AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 18, 2003 ~— - OPINION Sam We have a new secretary of agri culture. That’s great news. We wish the new secretary much success in that challenging endeavor. But I want to remind the fine folks who read this paper that for the past many years, we’ve been blessed with a great man. We’ve heard various names for what we refer now as “outgoing sec retary,” a true gentleman of agricul ture. We’ve s6en “The Honorable Sam Hayes.” We’ve seen “Coach Hayes” from (outgoing) Gov. Mark Schweiker. I’ve always called him “Secretary Hayes,” simply out of re spect for who he is and what he does. But those who read his letters see the indelible signature of “Sam.” But we all know what his massive signature implies: a man obsessed with advancing Pennsylvania agriculture. Sam Hayes (outgoing) Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture First and foremost, I believe Secretary Hayes Sam has been the finest ag secretary this state has ever seen. Why? Well, look at this partial list of his ac complishments as reported during Agro 2003: • With the aid of the General Assembly, and with key support from vari ous groups, including Farm Show Director Dennis Grumbine and staff, Hayes was able to help allocate $9O million for the most major additions and renova tions to the State Farm Show Complex since the first Farm Show budding went up more than 70 years ago. Hayes also was instrumental in the develop ment of the Livestock Evaluation Center near Rockspring and the PDA Greenhouse. • On the original conference committee for the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Program, Hayes was instrumental in making Pennsylvania the leader in the nation for preserved acres, making Pennsylvania a model pro gram for the entire country. • Hayes was instrumental in developing the biosecurity plan for agribusi ness, far ahead of most other states. This is part of his boundless enthusiasm and tireless promotion of agriculture in the state • During the drought of 1999, Hayes was able to help crop insur ance programs that have become national models. The total amount exceeds $275 mil lion, overtaking the mere $lOO mil lion a few years ago What Secretary Hayes has done far exceeds what any body should expect from an excellent secretary of agri culture. He is now part of what we are and what we will share in generations to come in this state. We salute Coach Hayes. I sincerely thank Secretary Hayes for all he has done for our state, for our institution, and for our read ers. Cornell Sheep and Goat Market ing Summit, Cornell Sheep Farm, Harford, N.Y., in con- junction with Quinterly Cor nell Sheep Farm Field Day, (607) 255-2851. Pa. Purebred Dairy Cattle Asso ciation Judging School, Pa. Farm Show Complex, Harris burg^9a.m >r (514)234-0364. Thanks! A.. i. <*». \ ❖ Farm Calendar ❖ .•^^\.«.-^% > /"rJKV‘s~< < ; - » - i New Jersey Holstein-Friesian As sociation annual meeting, Am well Fire Hall, Ringoes, N.J., 2:30 p.m., (908) 479-4633. Monday, January 20 New Holland Vegetable Growers’ Day, Yoder’s Restaurant, New Holland, (717) 394-6851. (Turn to Page A 37) To Attend The Lancaster County Cooperative Extension Association Annual Meeting For a winter evening of warm fel lowship, an opportunity to enjoy a variety of the county’s foods, enjoy a top-quality concert, and to learn about Penn State Cooperative Exten sion programs, plan to attend the Lancaster County Cooperative Ex tension Association Annual Meeting Jan. 30. The meeting will be conducted at the Farm and Home Center in Lan caster. The evening will begin with a social hour from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. with food provided by various vendors and commodity groups. As usual, the food will be excellent and plentiful. Dinner music will be provided by Erin, Amber, and Lindsey Sensing, talented 4-H’ers. At 7 p.m. we will begin the business meeting with in troductions, staff program updates, and an election for our board of di rectors. At 8 p.m. we will be treated to a concert by the McCaskey Gospel choir, which is well known for its ex cellent programs. The meeting will conclude with a Penn State report by regional direc tor Michelle Rodgers and awards QUID EST VERITAS? Background Scripture: John 18:31-38; 19:12-16a. Devotional Reading: I Timothy 2:1-6. In his native language, Latin, Pon tius Pilate asked Jesus that immortal question, “Quid est veritas?”—“What is truth?” It would appear from John 18:37,38 that Pilate received no an swer from Jesus, for, as soon as he asks, John goes on to say, “After he said this, he went out to the Jews again ” I believe, however, that Jesus an swered this question before Pilate even asked it. When Pilate asked, “Are you the King of the Jews?”, Jesus tried to avoid the semantics trap, explaining that his “kingship is not of this world” (18:36). But Pilate persists and Jesus says, “For this I was bom, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.” Jesus has already indicated that truth is not something you have, but what you are and do. He does not have in his human brain all the knowledge and truth of the universe, but he is the truth in that he leads us Lancaster Farming An Award-Winning Farm Newspaper • Keystone Awards 1993,1995 • PennAg Industries 1992 • PACD Media Award 1996 • Berks Ag-Business Council 2000 • Recognized for photo excellence throughout the years by the Northeast Farm Communicators and recognitions. A separate chil dren’s program will be provided in the downstairs meeting room during the business meeting. Tickets for the evening are $4 for adults and $2 for children ages 6-12, a real bargain! Call the Lancaster County Extension office for more in formation and for tickets, (717) 394-6851. To Enroll In Whole Farm Revenue Insurance Plans Jayson Harper, professor of agri cultural economics at Penn State, re minds us the sign-up deadline is Jan. 31 for the whole-farm revenue insur ance plans AGR and AGR-Lite. There is a lot of interest in these crop insurance plans, so it is important to make an appointment with a crop in surance agent soon. When you meet with the agent, you will need copies of your 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 1040 Schedule Fs in order to apply for coverage. AGR-Lite is available statewide and AGR is available in 14 counties (Berks, Carbon, Columbia, Craw ford, Erie, Fayette, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Monroe, North ampton, Schuylkill, Westmoreland, and York). Fact sheets and other in formation on AGR and AGR-Lite can be found on the Pennsylvania Crop Insurance Education Website: http://cropins.aers.psu.edu. The 2003 version of “Crop Insurance for Penn sylvania Field Crops,” “Crop Insur ance for Pennsylvania Vegetable Crops,” and “Crop Insurance for Pennsylvania Fruit Crops” are avail able on the Website. Crop insurance is a valuable risk management tool that allows farmers to insure against losses because of adverse weather conditions, fire, in sects, disease, irrigation water supply failure, and wildlife. Crop insurance is federally subsidized and is sold by private crop insurance agents. Dur ing 1997-2001, Pennsylvania farmers with crop insurance were paid $61.7 million for crop losses and received $4.32 for crop losses for every $1 they paid in premiums. Crop insurance is increasingly being adopted by farmers for risk to God, the source of all truth. In Christianity’s earliest days, his fol lowers were concerned not with sys tematizing the ideas of Jesus, but fol lowing the example of their Lord. The truth was demonstrated in their lives individually and corporately. Jesus had said, not understand me, but follow me! Little Box Of Brains For one thing, completely compre hending the truth may be impossible because we can apprehend, but not comprehend it with our finite minds. In one of H.G. Wells’ works, a Bish op converses with an angel and says, “You can tell me the truth.” The angel gently grasps the Bishop’s head in his hands, and the Bishop asks, “Bui can this hold it?” “Not with this little box of brains,” says the angel. “You could as soon make a meal of the stars and pack them into your belly. You haven’t the things to do it with inside this.” The Bishop is not unique, for none of us have the mental equipment to entertain in ourselves the hill truth. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” God chal lenged Job, “ Tell me, if you have un derstanding” (Job 38:4). Job then un derstands his human limitation and answers: “ ... I have uttered what I did not understand, things too won derful for me, which I did not know” (42:3b). Instead of finding answers to his questions, he finds God: “I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee” (42:5). Jesus told Pilate that his purpose in coming to the world was to “bear witness to the truth.” The way in which Jesus conducted himself be fore Pilate was a witness to the truth of God. The whole drama from the management. In 2002 there was a 20 percent increase in the number of crop insurance policies sold (14,603 for 2002 vs. 12,218 for 2001). The covered acreage increased from 977,000 acres to 1.16 million acres this past year (a 19 percent increase). A minimum level of crop insur ance called CAT insurance is avail able to all farmers regardless of size at no premium cost (all premiums are paid by the federal government). Higher levels of crop insurance (buy up protection) are also federally sub sidized, with farmers paying only 33-62 percent of the actual cost of the insurance (depending on the level of coverage selected). The commonwealth of Pennsylva nia is a strong supporter of crop in surance and has allocated fluids since 2000 to help farmers buy crop insurance. This money will be used to pay the $lOO policy application fee for CAT insurance and the $3O ap plication fee for buyup protection. An additional 10 percent of the total cost of buyup protection will also be paid by the state, so Pennsylvania farmers pay only 23-52 percent of the actual cost of this coverage (a 16-30 percent discount). The end result is that CAT insurance is free and buyup protection is discounted in Pennsylvania. Multiperil crop insurance is avail able for at least one commodity in every county in Pennsylvania; a total of 22 crops are represented across the state.. Whole-farm Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) insurance is avail able in 14 counties and AGR-Lite (for farmers with revenue protection needs of $lOO,OOO or less) is available statewide in 2003. For more informa tion, contact Jayson Harper at (814) 863-8638 or e-mailjharper@psu.edu. Quote of the Week: “Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most inde pendent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bonds. As long, therefore, as they can find employ ment in this line, I would not con vert them into mariners, artisans, or anything else. ” Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 1785 Praetorium to the hill of Calvary was a pageant of the truth of God through the witness of Jesus Christ. Truth’s ‘Companion’ We are never further from the truth then when we think of it as something to be possessed. 1 have it and I will let you have it! But, like Jesus, we need instead to point peo ple to God so that they may experi ence the truth, not in lofty human ideas but in the experience of God’s eternal source of truth. Charles Caleb Colton once said that “The greatest friend of truth is time, her greatest enemy is prejudice, and her constant companion is hu mility.” This is what so unsettled Pontius Pilate when Jesus stood be fore him. Humbly, Jesus embodied the truth. Some years ago an Old Testament scholar wrote a book in which he ex pounded a radical theory on the au thorship of the book of Isaiah. He ad mitted that he dreaded the criticism that was sure to follow, but he said, “There is a worse fate than being misunderstood; it is to be to truth a timid friend.” Jesus was a humble, but not timid, friend of truth. Pilate asked, “What is truth?” and Jesus showed him: “From the cowardice that shrinks from new truth, from the laziness that is content with half-truths, from the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth, O God of Truth, deliver us.” (An ancient prayer) Lancaster Farming * Established 1955 Published Every Saturday Ephrata Review Building 1 E. Main St. Ephrata, PA 17522 —by— Lancaster Farming, Inc. A Stemman Enterprise William J. Burgess General Manager Andy Andrews, Editor Copyright 2003 by Lancaster Farming *"*«*4*«&*l
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