hand.” “Land O’Lakes supports pro grams that will provide cost-shar ing and will help livestock pro ducers comply with the new regulations,” Krikava said. “We also are pleased that the United States Department of Agricul ture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will be involved with implemen tation of the nutrient planning aspect of the rules.” The CAFO rule will apply gen erally to pork producers who feed at least 2,500 mature animals in confinement for more than 45 days per year, although in some instances smaller operations will be affected. For dairy farms, the regulation will affect those with a herd size of 700 or more, though some smaller operations may have to acquire permits under the Clean Water Act, develop nutrient management plans, improve re cord-keeping and monitoring, and enhance nutrient handling activities. The EPA worked with indus try representatives like Land O’Lakes in an attempt to keep the rules realistic and workable. “Our members are the best stewards of the land,” Krikava said. “We know that they will en sure their dairy and livestock op erations are not polluting our na tion’s environment, so we urge our producers to participate in programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in order to cushion the cost of compliance.” noon. Farm Show History, Construction Next Issue HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Before TV, before video games, before the Intern et ... there was the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Crowds flocked here near mid-cen tury to the Small Arena (now called the Sale Arena) to see this horseshoe contest. Read a complete history of the Farm Show Complex and learn how new construc tion will uplift the face of future Farm Shows, beginning in 2003, in Lancaster Farming’s Farm Show Showcase section next week. This week, schedules, exhibi tors, and maps of the Farm Show appear on pages D25-D29. 2003 New Holland Vegetable Day Set NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster Co.) Greenhouse tomatoes, weed, insect and disease control in vegetables, and asparagus pro duction are just a few of the more than a dozen topics to be covered at the New Holland Vegetable Day January 20,2003. The meeting is sponsored by the Eastern Lancaster County School District and Lancaster County Cooperative Extension. Greenhouse flower growers will want to catch the sessions on “Perennial Production” and “Mum Varieties and Produc tion.” A panel of local growers will talk about their experiences with using beneficial insects instead of pesticides for greenhouse toma toes. Raspberry and strawberry production and food preservation will round out the program. Category pesticide credits will be available at some sessions. Two core pesticide credits will be offered at the “Pesticide Safety” session. The meeting will be Monday, Jan. 20, at Yoder’s Restaurant in New Holland. Yoder’s is located along Rt. 23 at the eastern edge of New Holland. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Cost for the day is $lO per person if you preregister by Jan. 15, or $l5 per person at the door. Lunch is provided. For more information, contact Jeff Stoltzfus, (717) 354-1522. To register, send the enclosed form along with a check for the appro priate amount to Adult Farmer Program, 126 Eastern School Rd., New Holland. PA 17557. Pa. Holstein To Offer Special Membership Rates At Farm Show STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) The Pennsylvania Hol stein Association will have in formation booths at both the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg and the Keystone Farm Show in York. The Key stone Show runs Jan. 7-9 and the Pennsylvania Farm Show runs Jan. 11-18. The association invites mem bers and friends to stop by and visit them to find out what’s new and happening in the association. People who are interested in joining the Pennsylvania Holstein 2003 New Holland Vegetable Day January 20, 2003 Yoder's Restaurant Sponsored by KLANCO School District and Penn State Cooperative Extension 9 00 9 10 A Introdm 9 TO 9 4S Welcome. 945 10 30 Concurrent sessions Rm 1 1 Asparagus Production Disease and Weed Control Scott Walker Jersey Asparagus Farms Rm 2 Improving Roadside marketing Steve Bogash Penn Slate Coop Hxl Rin 3 Perennial Flower Varieties and Management John Bell \oderßros »nt Session! 10 30 Rm 1 *Slrawbcrry Plasticulture Establishment Rm 2 *What s New in 2003 Rm 1 Mum Varieties and Management 15 12 00 General Scs* * Vegetable Disease Control 100 Lunch 100 1 45Gi Problem Weeds 2 00 General Session Vegetable Research Program Update it Sessions Rm 1 Opportunities in Sweet Onions Rm 3 * Bramble Pest C onlrol Rm 3 New Heath Varieties 245 3 M) Concurrent Rm 1 *Gieenhouse Tomato IPM Panel Rm 2 food Preservation Concerns for the Roadside Rm J **Pestiudc Safety M \ isit exhibits on vour wav home * Category pesticide credit will be available for these sessions ** Core pesticide uedils will be available for this session Address Association will want to consider a visit to either show as a time to join the association. Pennsylvania Holstein will be running a mem bership special for new members who join between Jan. 1-18. Any new member can join at that time for a base fee of $17.50 plus 33 cents per cow. The association encourages dairy producers and other dairy industry enthusiasts interested in joining the association to stop by the booth and visit with the asso ciation about becoming a mem ber. If you cannot attend either of Mid Atlantic Farm Credil md Dt Inentati troarai St on Walker Jersey Asparagus Farms Exhibitors BradYodci Yoder Bros Dr Alan Mac Nab PSD Extension Mike Orzalek, Penn Stale Extension Bill Iroxel PA Veg Growus MikeOr/alek Perm Stale Extension Kaihv Demchak Penn State Extension Tom Callahan ACN I ocal Growers, Cathy Thomas PDA Nancy Wikei I ancastcr County Ext Katie tvanchak PA Dept of Ag C«> SlO/pcrson = # Attending Maki thaks payable lo Adull Farmei Piogram Farm Show, you can still send in an application by Jan. 18 to re ceive the new member discounts. For more information about the Pennsylvania Holstein Asso ciation or to receive a member ship application, contact the Pennsylvania Holstein Associa tion, 839 Benner Pike, State Col lege, PA 16801. Phone (814) 234-0364, fax (814) 234-1698, e-mail HYPERLINK mailto:pha@vicon.net pha@ vicon.net or access the Website at HYPERLINK http://www. paholsteins.com. loul
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers